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| Nawaz, M.A.; Rafique, M.; Khan, N.K. | |
| Pattern of mammalian distribution in the Chagai desert, Balochistan, Pakistan | |
| 2011 Pakistan Journal of Zoology (43): 841-847 | |
Distribution of mammals and the characteristics of their habitats were investigated in Chagai Desert in November 2008. The Chagai Desert, in Balochistan Province of Pakistan, is characterized by very low rainfall, high summer temperature, high velocity winds, poor soils, very sparse vegetation and a low diversity of plant species. The soils in the hills are mainly rocky and gravelly with very shallow fine material due to high aridity and wind erosion. A total of 26 plant species, belonging to 12 families were recorded from the area. Dominant plant genera were _Tamarix, Haloxylon, Fagonia, Tribulus, Zygophyllum _and _Aristida_. On the basis of vegetation characteristics and topographical features, habitats of the study area can be distinguished in to four types, _i.e_. mountain/hills, gravel plains, sandy plains and seasonal stream beds. We recorded 22.8 rodent colonies per km2, which makes rodents the most abundant group of mammals in Chagai. Signs of fox (_Vulpes _spp.) (7.2/km2) and jackal (_Canis aureus_) (3.3/km2) were also relatively common; however, signs of other large mammals were very rare and limited to few areas. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that the majority of mammalian species in the area had correlated distribution pattern. Gravel plains and hilly areas, which cover major parts of the desert, were associated with the lowest mammalian densities. Higher densities of mammals were restricted to spatially limited areas of sandy plains and seasonal streambeds. The low densities of mammals can likely be explained by low productivity, fluctuation, and severity of climatic conditions in the Chagai Desert. |
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