Document 16

Identify forest areas in the salt range
of Pakistan
Abstract
The Salt Range area of Pakistan is a local biodiversity hotspot. Shrub forests of the
area are faced with an increasing problem of forest fragmentation and degradation
which is eroding the original biodiversity. Forest vegetation was selected as a subset of
total biodiversity. Major forest mosaics of the area were identified from satellite image
and then visited on the ground to collect locational, environmental, and biological data.
GIS are powerful and useful tools for biodiversity assessment, mapping and
conservation planning at the ecosystem or landscape scale. We use GIS mapping to
identify forest area in salt range by NDVI (Normalized difference vegetation index) . Our
results show that tree mortality and biomass loss increased significantly during the
drought period and annual growth rates declined. During the post-drought period,
mortality and biomass loss rates returned to the pre-drought level and growth partially
recovered. . Further analyses are needed to understand the fate of tree species and
forests in East Texas under global climate change
INTRIDUCTION
Salt Range, series of hills and low mountains between the valleys of the
Indus and Jhelum rivers, located in the northern part of the Punjab region of
Pakistan. It derives its name from extensive deposits of rock salt that form
one of the richest salt fields in the world; they are of Precambrian age and
range up to more than 1,600 feet (490 m) in thickness. The range is
approximately 186 miles (300 km) long from east to west, and its width, in the
central and eastern parts, is from 5 to 19 miles. Its average height is 2,200
feet, and its highest altitude, at Sakesar mountain, is 4,992 feet (1,522 m). In
addition to the salt deposits, mined from ancient times, the Salt Range
contains coal, gypsum, and other minerals.
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FIG 1 Adminstrative map of sallt range area
The landform is that of a range of low mountains from which the top strata
have been removed by erosion. Forming the southern terrace of the Potwar
Plateau (1,700 feet), southwest of Rawalpindi, it consists of two
unsymmetrical, parallel ridges divided by a longitudinal valley.
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The southern slopes of both ridges are steep; the northern slopes are slanting.
The northern ridge (a cuesta—i.e., a sloping plain, culminating at the upper
end at the crest of a cliff), with an average height of from 2,300 to 2,600 feet
and with very steep southern slopes, is the lower. In the west and east, the
range divides into separate mountain masses, or massifs. West of Sakesar the
course of the range swings to the northwest, with low, longitudinal ranges. The
Indus River breaks through the ranges at Kālābāgh, flowing between vertical
cliffs inaccessible to communication. The summits of the Salt Range are
slanting, hilly, and plateau like. The highest peaks are Sakesar, in the west,
and the massif Chel (Chail), 3,700 feet, in the east. On the northern slope, a
system of deep ravines (badlands) has developed.
Structurally, the Salt Range is a highly upheaved block of the northwestern
part of the Indian Platform, or Shield, raised to a significant height along the
southern fracture, with the sedimentary strata sloping uniformly to the north.
The incline of the strata in the central part is around 10°, and in the western,
eastern, and northern parts it is up to 45
The climate of the Salt Range is continental and arid, changing from tropic to
subtropic. Tropical air prevails during all seasons of the year except the cold
winter months, when the relatively cool polar air penetrates at the tail end of
high-pressure systems (cyclones). This is a cold, damp season. During
summer, precipitations are connected with the equatorial, moist,
southwestern (Indian) monsoon, which reaches the limits of its occurrence in
West Punjab but brings the largest amounts of precipitation
Agriculture is limited because of the poverty of the soil and lack of water for
irrigation. Small areas on the slopes and in the longitudinal valleys are being
terraced for irrigation using the water of lakes and springs. In the valleys dry
farming prevails .
In the flora of the Salt Range there are both African-Arabian and
Mediterranean elements. Before the loss of the natural vegetation, the area
was covered in the south by xerophyte (drought-resisting) thin forests and in
the north chiefly by savannas. At present a small mass of thin forest has been
preserved by conservation on the southeast. Among the forest trees are acacia,
pine, wild olive, and others. Other characteristic vegetation includes spurge
(Euphorbia) and camel thorn and other scrubs and brushwood.
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On the southern slope of the Salt Range are located the largest deposits of rock
salt in Pakistan, at Khewra, Warcha, and Kalabagh. Coal deposits are found at
Dandot, Pardh, and Makarwāl . Traces of petroleum are associated with
limestone and sandstone deposits in the western part of the Salt Range. In the
salt-bearing series in the eastern part of the Salt Range, layers of bituminous
shales and dolomites are found. In the eastern parts, too, beds of bauxite
occur.
Fig 2 Contour map of salt range area
Large deposits of high-grade gypsum and anhydrite, an important calcium

mineral, are found near Jalālpur. Economically, the salt and coal mines and
limestone quarries are the most important. The only population centre of any
size associated with the Salt Range is Jhelum. Most of the towns in the range
itself serve the mines and quarries.
The main ethnic groups of the region are the Pandzhabt, and Aran peoples,
who speak Indian languages (mainly Lakhra). While there is marginal farming
in the valleys and on the few terraces and some animal husbandry on the
overgrazed hillsides, the principal occupation is salt mining.
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AIMS AND OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this study was to identify priority remnant forest
patches for biodiversity conservation planning. Extensive use was made
of remote sensing and GIS techniques to achieve the objective. Forest
vegetation was selected as a subset of total biodiversity. The present
investigations were carried out in Salt Range area of Pakistan, regarding
the morphology of grasses as an aid to their correct identification, their
distribution and indigenous uses in the area.
METHODOOGY
Major forest mosaics of the area were identified from satellite image
and then visited on the ground to collect locational, environmental, and
biological data. Field data collection was done through Line transact
sampling design. Image classification was performed by using thevd
elevation new make adminsttrative map to show brought area of salt
rang .Than we use stream map to observed elevation by making
contour .
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DATA SET AND DATA ANALYSIS
We use different data for different maps
First of all for the admin map we download many pak admin files in
compressed form.For stream and conbtour map we have to download
DEM images from usgs then we were make mozaic of all the images
from erdas..THen we download landsat 8 image stackt it and mozaic it
for the ndvi.
Fig 4 Stream map of salt range area
OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS

During the drought period, FSI dropped at species, forest type and
ecoregion levels but recovered during the post-drought period, except for
the Oak Woods and Prairies ecoregion and for forests dominated by
southern red oak. Our results indicate that East Texas forests are
undergoing a reorganization and recove are undergoing a reorganization
and recovery stage
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REFERENCE
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). (1994). Ucchali Complex (Khushab): A report on planning
the conservation of water bodies based on indigenous population. pp. 55.
Abbas, I., T. Akhtar and A. Mian. (2009). Phytosociological Analysis within the Range of Grey
Goral in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Pak.Journal of Botany., 41 (2): 667682
Hussain, M. (2002). Exploration of Legume Diversity Endemic to Salt Range in the Punjab.
Annual Technical Report Submitted to HEC. Islamabad, Pakistan
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Identify forest areas in the salt range

Fig 2 Contour map of salt range area

Large deposits of high-grade gypsum and anhydrite, an important calcium

We use different data for different maps

Fig 4 Stream map of salt range area

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS

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