Many local plant species becoming extinct

A number of plant species in the country have become extinct while many more are on the verge of extinction and the situation demands that the Government take immediate measures to conserve plants on scientific lines.

Pakistan is the only country in the world where altitude varies from sea level to 8,611 metres (the mountain of K2).

The country`s topography that has created a variety of habitats is also reflected in its flora and fauna. However, the country lacks a botanical survey department, as it exists in many regional countries, including India, and a book on the status of its flora.

Dr S Irtafaq Ali and, noted botanists, shared these views with Dawn.

Dr Ali currently heads the Dr A Q Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering at Karachi University while Dr Qaiser serves as the vice chancellor of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology. Both scientists are compiling the first comprehensive book on the country`s flora.

Elaborating upon Pakistan`s geographical conditions, Dr Qaiser said, "It is a land of contrasts in many respects and probably no other country of this size has such a variety of habitat and topography.

"There is a coast and, at the same time we have some of the highest mountains and the largest glaciers (outside the arctic) in the world. This is unique. So far, we have just explored 0.89 percent of the total 5,700 species while 7.6 percent (405) species are endemic belonging to 43 families. Around 700 plant species are endangered," he said.

Pakistan, he said, is a signatory to the convention on biological diversity and had also developed a comprehensive biodiversity action plan in 2000. But the convention has not been implemented. 'Extinct species`

According to Dr Qaiser, a number of plant species earlier recorded from specific habitats were no longer found. The list of such plant species include Asparagus gharoensis (Sindh), Scaveola plumererii (Sindh coast), Scaveola taccada (Sindh coast), Allium gilgiticum (Gilgit), Arabidopsis brevicaulis (Hunza valley), Saxifraga duthei (Baltistan), Cousinia matifeldei (Chitral), Taraxacum chitralicum (Chitral), Pedicularis caeruleoalbescens (Chitral), Nepeta schinidii (Chitral), Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (Indus delta) and Sonneratia caseolaris (Indus delta).

Dawn