Abstract
<jats:p>Alpine biodiversity is among the most ecologically significant and vulnerable components of mountain flora, providing critical ecosystem services. Pakistan, located in the western Himalayas, harbors diverse alpine systems that are increasingly threatened by climate change and anthropogenic pressures. This study assessed altitudinal biodiversity patterns and drivers of community composition. Multivariate analyses showed strong site-specific heterogeneity rather than simple elevational segregation. Bray-Curtis dissimilarity indicated that 83.55% of community variation was concentrated in five sites, identifying biodiversity hotspots. NMDS and β-diversity analyses revealed high species turnover (βsim = 0.79) and low nestedness. Poisson GLM showed richness increased with elevation, peaking at mid-altitudes. Indicator species, CCA, and Mantel tests highlighted altitude and grazing as key drivers, emphasizing the need for site-based conservation strategies.</jats:p>