Phytosociology and ecological framework of forest tree species in the Toormang Valley, Dir Lower, Hindu Kush Range, Pakistan

Abstract The phytosociological survey was conducted during 2018-2020. The research area was classified into five ecological zones based on habitat, physiognomy and species composition. Pc-Ord software was used for cluster analysis and four vegetation communities were established. The Quercus baloot-Quercus incana community is situated in Sair at an altitude of 1196 (mean ± SE) m altitude with a 14.1 ± 0 slope angle and contains eleven tree species. The Pinus wallichiana- Ailanthus altissima community had a relatively small number of tree species reported in Shakawlie at 1556 (mean ± SE) with a 17.5 ± 0 slope angle. The Pinus wallichiana- Quercus incana community is distributed in Wali Kandao and Mangi Kandao at altitudes of 2030.5 (mean ± SE) m and the slope angle was 19.2 ± 1.4. This community possesses a total of twenty-one tree species and is highly diverse. Similarly, the Populus alba - Platanus orientalis group was present in Banr Pate, with an altitude of 1613 (mean ± SE) m and a 16.3 slope angle. The principal component analysis (PCA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination methods were applied to study the relationships between ecological and soil variables with trees species. The NMS ordination of axis 1 was significantly correlated with Sand% (p