Fabaceae / Papilionaceae

(Xii)
1.1
3.5
Deserts:
The arid zones of Sindh represent 17 percent of the arid land of Pakistan and can be classified
2
as subtropical deserts. These cover an area of over 68,000 km of the province and can be
roughly divided into three even-sized distinct regions: Thar, Nara and Kohistan, out of which a
total area of 14.09 million hectares (MHA), 9.28 MHA form rangeland in these areas (IUCN,
2004).
2
Thar covers 23,000 km and has a population of nearly one million people. This region is
mainly in the Tharparkar, Mithi and Umer Kot districts and extends southwards along the
Rann of Kutch. Its climate is arid in the north, and semi-arid in the south depending on the
rainfall 02 which varies from north to south.
2
Nara is located in Khairpur Mir District stretches over 22,000 km . Its upper portion lays in
Sukkur (population 908,373,000), Khairpur (population 1,546,587,000), Shahid Benezirabad
(Nawabshah) (population 1,071,533) and Sanghar (population 1,453,028) districts. Thar and
Nara are located on the left side of the river and form the eastern boundary of the province
(IUCN, 2004).
2
Kohistan region covers 23,000 km and occupies four percent of the total landmass of the
province, consisting of parts of Dadu (90 percent of the area with a population of 1,688,811),
Larkana (6 percent of the area with a population of 1,927,066) and Thatta (4 percent of the
area with a population of 1,113,194). Kohistan lies along the western boundary between
Sindh and Balochistan and extends in the South along the Indus Delta (Qazi, 2003).
These three regions are distinctly marked with sandy hills steep slope and vast low lying flat
areas locally known as patt. The vast sandy tracts are broken up by undulating sand dunes
and/or barren mountains. Though the living condition is inhospitable but these are often
characterized by ecosystem consisting of unique flora and fauna. Flora consists mostly of
stunted scrub and bush although trees such as the Prosopis cineraria occasionally dot the
landscape. The nutritive grasses provide fodder for the livestock that comprise of cattle,
camels, goats, and sheep. The Ibex of Kohistan and the Gazelle deer and peacocks of
Tharparkar are animal species unique to this region.
3.6
Rangelands:
The rangelands also known as protected forest are the areas which provide fodder for cattle
species in desert and dry mountainous area and refuge for mammals, indigenous and
migratory birds and reptiles. Rangelands are a critical component of the arid zones of Sindh
covering an area of 0.457 million ha. The rangelands in Sindh are mostly state property and it
is necessary that they are managed in an integrated manner to ensure productivity in a
sustainable manner (IUCN 2007).
4.0
Biodiversity profile:
Biodiversity is a term used for all forms of life on earth and its variability among living
organisms from all sources. Every part of the earth has distinct features of plant, animal and
microorganisms depending on its climate and geology. It plays an important role in ecosystem
functions that provide support, regulations and cultural services essential for human wellbeing.
People rely on biodiversity for food, medicine and other raw materials of their needs
(IUCN 2007). Sindh is rich with floral and faunal diversity and is a blend of elements from
different origins.