scholarly journals FOREST STRUCTURE AND REGENERATION PATTERN OF BETULA UTILIS D. DON IN MANASLU CONSERVATION AREA, NEPAL

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 107-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hishila Sujakhu ◽  
Kamal Raj Gosai ◽  
Siddhi Bir Karmacharya

Forest structure and regeneration of Betula utilis (D. Don) was studied in birch forestlocated in Samagaun valley (3500 – 4000 m) of Manaslu Conservation Area. Vegetationsampling was done by quadrat method. Altogether 40 quadrats were sampled to determinethe Importance Value Index (IVI) of tree species, and distribution pattern of seedlings andsaplings. Regeneration was assessed by density - diameter curve. Four tree species wererecorded from the forest. Betula utilis was the dominant tree species with the highestImportance Value Index (173.22) in mixed Betula forest and 262.96 in pure Betula forestand Abies spectabilis was the co – dominant species (65.95) in mixed Betula forest whileRhododendron campanulatum was the co-dominant species (37.03) in pure Betula forest.Density of Betula utilis increased with increase in elevation where as density of other treespecies decreased with increase in elevation. Mixed Betula forest at lower elevation wasyoung. The density diameter curve of the tree population of Betula utilis, both on mixed andpure forests, deviated slightly from the typical reverse J shaped structure and hence did notshow the sustainable regeneration. The sapling density was higher than seedling density.The distribution of seedlings and saplings were not uniform among the sampling plots.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/eco.v20i0.11472ECOPRINT An International Journal of EcologyVol. 20, 2013page: 107-113

2021 ◽  
pp. 33-43
Author(s):  
Bhagat Suberi ◽  
Kinzang Wangchuk ◽  
Karma Sherub

The Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis D. Don) an essential tree species due to its ecological and social importance in the himalayan region.  The study assessed  the effect of environmental factors on habitat, growth, and regeneration patterns of the Himalayan Birch at the Royal Botanical Park, Lampelri, Bhutan . Two vertical transects with a spacing of 75 m were laid across the altitudinal gradient. A total of 10 circular sample plots were laid on each transect with a plot size of 12.62 m for trees, 3.57 m for regeneration, and 0.57 m for ground cover vegetation. A total of 119 vascular plant species under 45 families were recorded in 20 survey plots. The Spearman rho’s correlation showed strong negative correlation between the species abundance and temperature (rs=- .83) and positive correlation with the species count and altitude (rs = .83). The species richness in the study area showed an initial increase up to certain with elevation and then  decreased with further increase in elevation. The importance value index (IVI) of tree species showed Tsuga dumosa as the most dominant species.  Betula utilis indicated an increasing density with an increase in elevation. The regeneration of Betula utilis was poor as it was mostly found in a sapling stage. From a total of 43 tree species regenerating,  13.95% showed good regeneration, 34.88% fair, 23.25% poor, and 4.65% without regeneration. The remaining 23.25% seems  to be either reappearing or immigrating.


2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 1079-1097
Author(s):  
Miguel Olvera-Vargas ◽  
Blanca L. Figueroa-Rangel ◽  
Christiam Solís Robles

Introduction: Tree ferns are significant components of temperate, tropical and subtropical forests, contributing to shape complex forest stand structures. Objectives: 1) to describe the population structure of Cyathea costaricensis in a remnant cloud forest of West-central Mexico; 2) to characterize and relate the floristic composition and the structure of the most important tree species associated to the C. costaricensis population and; 3) to describe the environment where C. costaricensis occurs. Methods: We estimated the Importance Value Index (IVI) to select the most important canopy-dominant species associated to C. costaricensis; we constructed height and Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) frequency distributions for those selected species according to IVI as well as for C. costaricensis population; we computed the asymmetry of the frequency distributions through the coefficient of skewness and the probability density function via the Kernel density estimation. We tested for differences between canopy-dominant tree species and C. costaricensis population structure by the non-parametric Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results: C. costaricensis individuals presented the smallest heights and intermediate DBH sizes as compared with the canopy-dominant species, with statistically significant differences for height but not for DBH according to the Wilcoxon test. Most of the tree fern individuals were located in uneven terrains and over the base slope of the terrain; canopy openness and Total Radiation Under the Canopy values were similar to those reported for Cyathea species elsewhere. Conclusions: We confirm the hypothesis of comparable structure between the canopy-dominant species and the C. costaricensis population only for DBH; on the contrary, for trunk height, there were statistically significant differences; the small heights of C. costaricensis suggest their coexistence in the understory through sheltering from the taller canopy-dominants. Mostly all individuals of C. costaricensis were confined to local environmental conditions, particularly to physiography.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-78
Author(s):  
MOHD HASMADI ISMAIL ◽  
PAKHRIAZAD HASSAN ZAKI ◽  
MOHD FADLI AHMAD FUAD ◽  
NOOR JANATUN NAIM JEMALI

Ismail MH, Fuad MFA, Zaki PH, Jemali NJN. 2017. Analysis of importance value index of unlogged and logged peat swamp forest in Nenasi Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia. Bonorowo Wetlands 1: 74-78. Peat swamp forests are highly significant globally, both for their diverse and threatened species and as a representative of unique wetland ecosystems. Apart from its critical role in providing habitat for wildlife, the tropical peat swamp forest also acts as a gene bank that harbors potentially useful varieties of plant species. The composition of trees of the peat swamp forest in Nenasi Pahang State, Peninsular Malaysia were investigated especially in un-logged and logged over forests. The objectives of this study are two folds; (i) to identify and compare the dominant tree species in the two types of forests and (ii) to calculate the importance value index (IVI) of the vegetation in the study areas. Two plots of 50 m by 20 m were established in different forest type. At each site this quadrate was in turned subdivided using a 25 m by 20 m, and 5 m by 5 m, respectively. The results showed that the unlogged peat swamp forest is higher in tree species compared to logged peat swamp forest. There were 10 species distributed among 9 families in the unlogged forest and 7 species in 7 families in the logged forest. The most dominant species identified in unlogged peat swamp forest were Litsea sp., Syzygium sp. and Santiria laevigata. The IVI for these species were 71.21, 51.13 and 42.49. In logged peat swamp forest the dominant species are Shorea platycarpa, followed by Pometia pinnata, and Xylopia fusca. The IVI of these species were 87.38, 52.66 and 47.55, respectively. The study concludes that in the logged peat swamp forests about 40 percent of the tree composition has declined compared to unlogged peat swamp forest.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudam Charan SAHU ◽  
H.S. SURESH ◽  
N.H. RAVINDRANATH

The study of biomass, structure and composition of tropical forests implies also the investigation of forest productivity, protection of biodiversity and removal of CO2 from the atmosphere via C-stocks. The hereby study aimed at understanding the forest structure, composition and above ground biomass (AGB) of tropical dry deciduous forests of Eastern Ghats, India, where as a total of 128 sample plots (20 x 20 meters) were laid. The study showed the presence of 71 tree species belonging to 57 genera and 30 families. Dominant tree species was Shorea robusta with an importance value index (IVI) of 40.72, while Combretaceae had the highest family importance value (FIV) of 39.01. Mean stand density was 479 trees ha-1 and a basal area of 15.20 m2 ha-1. Shannon’s diversity index was 2.01 ± 0.22 and Simpson’s index was 0.85 ± 0.03. About 54% individuals were in the size between 10 and 20 cm DBH, indicating growing forests. Mean above ground biomass value was 98.87 ± 68.8 Mg ha-1. Some of the dominant species that contributed to above ground biomass were Shorea robusta (17.2%), Madhuca indica (7.9%), Mangifera indica (6.9%), Terminalia alata (6.9%) and Diospyros melanoxylon (4.4%), warranting extra efforts for their conservation. The results suggested that C-stocks of tropical dry forests can be enhanced by in-situ conserving the high C-density species and also by selecting these species for afforestation and stand improvement programs. Correlations were computed to understand the relationship between above ground biomass, diversity indices, density and basal area, which may be helpful for implementation of REDD+ (reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) scheme.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 18703-18712
Author(s):  
Bijaya Neupane ◽  
Nar Bahadur Chhetri ◽  
Bijaya Dhami

Himalayan or White-bellied Musk Deer Moschus leucogaster, an IUCN indexed endangered species, is distributed in isolated pockets in the Himalaya. The deer population is decreasing owing to several pressures that include habitat loss and fragmentation, and poaching. It is essential to identify preferred habitat characteristics to support appropriate management strategies for conserving this endangered species. This study was carried out in the Nysheang basin of Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal to identify habitats preferred by the musk deer. Habitat field parameters were collected using transect surveys. To analyze vegetation use and availability, nested quadrate plots size 20 m2 were established. Ivlev’s electivity index (IV) (-1 to +1) was employed to determine habitat preference, and one-way ANOVA (F) and chi-square tests (χ2) were used to examine different habitat parameters. Similarly, the importance value index (IVI) of the vegetation was calculated. Our results showed that the Himalayan Musk Deer strongly preferred habitats at 3601–3800 m altitude (IV= 0.3, F= 4.58, P <0.05), with 21–30º slope (IV= 0.2, F= 4.14, P <0.05), 26–50 % crown cover (IV= 0.25, F= 4.45, P <0.05), 26–50 % ground cover (IV= 0.15, F= 4.13, P <0.05), and mixed forest (IV= 0.29, χ2= 28.82, df= 3, p <0.001). Among the trees, Abies spectabilis (IVI= 74.87, IV= 0.035) and Rhododendron arboretum (IVI= 55.41, IV= 0.02) were the most preferred, while Rhododendron lepidotum, Cassiope fastigiata (IV= 0.35) and Berberis aristata (IV= 0.25) were the most preferred shrubs, and Primula denticulata (IV= 0.87) and Primula rotundifolia (IV= 0.31) were the most preferred herbs. These preferred habitat conditions should be maintained and conserved to sustain a viable population of deer in the study area. Further studies will be required to assess the effects of climate change on habitat suitability. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Fajri ◽  
Pratiwi PRATIWI ◽  
Yosep Ruslim

Abstract. Fajri M, Pratiwi, Ruslim Y. 2020. The characteristics of Shorea macrophylla’s habitat in Tane’ Olen, Malinau District, North Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 3454-3462.  Shorea macrophylla is a tree species in Tane' Olen forest area. This study analyzed the soil’s physical and chemical properties, topography, and microclimate of S. macrophylla’s habitat. A purposive method was used to select a sampling plot and to place the subplots. Soil was analyzed to determine the physical properties, i.e., texture, bulk density, porosity, and water content, and the chemical properties, i.e., pH, CEC, total N, organic C, C/N ratio, P, K , and Al saturation. Importance value index was determined for each tree species to know the species composition in the study site. Only the dominant species were presented. The soil at the study site had bulk density of 0.60-1.31 gram cm³-1, porosity 50.60%-77.35%, water content 34.88%-95.37%, and soil texture sandy clay. The chemical properties of the soil were as follows: pH was 3.6-4.8, N 0.05%-0.19%, organic C 1.40%-3.65%, P 0.41-1.22 mg 100 gr-1, K 58.68-232.55 mg 100 gr-1, and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) 5.35-10.81 meg 100gr -1. Slope ranged between 0 and 25%. The microclimate characteristics were as follows: temperature was 24-26.5°C, relative humidity 76-87%, and light intensity 145-750 Lm. Trees species with an IVI ≥ 10% were S. macrophylla, Madhuca spectabilis, Myristica villosa Warb, Scorodocarpus borneensis, Eugenia spp., Palaquium spp., Macaranga triloba, Syzygium inophyllum and Shorea sp. Positive associations were observed between S. macropylla and S. borneensis, Eugenia spp., Palaquium spp.. and M. triloba, and negative associations were observed between S. macropylla and M. spectabilis, M. villosa Warb, S. inophyllum, and Shorea sp. S. macrophylla grows on riversides with flat and gentle topography, acidic soil, and lower fertility but with suitable microclimate. This species can be recommended to be planted in degraded tropical forest areas but the microclimate and soil properties should be taken into account.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1215-1221
Author(s):  
ERNIK YULIANA ◽  
YUNI TRI HEWINDATI ◽  
ADI WINATA ◽  
WIBOWO A DJATMIKO ◽  
ATI RAHADIATI

Abstract. Yuliana E, Hewindati YT, Winata A, Djatmiko WA, Rahadiati A. 2019. Diversity and characteristics of mangrove vegetation in Pulau Rimau Protection Forest, Banyuasin District, South Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 1215-1221. The purpose of the study was to analyze the flora diversity and characteristics of mangrove vegetation in Pulau Rimau Protection Forest, Banyuasin District, South Sumatra. Data collected were the number and girth diameter of mangrove tree species, and aquatic ecology parameters using transect method. The sample plots size were 2m×2 m; 5m×5 m; 10m×10 m; for seedling, sapling, and tree, respectively. The observation plots were arranged in a row of 120 m length on two sides of the forest edge, namely Calik Riverbank and Banyuasin Riverbank. Data were analyzed using importance value index (IVI), Simpson’s diversity index and Sørensen’s community similarity. The study revealed that there were differences in mangrove characteristics in two study sites. There were 57 plant species identified inside and outside sample plots, but only 15 species (26.32%) among them were categorized as true mangrove species. Inside the sample plots, there were 11 and 10 mangrove tree species recorded on the Calik Riverbank and Banyuasin Riverbank, respectively, but only 7 species among them were found in both sites. The mangroves on Calik Riverbank were dominated by Nypa (IVI 53.59%) and Bruguiera (51.12%), while those on Banyuasin Riverbank were dominated by Sonneratia (66.91%) and Avicennia (51.73%). The Simpson’s diversity index for Calik Riverbank and Banyuasin Riverbank was 0.82 and 0.78, respectively, whereas the Sørensen’s coefficient of community between the two sites was 0.67.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-168
Author(s):  
Siska Chiko Efendi ◽  
Yaherwandi Yaherwandi ◽  
Ade Noferta ◽  
Aditya Muhammad

The objectives of this research were to study the species diversity and to determine the dominant species of lady bird beetle predators in high land plantation ecosystem in West Sumatera. The samples were taken by hand collection and sweep net. The data of species diversity were analyzed using Shannon-Wiener index, evenness of species were analyzed by Simpson index, and  dominant species using important value index. The results showed that there were 91 individuals predator found which consisted of 7 species. The highest  species diversity (1.74) and evenness (0.89) were found in Pulau Punjung. The lowest diversity and evennes (1,40) and (0,75) was found in Koto Besar. The highest  species importance value index was 1,00, that was Menochillus sexmaculatus.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  

Mt. Tago Range in Bukidnon has been subjected to deforestation and forest fragmentation due to logging ca. 35–40 years ago or as direct result of land conversion for agriculture, human settlements and wildlife product harvesting. It is currently not a protected area. This study aimed to provide data on the tree species diversity, structure, composition, conservation status and threats of the forest habitats in the site. Tree survey in the range was conducted in 2018–2019 using thirty-nine 20 x 20 m sampling plots and six one-kilometer transect lines. A total of 1,032 tree individuals from 54 families, 85 genera and 121 species were documented. The site is composed of four tropical forest habitat types namely: lower montane rainforest, upper montane rainforest, mossy-pygmy and forest over ultramafic rocks. These forest habitats also differed in species composition, elevation, substrate, dominance and structure in terms of height and diameter at breast height. The highest diversity index was observed in the mid-elevation and decreasing toward the peak. The diversity pattern herein is attributed to elevation, forest degradation due to anthropogenic activities and nature of habitat. The most abundant families were the Myrtaceae (23%), Podocarpaceae (12.8%) and Fagaceae (12.6%). At the family level the most dominant taxa included the Moraceae (8.7%), Rubiaceae (6.5%) and Myrtaceae (5.8%). Highest importance value index (IVI) in all forest types fell within the range of IVI’s for tropical forests. Assessment of conservation and ecological status revealed that 11 species (8%) are threatened, 28 (22%) Least Concern (LC) and 16 (12%) are Philippine endemics. Threats to tree diversity in Mt. Tago Range included land conversion for agriculture and settlement, illegal logging and lack of legislative protection. The implementation of conservation strategies by stakeholders is recommended to protect the tree species communities and population across the forest habitat types in the site. KEYWORDS: biodiversity, flora, Shannon-Weiner Index, Importance Value Index, non-Protected Area


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-102
Author(s):  
Prabina Rana ◽  
Madan Koirala ◽  
Dinesh Raj Bhuju ◽  
Chuenchit Boonchird

Climate change is affecting the forest ecosystems worldwide. Impacts of climate change are more perceptible at higher altitudes and can be easily detected along the elevational gradient. The main aim is to study the impact of elevation on the population structure of Rhododendron campanulatum D. Don and associated trees species at Manaslu Conservation Area, central Nepal. A total of 30 quadrats were sampled from 3600-4100 meter above sea level (m asl.) at altitudinal difference of 100 m with 5 quadrates in each altitude. The present study showed that R. campanulatum, Betula utilis, Abies spectabilis and Sorbus microphylla are the treeline species. R. campanulatum was the most dominant species with highest importance value index (IVI) along the altitudinal gradient. At 4000 m asl. S. microphylla was the codominant species. B. utilis was the codominant species at 3600 -3900 m asl followed by S. microphylla and A. spectabilis. R. campanulatum and A. spectabilis showed a sustainable regeneration. No seedling of B. utilis was found along the altitudinal gradient indicating that the regeneration of this species might be affected by unfavourable micohabitat (eg. deep shade). R. campanulatum and S. microphylla were found above the treeline indicating that the climatic conditions were favourable for their growth. The height, diameter and density of the species differed along the elevational gradient and showed a species specific trend. Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVol. 21, No. 1, 2016, page: 


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