a Polymorph Stability Index (PSI) for Integrated Assessment of Floristic Families in Surkhandarya (Central Asia)

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Abstract

This study evaluated the dominance of polymorphic floristic families in the flora of Surkhandarya using an integrated, multidimensional approach. A total of 64,619 georeferenced occurrence records representing 2,202 species were analyzed to assess spatial, ecological, and taxonomic patterns. Spatial dominance was quantified using Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and a triangulation-based approach to estimate the actual area of distribution. Ecological differentiation was assessed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and niche breadth, while taxonomic diversity was measured using the Shannon Diversity Index (SDI). The results revealed significant variation among families across all dimensions. Fabaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae exhibited the highest spatial coverage and intensity, while ecological analyses showed that niche breadth was not directly correlated with taxonomic richness. The integrated Polymorph Stability Index (PSI) identified those families as the core polymorphic components of the regional flora. Overall, the findings demonstrated that floristic dominance cannot be explained by a single factor, but rather emerges from the combined effects of spatial, ecological, and taxonomic processes. The proposed PSI framework provides a robust and transferable tool for comprehensive floristic analysis in other regions.