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This thesis focuses on the population biology of Gynandropsis gynandra L. (Briq.), member of family (Capparaceae) a summer annual plant, for two consecutive years 2012 and 2013 under undisturbed and disturbed environments respectively. The aspects which have been studied with respect to disturbance includes the demographic patterns, vegetative and reproductive growth, seed bank and dispersal patterns of G. gynandra. Any change in the external environment also impacts the physiological behaviors of plant, therefore, this thesis also presents the impact of disturbance on the nutrients status of G. gynandra population. Field work was carried out in the campus area, University of Karachi. The site was relatively undisturbed in the year 2012 and planned construction activities were ongoing in the nearing vicinities. With the passage of time, levels of anthropic as well as grazing disturbances increased in the entire area. Eventually, in the year 2013 the study site was no longer secluded and various disturbance agents were observed to exist. Evident disturbances included grazing, trampling, garbage dumping, burning and vehicle parking. Demographic studies revealed that G. gynandra populations increased immediately following seasonal monsoon showers and mortality increased towards the later stages of plant life. Plant density, vegetative and reproductive growth, dry weights and biomass allocation to component organs declined in the year 2013 (disturbed). Significant differences were observed in the buried seed reserves at three phenological stages, i.e. before rainfall, after rainfall and after dispersal. The overall seed density was low in the year 2013 versus that in 2012. Seeds of G. gynandra covered greater dispersal distances in the year 2013 (disturbed) versus 2012 (undisturbed) pertaining to movement of seeds via disturbance agents. In the soil and leaf samples of G. gynandra collected from the study area, significant differences were not observed in the amount of inorganic nutrients between disturbed and undisturbed years, primarily due to their gradual input through disturbance activities from time to time. Carbon, metal oxides and silicon were present in greater quantities compared to other inorganic nutrients in both the years. Significant decrease was observed in the amount of total and reducing sugars, total proteins and chlorophyll “a” content in the leaf samples of G. gynandra plants in year 2013 (disturbed) versus 2012 (undisturbed) which is attributed to the impact of defoliation and mechanical damage to physiological functions in G. gynandra population.
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