Ecology of Vegetation Near to The Drains of Polluted Effluents Industrial Areas of Karachi

Ten different types of plant communities were identified along the banks of polluted effluents drains of industrial areas. The vegetation was herbaceous but floristically poor in species composition. Two of the monocotyledonous species (Paspalidium geminatum and Cynodon dactylon) were the most dominant and frequent in almost all types of polluted channels. However, one dicotyledonous species (Eclipta prostrate) was also present dominantly in two of the stands.
A significant correlation was observed between different plant communities and the effluents properties (pH, levels of chloride, calcium, carbonate, bicarbonate, dissolved and undissolved solids) of the polluted drains. P. Geminatum, C. dectylon and Paspalidium-Cynodon communities showed wide ecological amplitude and were found growing at diverse habitat conditions along the polluted disposal channels of the industrial sites.