DOI: 10.5061/dryad.vmcvdnd4c
title: Data from: Alpine flora of Kashmir Himalaya: Floristic assessment, life history traits and threat status

description: Alpine ecosystems in the Himalaya are considered to be at a higher risk of
 anthropogenic global change drivers. The Kashmir Himalaya, located in the
 north-western side of the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, harbors a
 diverse alpine flora, which remains systematically little investigated. To
 fill this knowledge gap, the present study documented the alpine flora of
 this Himalayan region using a plot-based systematic sampling approach.
 Based on the sampling of 151 1-hectare plots comprising 999 quadrats from
 2020-2023 across the study region, we recorded 159 species belonging to
 122 genera in 47 families. Asteraceae was the dominant family with 20
 species, followed by Lamiaceae (12 species) and Rosaceae (9 species).
 Likewise, Impatiens and Poa were the dominant genera with 4 species each,
 followed by Androsace, Salix, and Plantago with 3 species each.
  The herbs were dominant (135 species, 84.9%), followed by shrubs
 (13, 8.2%). Lifespan-wise, perennials were dominant (139 species, 87%),
 followed by annuals (20, 13%). The hemicryptophytes were the dominant life
 forms (104 species, 65%), followed by phanerophytes (19, 12%). A small
 proportion of the recorded species (ca. 14%) has been empirically
 evaluated for threat assessment, leaving a vast majority still unassessed.
 Overall, our study provides a permanent plot-based reference floristic
 data on the alpine flora of this Western Himalayan region with immediate
 relevance in devising conservation strategies and formulating management
 plans. Looking ahead, the findings showcase a framework for floristic
 assessment to monitor alpine biodiversity change in the future across the
 fragile high-elevation Himalayan landscapes.
description: # Data from: Alpine flora of Kashmir Himalaya: Floristic assessment, life
 history traits and threat status Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.vmcvdnd4c](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.vmcvdnd4c) ##
 Description of the data and file structure The entire study area was
 divided into distinct 3 km^2^ environmental grids with unique grid codes
 for capturing environmental heterogeneity of the region. A stratified
 random sampling approach was followed to distribute sample grids across
 all major environmental classes and in a ratio of the number of grids
 covering biotic, topographic, and edaphic variables. The unique 3 km^2^
 environmental grids were identified based on vegetation, elevation, slope,
 and landforms. Within each 3 km^2^ grid, a 1 km^2^ grid was selected to
 capture vegetational heterogeneity, and several 100 m^2^ plots were laid
 depending upon the vegetation types present. In each 100 m^2^ plot, ten 1
 m^2^ quadrats and three 5 quadrats ^2^ were laid down randomly for
 studying herbaceous and cushioned vegetation, respectively. In total, we
 sampled a total of 133 100 m^2^ herbaceous and cushion plots comprising
 821 quadrats. All the plant species occurring within each quadrat were
 recorded along with their percentage cover and identified to species
 level. The dataset consist of a data file: Alpine_Check_List.xlsx and the
 column headers are as follows: * Scientific Name * Common Synonym * Family
 * The botanical family to which the plant belongs (e.g., Pinaceae,
 Asteraceae, Poaceae). * Growth Form * Indicates whether the plant is a
 Tree, Herb, Shrub, Fern. * Life Span * Describes if the plant is Perennial
 (lives for several years) or Annual (completes life cycle in one year). *
 Raunkiaer Life Form * A classification based on where the plant’s buds are
 located during unfavorable seasons: * IUCN Status * Conservation status
 according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature: * Least
 Concern, Critically Endangered, or Not Evaluated. * Nativity * Geographic
 regions where the species is native (e.g., Afghanistan, Nepal, Pakistan,
 West Himalaya). ## Code/software MS-Excel was used for data analysis, and
 the R software ## Access information Other publicly accessible locations
 of the data: * None Data was derived from the following sources: * None