PLANT SPECIES DIVERSITY AND COMPOSITION OF HOKERSAR WETLAND (A RAMSAR SITE), INDIAAFREEN J. LOLU, MANZOOR A. SHAH, SARFARAZ K. NAIRANG AND ZAFAR A RESHIAbstract The present study was conducted in Hokersar wetland to evaluate the macrophytic diversity of the wetland for a period of one year, i.e. from January, 2012 to December, 2012. The wetland lies between 34°.6N latitude and 74°.12E longitude at an altitude of 1584m above mean sea level situated in the Budgam District, 10 km west of Srinagar. It is a perennial freshwater wetland. It covers an area of 1326 ha. Aquatic macrophytes were collected by using the methods as described by Raunkaier (1934). During the present study a total of 57 species belonging to 48 genera and 32 families were collected from the wetland. The family Cyperaceae comprised the most dominant family. Different diversity indices like Shannon-Weaver diversity index (Shannon and Weaver, 1964), Simpson diversity index (Simpson, 1949), Menhinick diversity index (Menhinick, 1965) and Concentration of dominance (Simpson, 1949) were calculated to show the plant communities structure of the wetland. Maximum values of Shannon- Weaver diversity index, Simpson diversity index and Menhinick diversity index were found during the summer season as it is active growth period of macrophytes whereas maximum concentration of dominance during the summer season reflects the dominance of few species due to high diversity of the macrophytes.
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