Shazia Firdous’s research while affiliated with University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences and other places

What is this page?


This page lists works of an author who doesn't have a ResearchGate profile or hasn't added the works to their profile yet. It is automatically generated from public (personal) data to further our legitimate goal of comprehensive and accurate scientific recordkeeping. If you are this author and want this page removed, please let us know.

Publications (2)


Map showing the Changa Manga Forest in the subtropical region of Punjab Pakistan
The relationship observed between species and families in the reported flora. The circle-shaped dots in various colors in the graph show the species distribution pattern in the families. The dotted line in the graph represents the degree of a polynomial function observed in the recorded flora
An agglomerative hierarchical clustering dendrogram of the considered 127 stands representing the six plant species associations in Changa Manga Forest. NZM: Neltuma-Ziziphus-Malvestrum, BLM: Broussonetia-Lantana-Morus, DLS: Dalbergia-Lantana-Solanum, MAR: Morus-Abutilon-Ricinus, EVS: Eucalyptus-Vachellia-Sorghum, and BLC: Bombax-Leucaena-Croton
Variation of diversity indices among the six plant communities in Changa Manga Forest. Figures represent ridgeline plots with raw data. Lowercase letters on the left indicate statistically significant differences determined by estimated marginal means. The Y-axis is displayed according to community classifications. NZM: Neltuma-Ziziphus-Malvestrum, BLM: Broussonetia-Lantana-Morus, DLS: Dalbergia-Lantana-Solanum, MAR: Morus-Abutilon-Ricinus, EVS: Eucalyptus-Vachellia-Sorghum, and BLC: Bombax-Leucaena-Croton
Dissimilarity clusters based on spatial turnover (βsim) and nestedness-resultant components (βsne) of beta diversity among the six plant communities in Changa Manga Forest (NZM: Neltuma-Ziziphus-Malvestrum, BLM: Broussonetia-Lantana-Morus, DLS: Dalbergia-Lantana-Solanum, MAR: Morus-Abutilon-Ricinus, EVS: Eucalyptus-Vachellia-Sorghum, and BLC: Bombax-Leucaena-Croton)

+4

Ecological analysis of plant community structure and soil effects in subtropical forest ecosystem
  • Article
  • Full-text available

December 2024

·

123 Reads

BMC Plant Biology

·

·

Shazia Firdous

·

[...]

·

Abeer Al-Andal

Background Subtropical forest plant diversity, characterized by a wide range of species adapted to seasonal variations, is vital for sustaining ecological balance, supporting diverse wildlife, and providing critical ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and soil stabilization. The Changa Manga Forest, an ecologically rich area with varied vegetation, was analyzed to understand the intricate relationship between plant diversity and environmental factors. This study investigates the diversity patterns, vegetation structure, and environmental influences on forest biodiversity. Methods A comprehensive survey was conducted across 127 stands within the Changa Manga Forest to document plant species and classify vegetation communities. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for key physicochemical parameters, while multivariate statistical methods, including hierarchical clustering and ordination, were applied to examine the relationships between vegetation structure and environmental factors. Diversity indices and beta diversity components were calculated to assess variations across plant communities. Results The species were classified into six distinct vegetation communities: Neltuma-Ziziphus-Malvestrum (NZM), Broussonetia-Lantana-Morus (BLM), Dalbergia-Lantana-Solanum (DLS), Morus-Abutilon-Ricinus (MAR), Eucalyptus-Vachellia-Sorghum (EVS), and Bombax-Leucaena-Croton (BLC). Analyses using hierarchical clustering and ordination methods revealed significant differences in species composition among these communities, with NZM and DLS exhibiting the highest dissimilarity. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) indicated that environmental factors such as soil pH, available phosphorus (AP), and organic matter percentage (OM%) are crucial in shaping plant distribution, though the total explained variation remained relatively low. Diversity indices varied significantly among communities, with the NZM community showing the highest Shannon and Simpson diversity, while EVS exhibited the lowest. The beta diversity analysis revealed a high species turnover between certain communities, indicating complex ecological interactions. Our results indicate significant variability in plant community composition and diversity patterns, influenced by edaphic factors and environmental gradients. We anticipate that future environmental changes, such as shifts in soil properties, precipitation patterns, and increased human activity, may exacerbate declines in local plant species richness and disrupt community structures. To preserve the invaluable biodiversity of the study area for future generations, it is essential to implement timely and effective conservation and management strategies.

Download

Short review: Crosstalk between Abiotic and Biotic stress responses of Cymbopogon species

August 2023

·

28 Reads

Cymbopogon spp . (lemongrass), which is a perennial herb, belongs to the family Poaceae. It has been used in traditional and ayurvedic medicine for over a century in a range of countries. Lemongrass possesses antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and analgesic applications. It’s also used to treat diabetes, sickness, the flu and pneumonia. The fragrant grass Cymbopogon spp . contains essential oil with a pleasant lemon flavour. But the plants are constantly subjected to a range of environmental stresses, limiting their agricultural output. Plant damage caused by various pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, nematodes, insects and weeds results in biotic stresses. Abiotic stresses include drought, heat, salt, heavy metals and cold, which ultimately have a negative impact on agricultural plant potential and output. Biotic and abiotic stresses also affect the secondary metabolites in plants. Abiotic stress (drought, heat, salt, cold) causes the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant cellular compartments. Plants sense external stress via specific receptors and transduce the foreign signal into intracellular downstream signalling pathways that include activation of protein kinase or phosphatase, stimulation of downstream target proteins and phytohormone biosynthesis to improve plant growth and development.