Abstract
History of vegetation analysis and description is discussed. Vegetation analysis in Pakistan may be divided into 5 periods i.e.,
observational, quantitative Phytosociological, multivariate analysis (ordination), population dynamics and modern multivariate and
numerical techniques. It is observed that period of observational analysis of the vegetation lasts until around 1970; however in Karachi
University quantitative research was started in early sixties. The use of multivariate analysis (ordination) was initiated in 1968 in
Karachi University while studies on population dynamics of forest tree species were started in 1986 from Balochistan University.
Until year 2000, applying multivariate techniques to vegetation analysis were confined to the Karachi University. Now workers from
various Universities are applying multivariate or numerical techniques for vegetation analysis. However still, these techniques are not
as commonly used as they should be.
