This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.

Dr. Shujaul Khan
Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan

Basic Info


Research Keywords & Expertise

0 climate smart agriculture
0 Ethnobiology
0 Ethno botany
0 ethnic areas
0 Ethnoagroforestry

Fingerprints

Ethnobiology

Honors and Awards

The user has no records in this section


Career Timeline

The user has no records in this section.


Short Biography

Our research mainly focuses on Ecology, Ethnobiology, Conservation, combating air, Pollutions and climate smart plantation. Having interest to contribute to conservation of Natural Ecosystems and Biodiversity with a crucial aim to introduce the Hindu-Himalayan Region internationally in terms of research, medicinal plants and ecotourism industry, We have published more than 100 research articles with a total impact factor of more than 120 and 10 books/ book chapters. Few of our achievements have been highlighted in the News and Views, the leading magazine of HEC, Pakistan. We have received the Best Research Paper award 2019 from HEC, Pakistan. We received the Research Productivity Award 2019 from the QAU. Our research was awarded with Excellent ScholarsAward worth 8000 RMB (Chinese Yuan) and a certificate in the 19th International Botanical Congress (the IBC 2017), held at Schenzhen, China on July 23rd to July 29th, 2017. We are also executing an ALP, PARC funded project titled “Identification of potential ecological zone for introduction of suitable Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) Varieties; a step towards poverty alleviation and sustainable development in the FATA region of Pakistan” worth Rs. 4.89 million since 2018, which will be completed in 2021. We have completed three small projects funded by the KP Wildlife Department and National Parks of Pakistan. For more details these web pages may kindly be visited! https://www.qau.edu.pk/profile.php?id=804024.

Following
Followers
Co Authors
Profile ImageMushtaq Ahmad Department of Plant Sciences...
Profile ImageJan Alam Department of Botany, Hazara...
Profile ImageZahid Ullah Center for Plant Sciences an...
Profile ImageRenata Sõukand Ca' Foscari University of Ve...
Profile ImageMichele Fontefrancesco University of Gastronomic Sc...
Profile ImageInayat Ur Rahman Department of Botany, Hazara...
Profile ImageAndrea Pieroni University of Gastronomic Sc...
Profile ImageElsayed Fathi Abd_Allah Plant Production Department,...
Profile ImageArshad Mehmood Abbasi COMSATS University Islamabad...
Following: 13 users
View all

Feed

Journal article
Published: 02 July 2021 in Global Ecology and Conservation
Reads 0
Downloads 0

It was hypothesized that multiple environmental factors influence distribution and abundance of plant species in different vegetation layers of the forest ecosystems. Here, we have assessed plant diversity, abundance and its relationship with multiple factors through an integrative modeling approach. To substantiate or negate our hypothesis, firstly we obtained vegetation and environmental data via sampling procedures to recognize and quantify the multiple prevailing factors that play crucial roles in species abundance. Quadrat quantitative ecological methods were carried out for the sampling of vegetation in Humid Forest Ecosystem of the Western Himalayas. Rectangular plots of 100 m, 50 m and 1 m were established for trees, shrubs and herb species, respectively. All the edaphic, topographic, climatic and disturbance factors were determined using different standard procedures and protocols. We have applied multiple linear regression and structural equation models using R-Software on most abundant plant species each from trees, shrubs and herbs. Preliminary, integrative modeling revealed that the species abundance is significantly associated with a set of soil nutrients (chemical characters), topography (aspect, slope elevation) and disturbance factors (anthropogenic and grazing pressure). The species dominance effects were synchronously influenced (p˂0.025) by the soil physical characters (sand, silt and clay), canopy and regeneration potentials compared to other factors. Our results provide bases to understand the underlying mechanisms of species abundance and its importance of the forest ecosystem in western Himalaya. This work concludes that ecological diversity is overall the result of multiple factors but climatic, topographic, anthropogenic and grazing pressures primarily shape the diversity and functioning in a forest ecosystem. Additionally, we found a clear pattern that variations in edaphic (soil) factors cause the abundance of certain species over others.

ACS Style

Amjad Ur Rahman; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zeeshan Ahmad; Saad Alamri; Mohamed Hashem; Muhammad Ilyas; Ahmet Aksoy; Canan Dülgeroğlu; Gulzar Khan. The impacts of multiple environmental factors on species abundances in various forest layers using an integrative modeling approach. Global Ecology and Conservation 2021, e01712 .

AMA Style

Amjad Ur Rahman, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Zeeshan Ahmad, Saad Alamri, Mohamed Hashem, Muhammad Ilyas, Ahmet Aksoy, Canan Dülgeroğlu, Gulzar Khan. The impacts of multiple environmental factors on species abundances in various forest layers using an integrative modeling approach. Global Ecology and Conservation. 2021; ():e01712.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amjad Ur Rahman; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zeeshan Ahmad; Saad Alamri; Mohamed Hashem; Muhammad Ilyas; Ahmet Aksoy; Canan Dülgeroğlu; Gulzar Khan. 2021. "The impacts of multiple environmental factors on species abundances in various forest layers using an integrative modeling approach." Global Ecology and Conservation , no. : e01712.

Journal article
Published: 08 May 2021 in Sustainability
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The tribal belt of the Hindu Kush mountains is famous for its unique culture, ethnography, wild food plants, food systems, and traditional knowledge. People in this region gather wild plants and plant parts using them directly or in traditional cuisine, or sell them in local markets. However, there is a huge lack of documentation of the food system, particularly that related to wild food plants (WFP). In the current study, we focus on the uses and contributions of WFPs in the traditional tribal food system of the Hindu Kush valleys along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Ethnobotanical data were gathered through questionnaire surveys of 84 informants, including 69 men and 15 women, belonging to 21 different villages of the chosen area. In tribal societies men and women rarely mix and thus very few women took part in the surveys. We documented 63 WFP species belonging to 34 botanical families, of which 27 were used as vegetables, 24 as fruits, six in different kinds of chutneys (starters), and six as fresh food species. Fruits were the most used part (41%), followed by leaves (24%), aerial parts (24%), seeds (7%), stems (3%), and young inflorescences (1%). The reported uses of Carthamus oxyacantha, Pinus roxburghii seeds, and Marsilea quadrifolia leaves are novel for the gastronomy of Pakistan. The results reveal that WFPs provide a significant contribution to local food systems and play a role in addressing human nutritional needs, which are usually not met through farming practices. The tribal peoples of the Hindu Kush use WFPs for their nutritional value, but also as a cultural practice—an inseparable component of the tribal community’s lifestyle. This important traditional knowledge about the gathering and consumption of WFPs, however, is eroding at an alarming rate among younger generations due to the introduction of fast-food, modernization, and globalization. Therefore, appropriate strategies are imperative not only to safeguard traditional plants and food knowledge and practices, as well as the cultural heritage attached to them, but also to foster food security and thus public healthcare via local wild foods in the region.

ACS Style

Abdullah Abdullah; Shujaul Khan; Andrea Pieroni; Aminul Haq; Zahoor Haq; Zeeshan Ahmad; Shazia Sakhi; Abeer Hashem; Al-Bandari Al-Arjani; Abdulaziz Alqarawi; Elsayed Abd_Allah. A Comprehensive Appraisal of the Wild Food Plants and Food System of Tribal Cultures in the Hindu Kush Mountain Range; a Way Forward for Balancing Human Nutrition and Food Security. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5258 .

AMA Style

Abdullah Abdullah, Shujaul Khan, Andrea Pieroni, Aminul Haq, Zahoor Haq, Zeeshan Ahmad, Shazia Sakhi, Abeer Hashem, Al-Bandari Al-Arjani, Abdulaziz Alqarawi, Elsayed Abd_Allah. A Comprehensive Appraisal of the Wild Food Plants and Food System of Tribal Cultures in the Hindu Kush Mountain Range; a Way Forward for Balancing Human Nutrition and Food Security. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (9):5258.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abdullah Abdullah; Shujaul Khan; Andrea Pieroni; Aminul Haq; Zahoor Haq; Zeeshan Ahmad; Shazia Sakhi; Abeer Hashem; Al-Bandari Al-Arjani; Abdulaziz Alqarawi; Elsayed Abd_Allah. 2021. "A Comprehensive Appraisal of the Wild Food Plants and Food System of Tribal Cultures in the Hindu Kush Mountain Range; a Way Forward for Balancing Human Nutrition and Food Security." Sustainability 13, no. 9: 5258.

Review article
Published: 25 February 2021 in The Botanical Review
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Distributions of plant species over the earth’s surface are neither random nor even, but are geographic specific and characterized by specific sets of environmental and climatic factors. The current study aimed to classify the vegetation along the River Panjkora of the district Dir Lower, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan into different phytogeographic units via exercising the Multivariate statistical techniques. Vegetation sampling was carried out through quadrat quantitative ecological techniques. Quadrats of various sizes i.e. 1 × 1 m2, 5 × 5 m2 and 10 × 10 m2 were taken for herbs, shrubs and trees, respectively. Inclusively 215 plant species belong to 22 different phytogeographic elements were analysed and documented. The most dominant category of phytogeographic element was Irano-Turanian with 77 species, followed by Cosmopolitan 25 species, Holarctic 23 species, Pluriregional 19 species, Mediterranean 16 species, Western Himalayan 14 species, Paleotropical 12 species and Eastern Asiatic 6 species. Eurasian, Euro-Siberian and Saharo-Arabian were represented by 3 species, Tropical, Sub-cosmopolitan and Pantropical contribute by 2 species while Paleo-temperate, South American, Australian, American, African and central Asian element by a single species. The relationship of various phytogeographic elements with different environmental variables such as pH, EC, TDS, Mn, Ni, Co, Cr, Cu, Cd, Zn, Fe, Na, Ca, Mg and K were determined via Canonical and Detrended Correspondence Analyses. We have observed that with the increase in nutrients concentration i.e., Mn, Co, Mg & Ni the number of Irano-Turanian, Cosmopolitan, Holarctic, Mediterranean & Western Himalayan elements increases while with the decrease in nutrients Cr, Cu, Cd and Na concentration the number of Australian, Sub-Cosmopolitan, Sahro-Arabian, Euro-Siberian, Tropical, American, and Pantropical phytogeographical elements decreases. Therefore, we conclude that there is a direct relationship between phytogeographic elements and soil nutrients that is obviously coupled with the genetic mechanism and natural selection of the species. The area hosting a diverse flora and having a strong correlation with a specifi sets of edaphic and climatic factors. We also elucidate that the area along the river is a hub for various phytogeographical elements and could further be explored from mycorrhizal, genetic, and species migration point of views.

ACS Style

Shakil Ahmad Zeb; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zeeshan Ahmad; Abdullah. Phytogeographic Elements and Vegetation along the River Panjkora - Classification and Ordination Studies from the Hindu Kush Mountains Range. The Botanical Review 2021, 1 -25.

AMA Style

Shakil Ahmad Zeb, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Zeeshan Ahmad, Abdullah. Phytogeographic Elements and Vegetation along the River Panjkora - Classification and Ordination Studies from the Hindu Kush Mountains Range. The Botanical Review. 2021; ():1-25.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shakil Ahmad Zeb; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zeeshan Ahmad; Abdullah. 2021. "Phytogeographic Elements and Vegetation along the River Panjkora - Classification and Ordination Studies from the Hindu Kush Mountains Range." The Botanical Review , no. : 1-25.

Journal article
Published: 20 February 2021 in Journal of Hazardous Materials
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The current paper evaluates the phytoremediation ability and physiological responses of selected resistant plant species to the hazardous levels of elements in the marble waste polluted ecosystem. Preliminary results demonstrate that all the indicator/resistant plant species i.e., Ailanthus altissima, Arundo donax, Cynodon dactylon, Erigeron canadensis, Cannabis sativa, Ficus carica, Lathyrus aphaca, Morus alba, Populus alba, Robinia pseudoacacia and Vitex negundo were the best Phyto-extractors and Phyto-stabilizers for most of the heavy metals in general and Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu and Na in particular (at p < 0.05). Structural Equation Modeling confirmed that marble waste pollution has a direct and significant (R2 =0.80) impact on proline synthesis and hence a role in combating the pollution. Chlorophyll content decreased by 4% in studied plant species when the concentration of pollutants increased. It is concluded that the studied bio-indicators - the abundant plant species of the Marble Waste Polluted Systems (MWPS) have a significant role in its remediation. Increasing proline accumulation and decreasing chlorophyll contents with an increase in pollution in the studied plants show resilience of the ecosystem in response to the external lithospheric toxicities. It is recommended that the recognized plant species could be planted abundantly to remediate the MWPS around the marble processing and other such industries and their catchments.

ACS Style

Zeeshan Ahmad; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Susan Page. Politics of the natural vegetation to balance the hazardous level of elements in marble polluted ecosystem through phytoremediation and physiological responses. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2021, 414, 125451 .

AMA Style

Zeeshan Ahmad, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Susan Page. Politics of the natural vegetation to balance the hazardous level of elements in marble polluted ecosystem through phytoremediation and physiological responses. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2021; 414 ():125451.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zeeshan Ahmad; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Susan Page. 2021. "Politics of the natural vegetation to balance the hazardous level of elements in marble polluted ecosystem through phytoremediation and physiological responses." Journal of Hazardous Materials 414, no. : 125451.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2021 in Sustainability
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The issue of foraging for wild food plants among migrants and relocated communities is an important one in environmental studies, especially in order to understand how human societies rearrange their practices linked to nature and how they adapt to new socioecological systems. This paper addresses the complexity of Traditional/Local Environmental Knowledge (LEK) changes associated to wild vegetables and herbs across four different groups of Afghan refugees living in Mansehra District, NW Pakistan, since 1985. Via interviews with eighty study participants, forty-eight wild vegetables and herbs were recorded, representing both the past and present wild plant gastronomic heritage. The majority of the quoted wild plant ingredients were only remembered and no longer actively used, thus suggesting an important erosion of LEK. Moreover, the number of wild vegetables and herbs currently used by Afghan Pashtuns engaged in farming activities is much higher than those reported by the other groups. The findings indicate that practiced LEK, i.e., knowledge that is continuously kept alive via constant contact with the natural environment, is essential for the resilience of the biocultural heritage, which is, however, also influenced by the rearrangement of social life adopted by refugees after relocation.

ACS Style

Ajmal Manduzai; Arshad Abbasi; Shujaul Khan; Abdullah Abdullah; Julia Prakofjewa; Mohammad Amini; Muhammad Amjad; Kevin Cianfaglione; Michele Fontefrancesco; Renata Soukand; Andrea Pieroni. The Importance of Keeping Alive Sustainable Foraging Practices: Wild Vegetables and Herbs Gathered by Afghan Refugees Living in Mansehra District, Pakistan. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1500 .

AMA Style

Ajmal Manduzai, Arshad Abbasi, Shujaul Khan, Abdullah Abdullah, Julia Prakofjewa, Mohammad Amini, Muhammad Amjad, Kevin Cianfaglione, Michele Fontefrancesco, Renata Soukand, Andrea Pieroni. The Importance of Keeping Alive Sustainable Foraging Practices: Wild Vegetables and Herbs Gathered by Afghan Refugees Living in Mansehra District, Pakistan. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (3):1500.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ajmal Manduzai; Arshad Abbasi; Shujaul Khan; Abdullah Abdullah; Julia Prakofjewa; Mohammad Amini; Muhammad Amjad; Kevin Cianfaglione; Michele Fontefrancesco; Renata Soukand; Andrea Pieroni. 2021. "The Importance of Keeping Alive Sustainable Foraging Practices: Wild Vegetables and Herbs Gathered by Afghan Refugees Living in Mansehra District, Pakistan." Sustainability 13, no. 3: 1500.

Preprint
Published: 19 September 2020
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The tribal belt of Pakistan-the Pak-Afghan border region is famous for its unique culture, ethnography and wild food plants and traditional knowledge. People of these regions gather wild plants for number of purposes including plants or plant parts for direct use, use it in the traditional cuisines and selling in local markets. However, there is huge lack of documentation of food system particularly the Wild Food Plants (WFPs). In current study we have focused on the uses and contributions of the WFPs in the tribal traditional food system. The ethnobotanical data were gathered through questionnaire surveys with Eighty-four informants 69 men and 15 women belonging to 21 different villages. We documented Sixty-three WFP species belonging to 34 botanical families, of which 27 were used as vegetables, 24 as fruits, 6 in different kinds of chutneys (starters) formation and six as fresh food species. Fruits were the mostly used part (40%) followed by leaves (24%), aerial parts (24%), seeds (7%), stem (3%), legume (2%) and young inflorescence (1%). Use of Carthamus oxycanthus & Pinus roxburghii seeds and Marsillea quadrifolia leaves were the novel reports for the gastronomy of Pakistan. The results elucidate that WFPs have a significant contribution in the Tribal Food Systems. Tribal people use WFPs not only due to their nutritional importance but also as a cultural practice - an inseparable component of the tribal communities. This important traditional Knowledge about the consumption of WFPs has been eroding with an alarming speed among the younger generations due to introduction of fast food chains, modernization, and globalization. Therefore, appropriates strategies are imperative not only to safeguard traditional knowledge but also the cultural heritage, food security and hence public healthcare via food supplement in the region.

ACS Style

Shujaul Mulk Khan; Abdullah Abdullah. Contribution of the Wild Food Plants in the Food System of Tribal Belt of Pakistan; The Pak - Afghan Border Region. 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Shujaul Mulk Khan, Abdullah Abdullah. Contribution of the Wild Food Plants in the Food System of Tribal Belt of Pakistan; The Pak - Afghan Border Region. . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shujaul Mulk Khan; Abdullah Abdullah. 2020. "Contribution of the Wild Food Plants in the Food System of Tribal Belt of Pakistan; The Pak - Afghan Border Region." , no. : 1.

Research article
Published: 17 September 2020 in Tropical Ecology
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Hindu Kush is the largest mountain range of Central Asia that forms part of a vast alpine zone that stretches across the Eurasia from east towards the South Asia. We studied vegetation structure and the role of edaphic and topographic factors on distribution and formation of plant associations with specific emphais on Parrotiopsis species of the Districts Dir regions in the Hindu Kush Mountains. We also assessed the conservation status of Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana, an endemic species of the western Himalayan floristic province. We hypothesized that edaphic and climatic factors were responsible for the formation of different plant associations each with distinct indicators. A combination of transect and quadrat based methods were used for sampling. We used two way cluster analysis (TWCA), cluster analysis (CA), indicator species analysis, detrended correspondence analysis and canonical correspondence analysis to analyze and elaborate the vegetation pattern and formation. We used Google Earth Path software (V 1.4.6) for the calculation of extant of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) for evaluation of conservation status of P. jacquemontiana. A total of 142 plant species were reported belonging to 62 families. CA and TWCA clustered four plant associations within altitudinal range of 1556–2313 m. Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana should be designated as endangered species under ‘EN A2acd; B1B2 bc (i, ii, iii) of IUCN red list categories and criteria in the region. We found that high phosphorous and potassium concentration, elevation, aspect, slope, lower pH, electrical conductivity and soil texture were significant environmental variables that play an important role in the determination of vegetation structure, formation of plant associations and its indicators in the region. This information will be useful for conservation and management practices for endemic and rare plant taxa, and evaluation of vegetation structure.

ACS Style

Fazal Manan; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zeeshan Ahmad; Saqib Kamran; Zahoor Ul Haq; Fatima Abid; Majid Iqbal; Abdullah. Environmental determinants of plant associations and evaluation of the conservation status of Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana in Dir, the Hindu Kush Range of Mountains. Tropical Ecology 2020, 61, 509 -526.

AMA Style

Fazal Manan, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Zeeshan Ahmad, Saqib Kamran, Zahoor Ul Haq, Fatima Abid, Majid Iqbal, Abdullah. Environmental determinants of plant associations and evaluation of the conservation status of Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana in Dir, the Hindu Kush Range of Mountains. Tropical Ecology. 2020; 61 (4):509-526.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Fazal Manan; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zeeshan Ahmad; Saqib Kamran; Zahoor Ul Haq; Fatima Abid; Majid Iqbal; Abdullah. 2020. "Environmental determinants of plant associations and evaluation of the conservation status of Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana in Dir, the Hindu Kush Range of Mountains." Tropical Ecology 61, no. 4: 509-526.

Journal article
Published: 17 August 2020
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Mazri palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.) is a member of the family Arecaceae, native to Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. In Pakistan, it is used since long time for various purposes. This species plays a significant cultural and economic role in the daily lives of many rural areas in Pakistan and adjacent countries. However, the handcrafted products made up of this palm are often mainly known by specific local communities rather than by a broader range of people. Eighty-six structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted from Mazri growing areas, villages, and markets of urban centers during the fieldwork that was conducted in diverse regions of Pakistan. Interviewees included 27 Mazri farmers, 17 locals retaining Traditional Knowledge in handcrafting Mazri palm (12 were men and 5 were women), 23 handicrafts experts (21 were men and 2 were women), and 19 sellers. The age of the informants ranged from 14 to 83 years. Study participants shared detailed information about various traditional utilizations of the Mazri palm. Mature leaves of Mazri palm are used to produce mats, baskets, hand fans, hats, cages, hot pots, salt pots, brooms, etc. in the sudy area. Hot pots, salt pots, mats, baskets, and ropes represent highly used items. The mats are used for various purposes like drying grains, performing prayers, sitting, and sleeping. As a whole, 39 different kinds of handcrafted products from the leaves were found. Our findings revealed also that other parts of the plant, ie. petioles, fruits, and bark, have been used, although more rarely, by the locals. The palm uses differ accordingly to the different cultural areas of Pakisitan, thus demonstrating that local cultural heritage significantly informs Traditional Knowledge and practices related to the use of Mazri palm. The findings suggest also that this plant represents a crucial resource for the livelihood of the local communities in dry areas of the western borders of Pakistan, starting right from the coastal areas of Baluchistan up to District Bajaur in the North, where other farming activities there are difficult due to drought conditions. Traditional Knowledge about the sustainable utilization of Mazri palm is eroded in Pakistan among the younger generations due to rapid globalization and industrialization processes and appropriate strategies for revitalizing this heritage in a sustainable way should be urgently fostered.

ACS Style

Shujaul Mulk Khan; Andrea Pieroni; Zahoor Ul Haq; Zeeshan Ahmad. Mazri (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.): a remarkable source of manufacturing traditional handicrafts, goods and utensils in Pakistan. 2020, 16, 45 .

AMA Style

Shujaul Mulk Khan, Andrea Pieroni, Zahoor Ul Haq, Zeeshan Ahmad. Mazri (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.): a remarkable source of manufacturing traditional handicrafts, goods and utensils in Pakistan. . 2020; 16 (1):45.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shujaul Mulk Khan; Andrea Pieroni; Zahoor Ul Haq; Zeeshan Ahmad. 2020. "Mazri (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.): a remarkable source of manufacturing traditional handicrafts, goods and utensils in Pakistan." 16, no. 1: 45.

Journal article
Published: 17 August 2020 in Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Background Mazri palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.) is a member of the family Arecaceae, native to Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. In Pakistan, it is used since long time for various purposes. This species plays a significant cultural and economic role in the daily lives of many rural areas in Pakistan and adjacent countries. However, the handcrafted products made up of this palm are often mainly known by specific local communities rather than by a broader range of people. Methods Eighty-six structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted from Mazri growing areas, villages, and markets of urban centers during the fieldwork that was conducted in diverse regions of Pakistan. Interviewees included 27 Mazri farmers, 17 locals retaining Traditional Knowledge in handcrafting Mazri palm (12 were men and 5 were women), 23 handicrafts experts (21 were men and 2 were women), and 19 sellers. The age of the informants ranged from 14 to 83 years. Study participants shared detailed information about various traditional utilizations of the Mazri palm. Results Mature leaves of Mazri palm are used to produce mats, baskets, hand fans, hats, cages, hot pots, salt pots, brooms, etc. in the sudy area. Hot pots, salt pots, mats, baskets, and ropes represent highly used items. The mats are used for various purposes like drying grains, performing prayers, sitting, and sleeping. As a whole, 39 different kinds of handcrafted products from the leaves were found. Our findings revealed also that other parts of the plant, ie. petioles, fruits, and bark, have been used, although more rarely, by the locals. The palm uses differ accordingly to the different cultural areas of Pakisitan, thus demonstrating that local cultural heritage significantly informs Traditional Knowledge and practices related to the use of Mazri palm. The findings suggest also that this plant represents a crucial resource for the livelihood of the local communities in dry areas of the western borders of Pakistan, starting right from the coastal areas of Baluchistan up to District Bajaur in the North, where other farming activities there are difficult due to drought conditions. Conclusions Traditional Knowledge about the sustainable utilization of Mazri palm is eroded in Pakistan among the younger generations due to rapid globalization and industrialization processes and appropriate strategies for revitalizing this heritage in a sustainable way should be urgently fostered.

ACS Style

Abdullah; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Andrea Pieroni; Zahoor Ul Haq; Zeeshan Ahmad. Mazri (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.): a remarkable source of manufacturing traditional handicrafts, goods and utensils in Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2020, 16, 1 -13.

AMA Style

Abdullah, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Andrea Pieroni, Zahoor Ul Haq, Zeeshan Ahmad. Mazri (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.): a remarkable source of manufacturing traditional handicrafts, goods and utensils in Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2020; 16 (1):1-13.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abdullah; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Andrea Pieroni; Zahoor Ul Haq; Zeeshan Ahmad. 2020. "Mazri (Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff) Aitch.): a remarkable source of manufacturing traditional handicrafts, goods and utensils in Pakistan." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 16, no. 1: 1-13.

Research article
Published: 11 May 2020 in Microscopy Research and Technique
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The Cobalt Oxide and Calcium‐Aluminum Oxide nano‐catalysts were analyzed using Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques. Preliminary results showed that the particles of Cobalt Oxide exhibit sponge like morphology and homogenous distribution as per confirmation via SEM. Its average particle size ranges to 30.6 nm demonstrating enormous number of pores and aggregative in nature. Its various peaks were ranging from 19.2 to 65.4 after XRD analysis. The highest intensity was observed at 36.9 position. The energy dispersive spectroscopy techniques were used to calculate the elements present in sample according to their weight and atomic percentage. The cobalt oxide contain cobalt as the most abundant element with 46.85 wt% and 18.01 atomic percent. It contain oxygen with 30.51 wt% and 43.19 atomic percent. Whereas, SEM of calcium aluminum oxide showed random morphology. According to the calculation of Scherrer equation regarding XRD analysis, it was distributed homogenously with particle size ranges from 30 to 40 nm. Its porous morphology was due to the interconnecting gaps between different particles. It result the eight peaks ranging from 18.1 to 62.7 in XRD spectrum. The highest intensity observed at 35.1 with average crystallite particle size of 25.6 nm. The calcium aluminum oxide contain aluminum 7.45 wt% and 6.93 atomic percent. The calcium was the most abundant element with54.7 wt% and 34.24 atomic percent followed by oxygen with 37.26 wt% and 58.42 atomic percent. It was concluded that the SEM, XRD, and EDX are the most significant techniques to characterize nano‐catalysts in particular and other compounds generally.

ACS Style

Iram Gul; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Tariq Mehmood; Zeeshan Ahmad; Hussain Badshah; Hussain Shah. Characterization of Cobalt Oxide andCalcium‐AluminumOxide nano‐catalyst through Scanning Electron Microscopy,X‐raydiffraction, and Energy DispersiveX‐raySpectroscopy. Microscopy Research and Technique 2020, 83, 1124 -1131.

AMA Style

Iram Gul, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Tariq Mehmood, Zeeshan Ahmad, Hussain Badshah, Hussain Shah. Characterization of Cobalt Oxide andCalcium‐AluminumOxide nano‐catalyst through Scanning Electron Microscopy,X‐raydiffraction, and Energy DispersiveX‐raySpectroscopy. Microscopy Research and Technique. 2020; 83 (9):1124-1131.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Iram Gul; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Tariq Mehmood; Zeeshan Ahmad; Hussain Badshah; Hussain Shah. 2020. "Characterization of Cobalt Oxide andCalcium‐AluminumOxide nano‐catalyst through Scanning Electron Microscopy,X‐raydiffraction, and Energy DispersiveX‐raySpectroscopy." Microscopy Research and Technique 83, no. 9: 1124-1131.

Research article
Published: 25 January 2020 in Microscopy Research and Technique
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Taxonomy of the genus Berberis is quite complex, due to overlapping morphological characters, making it very difficult to differentiate the species within the genus. In order to resolve this taxonomic complexity, the foliar anatomy of 10 Berberis L. species was carried out, for the first time from Pakistan, using light microscopy (LM). Significant variation in terms of epidermal cells shape, size, cell wall pattern, and stomata type was observed. B. baluchistanica has the largest epidermal cells, Adaxial: length = 45-(53.9 ± 3.6)-62.5 μm; and width = 22.5-(26.3 ± 1.3)-30 μm; Abaxial: length = 37.5-(43.25 ± 2.5)-50 μm; and width = 20-(22.6 ± 0.8)-25. The highest number of stomata was observed in B. glaucocarpa as 62 on the abaxial surface while the lowest number of stomata was recorded in B. baluchistanica as 8 on the adaxial surface. Of 10 investigated species, 6 possess anomocytic type stomata, while 2 species that is, B. aitchisonii and B. parkeriana have both anomocytic and anisocytic stomata while B. baluchistanica and B. calliobotrys have only paracytic type stomata. The highest number of cells per unit area was present on the adaxial surface of B. calliobotrys ranging from 245-(252.4)-260 followed by B. parkeriana with 209-(227.8)-250 on the abaxial surface. Stomatal index (SI) also varied considerably and was the lowest (2.6) percentage in B. baluchistanica and highest (31.9) percentage in B. kunawurensis. A taxonomic key based on micro-morphological characters is provided for species identification.

ACS Style

Rahman Saeed‐Ur; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Mushtaq Ahmad; Muhammad Zafar; Raees Khan; Muhammad Khalid; Hui Nan; Farooq Jan; Sadaf‐Ilyas Kayani; Sajad Hussain. Light microscopy of Pakistani Berberis leaf cuticles and its taxonomic implications. Microscopy Research and Technique 2020, 83, 541 -550.

AMA Style

Rahman Saeed‐Ur, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Mushtaq Ahmad, Muhammad Zafar, Raees Khan, Muhammad Khalid, Hui Nan, Farooq Jan, Sadaf‐Ilyas Kayani, Sajad Hussain. Light microscopy of Pakistani Berberis leaf cuticles and its taxonomic implications. Microscopy Research and Technique. 2020; 83 (5):541-550.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rahman Saeed‐Ur; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Mushtaq Ahmad; Muhammad Zafar; Raees Khan; Muhammad Khalid; Hui Nan; Farooq Jan; Sadaf‐Ilyas Kayani; Sajad Hussain. 2020. "Light microscopy of Pakistani Berberis leaf cuticles and its taxonomic implications." Microscopy Research and Technique 83, no. 5: 541-550.

Journal article
Published: 10 December 2019 in Pakistan Journal of Botany
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

Zaheer Abbas; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Jan Alam; Zainul Abideen; Zahid Ullah. Plant communities and anthropo-natural threats in the Shigar valley, (Central Karakorum) Baltistan-Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany 2019, 52, 1 .

AMA Style

Zaheer Abbas, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Jan Alam, Zainul Abideen, Zahid Ullah. Plant communities and anthropo-natural threats in the Shigar valley, (Central Karakorum) Baltistan-Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany. 2019; 52 (3):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zaheer Abbas; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Jan Alam; Zainul Abideen; Zahid Ullah. 2019. "Plant communities and anthropo-natural threats in the Shigar valley, (Central Karakorum) Baltistan-Pakistan." Pakistan Journal of Botany 52, no. 3: 1.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2019 in Journal of Cleaner Production
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

Zeeshan Ahmad; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Muhammad Ishtiaq Ali; Noureen Fatima; Shahab Ali. Pollution indicandum and marble waste polluted ecosystem; role of selected indicator plants in phytoremediation and determination of pollution zones. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 236, 1 .

AMA Style

Zeeshan Ahmad, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Muhammad Ishtiaq Ali, Noureen Fatima, Shahab Ali. Pollution indicandum and marble waste polluted ecosystem; role of selected indicator plants in phytoremediation and determination of pollution zones. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019; 236 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zeeshan Ahmad; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Muhammad Ishtiaq Ali; Noureen Fatima; Shahab Ali. 2019. "Pollution indicandum and marble waste polluted ecosystem; role of selected indicator plants in phytoremediation and determination of pollution zones." Journal of Cleaner Production 236, no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 24 October 2019 in Pakistan Journal of Botany
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

Amjad Ur Rahman; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zafeer Saqib; Zahid Ullah; Zeeshan Ahmad; Semih Ekercin; Abdul Samad Mumtaz; Habib Ahmad. Diversity and abundance of climbers in relation to their hosts and elevation in the monsoon forests of Murree in the Himalayas. Pakistan Journal of Botany 2019, 52, 1 .

AMA Style

Amjad Ur Rahman, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Zafeer Saqib, Zahid Ullah, Zeeshan Ahmad, Semih Ekercin, Abdul Samad Mumtaz, Habib Ahmad. Diversity and abundance of climbers in relation to their hosts and elevation in the monsoon forests of Murree in the Himalayas. Pakistan Journal of Botany. 2019; 52 (2):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Amjad Ur Rahman; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zafeer Saqib; Zahid Ullah; Zeeshan Ahmad; Semih Ekercin; Abdul Samad Mumtaz; Habib Ahmad. 2019. "Diversity and abundance of climbers in relation to their hosts and elevation in the monsoon forests of Murree in the Himalayas." Pakistan Journal of Botany 52, no. 2: 1.

Journal article
Published: 27 August 2019 in Pakistan Journal of Botany
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

Shahzada Azizullah Khan; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zahid Ullah; Zeeshan Ahmad; Naveed Alam; Syed Nasar Shah; Raees Khan; Malak Zada. Phytogeographic classification using multivariate approach; a case study from the Jambil valley Swat, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany 2019, 52, 1 .

AMA Style

Shahzada Azizullah Khan, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Zahid Ullah, Zeeshan Ahmad, Naveed Alam, Syed Nasar Shah, Raees Khan, Malak Zada. Phytogeographic classification using multivariate approach; a case study from the Jambil valley Swat, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany. 2019; 52 (1):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shahzada Azizullah Khan; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Zahid Ullah; Zeeshan Ahmad; Naveed Alam; Syed Nasar Shah; Raees Khan; Malak Zada. 2019. "Phytogeographic classification using multivariate approach; a case study from the Jambil valley Swat, Pakistan." Pakistan Journal of Botany 52, no. 1: 1.

Letter to the editor
Published: 19 July 2019 in Biodiversity and Conservation
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

Abdullah; Zahoor Ul Haq; Shujaul Mulk Khan. The indispensable bond between Mazri Palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana) and the Indian Porcupine (Hystrix indica) leads them towards extinction! Biodiversity and Conservation 2019, 28, 3387 -3388.

AMA Style

Abdullah, Zahoor Ul Haq, Shujaul Mulk Khan. The indispensable bond between Mazri Palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana) and the Indian Porcupine (Hystrix indica) leads them towards extinction! Biodiversity and Conservation. 2019; 28 (12):3387-3388.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Abdullah; Zahoor Ul Haq; Shujaul Mulk Khan. 2019. "The indispensable bond between Mazri Palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana) and the Indian Porcupine (Hystrix indica) leads them towards extinction!" Biodiversity and Conservation 28, no. 12: 3387-3388.

Journal article
Published: 03 July 2019 in Bioremediation Journal
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

Shehrose Anum; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Hassan Javed Chaudhary; Zeeshan Ahmad; Rabia Afza. Phytoremediation of nickel polluted ecosystem through selected ornamental plant species in the presence of bacterium Kocuria rhizophila. Bioremediation Journal 2019, 23, 215 -226.

AMA Style

Shehrose Anum, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Hassan Javed Chaudhary, Zeeshan Ahmad, Rabia Afza. Phytoremediation of nickel polluted ecosystem through selected ornamental plant species in the presence of bacterium Kocuria rhizophila. Bioremediation Journal. 2019; 23 (3):215-226.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shehrose Anum; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Hassan Javed Chaudhary; Zeeshan Ahmad; Rabia Afza. 2019. "Phytoremediation of nickel polluted ecosystem through selected ornamental plant species in the presence of bacterium Kocuria rhizophila." Bioremediation Journal 23, no. 3: 215-226.

Research article
Published: 18 June 2019 in Microscopy Research and Technique
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Due to overlapping and diverse morphological characters, Berberis is among the most taxonomically complex genera. Palynology is one of the taxonomic tools for delimitation and identification of complex species. In this study, pollens of 10 Berberis species were analyzed through light and scanning electron microscopy. Qualitative as well as quantitative features (pollen shape, size, presence or absence of colpi, colpi length and width, exine thickness, ornamentation, pollen class, aperture, and polar–equatorial ratio) were measured. Five species were observed to have colpate (pantocolpate) with elongated ends, radially symmetrical, isopolar, monads, and psilate‐regulate pollens. In polar view, six pollen were spheroidal, two were ovoid, one spherical, and one oblate. Similarly, variation in pollen length was prominent and the largest pollen on polar view was recorded for B. psodoumbellata 60–65 μm (62.4 ± 0.9), while the smallest one was observed for B. lycium 29–35 μm (32.2 ± 1). The observed variation in both quantitative and qualitative features were important in taxonomic identification. This shows that palynological characters are helpful in identification of Berberis genus at the species level.

ACS Style

Saeed Ur Rahman; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Muhammad Zafar; Mushtaq Ahmad; Raees Khan; Sajad Hussain; Muhammad Khalid; Sadaf-Ilyas Kayani. Pollen morphological variation of Berberis L. from Pakistan and its systematic importance. Microscopy Research and Technique 2019, 82, 1593 -1600.

AMA Style

Saeed Ur Rahman, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Muhammad Zafar, Mushtaq Ahmad, Raees Khan, Sajad Hussain, Muhammad Khalid, Sadaf-Ilyas Kayani. Pollen morphological variation of Berberis L. from Pakistan and its systematic importance. Microscopy Research and Technique. 2019; 82 (9):1593-1600.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Saeed Ur Rahman; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Muhammad Zafar; Mushtaq Ahmad; Raees Khan; Sajad Hussain; Muhammad Khalid; Sadaf-Ilyas Kayani. 2019. "Pollen morphological variation of Berberis L. from Pakistan and its systematic importance." Microscopy Research and Technique 82, no. 9: 1593-1600.

Journal article
Published: 01 June 2019 in Acta Ecologica Sinica
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Monotheca buxifolia an economic and medicinal plant is restricted to limited areas due to deforestation, overgrazing, low regeneration, slow rate of germination, unsuccessful germination from cuttings and dormancy. Hence to cope with the issue of seed dormancy various invitro and invivo experiments were designed. The accidental breaking of seed through fungi (Rhizophus stolonifer) is also reported for the first time in current study. Different techniques used for breaking of dormancy are mechanical, chemical treatments i.e. (priming, scarification, stratification, ethanol, sulphuric acid, organic matter treatment, hot water) and tissue culture. Seeds were treated through various experiments in field, green house and laboratory. The scarified seeds placed on Murashige and Skoog medium for proliferation and callus production was 60% proliferation. Explants (Meristematic tissues) from field and tubes were inoculated on M. S (Murashige and Skoog medium) + 2, 4-D+ Kinetin. Meristematic tissues collected from field shows 10% callus formation and meristematic tissues from tubes show significant result (70% callus formation). Our study concludes that the best suitable media for callus preparation of Monotheca is Murashige and Skoog medium. Moreover, propagation of Monotheca via cutting is not possible. Development of callus explant from test tube was found to be more promising than field. Interestingly, Rhizophus stolonifer fungi can break dormancy of Monotheca seeds and found to promote growth significantly.

ACS Style

Zahoor Ul Haq; Abdur Rashid; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Abdul Razzaq; Rashid Abdullah Al-Yahyai; Saqib Kamran; Syed Ghias Ali; Sawera Ali; Saifullah; Abdullah; Abdul Rehman. In vitro and in vivo propagation of Monotheca buxifolia (Falc.) A. DC. An economical medicinal plant. Acta Ecologica Sinica 2019, 39, 425 -430.

AMA Style

Zahoor Ul Haq, Abdur Rashid, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Rashid Abdullah Al-Yahyai, Saqib Kamran, Syed Ghias Ali, Sawera Ali, Saifullah, Abdullah, Abdul Rehman. In vitro and in vivo propagation of Monotheca buxifolia (Falc.) A. DC. An economical medicinal plant. Acta Ecologica Sinica. 2019; 39 (6):425-430.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zahoor Ul Haq; Abdur Rashid; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Abdul Razzaq; Rashid Abdullah Al-Yahyai; Saqib Kamran; Syed Ghias Ali; Sawera Ali; Saifullah; Abdullah; Abdul Rehman. 2019. "In vitro and in vivo propagation of Monotheca buxifolia (Falc.) A. DC. An economical medicinal plant." Acta Ecologica Sinica 39, no. 6: 425-430.

Journal article
Published: 23 May 2019 in Acta Ecologica Sinica
Reads 0
Downloads 0

A study was conducted to explore the plant biodiversity, phenology, life form and leaf size spectra of the vegetation of Biha Valley, District SWAT. The study area was surveyed thoroughly in different seasons of the year. Floristic diversity of the area consists of 202 plant species belonging to 154 genera and 70 families. There were two flowering seasons, 85.15% plant species flowers during May to August while 14.65% plant species flowers during the September to November. Biological spectrum of the area indicated that Therophytes (46.60%) was the dominant life form class, followed by Hemicryptophytes having 15.53%, Nanophanarophytes (11.65%), Megaphanerophytes (8.25%), Chamaephytes (7.77%), Geophytes (5.34%), Liana (2.91%) and Mesophanarophytes (1.94%). Leaf spectra of study area revealed that Microphylls was dominant with (41.26%) followed by Nanophylls (32.04%), Mesophylls (15.53%), Leptophylls (8.85%) and Megaphylls (2.91%).

ACS Style

Akber Zeb; Zafar Iqbal; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Inayat Ur Rahman; Faizul Haq; Aftab Afzal; Ghulam Qadir; Farhana Ijaz. Species diversity, biological spectrum and phenological behaviour of vegetation of Biha Valley (Swat), Pakistan. Acta Ecologica Sinica 2019, 40, 190 -196.

AMA Style

Akber Zeb, Zafar Iqbal, Shujaul Mulk Khan, Inayat Ur Rahman, Faizul Haq, Aftab Afzal, Ghulam Qadir, Farhana Ijaz. Species diversity, biological spectrum and phenological behaviour of vegetation of Biha Valley (Swat), Pakistan. Acta Ecologica Sinica. 2019; 40 (3):190-196.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Akber Zeb; Zafar Iqbal; Shujaul Mulk Khan; Inayat Ur Rahman; Faizul Haq; Aftab Afzal; Ghulam Qadir; Farhana Ijaz. 2019. "Species diversity, biological spectrum and phenological behaviour of vegetation of Biha Valley (Swat), Pakistan." Acta Ecologica Sinica 40, no. 3: 190-196.