Composition of Understory Vegetation in Major Shrub Species of Cholistan Desert, Pakistan

5 Abstract: Current study was done in Cholistan desert (27° 42' and 29° 45' North and longitudes 69° 52' and 75° 24' East) to study the understory vegetation of major shrub species. Phytosociological as well as soil chemistry were analysed to find the association among various plant species forming understory vegetation of shrubs. Quadrats (1 m ) sampling given the species data forming the plant communities underside the canopies of 2 shrubs and then cover, relative cover, relative frequency, relative density, importance value index and some dominant ratios of each plant species were calculated following standard methods. Field guides were used for the identification of the plant species and study was repeated for three times. Understory soil chemistry varied among all shrubs species and there was no consistency among various physico-chemical parameters. Two grass species (C. ciliaris and S. plumose) and one shrub (S. baryosma) were noted to be most frequent and form good association among the other understory plant species. Other understory plant species found to have little associations with other understory plant species. Plant eco-physiological studies are needed to find the indepth phenomenon of plant communities formation among the plants.