Soil carbon storage of various species in Marudu Bay Mangrove Forest, Sabah

Soil, forest and atmosphere are potential carbon storage in the terrestrial ecosystem. However, little is known regarding the carbon storage of this ecosystem, particularly belowground. This study was conducted in the Marudu Bay mangrove forest, Sabah with the aim of quantifying carbon storage in soil for four dominant species in the study area. A total of 60 samples were collected at different species sites. Multiple linear regression and Pearson's correlations analysis were employed in this study. The average soil carbon storage in Marudu Bay mangrove forest was 89.98 t/ha with 35.5% from Rhizophora apiculata, 28.9% from Nypa fruticans, 27.15% from Bruguiera parviflora and 8.44% from Avicennia alba. Soil carbon storage was significantly affected by carbon content and sampling depth

Community structure, diversity and biomass of trees in two forest subtypes of Pekan Forest Reserve, Pahang, Malaysia.

Two one-ha ecological plots representing Kempas-Ramin-Durian and Durian-Nyatoh forest subtypes were established in Compartment 156 and Compartment 200, respectively at Pekan Forest Reserve, Pahang to determine community structure, diversity and biomass of trees. All trees of 10 cm diameter at breast height and above were enumerated in the plots. Results showed that although tree stocking was almost similar in the two forest subtypes, the basal area, volume and total tree biomass were higher in the Kempas-Ramin-Durian subtype. Shannon-Weiner diversity index, H′ obtained in the Durian-Nyatoh subtype was however, significantly higher (p<0.05) than Kempas-Ramin Durian subtype. Morisita's Index of Dispersion (Id) showed a random distribution pattern for both forest subtypes

Phylogenetic classification of the world's tropical forests

Knowledge about the biogeographic affinities of the world’s tropical forests helps to better understand regional differences in forest structure, diversity, composition, and dynamics. Such understanding will enable anticipation of region-specific responses to global environmental change. Modern phylogenies, in combination with broad coverage of species inventory data, now allow for global biogeographic analyses that take species evolutionary distance into account. Here we present a classification of the world’s tropical forests based on their phylogenetic similarity. We identify five principal floristic regions and their floristic relationships: (i) Indo-Pacific, (ii) Subtropical, (iii) African, (iv) American, and (v) Dry forests. Our results do not support the traditional neo- versus paleotropical forest division but instead separate the combined American and African forests from their Indo-Pacific counterparts. We also find indications for the existence of a global dry forest region, with representatives in America, Africa, Madagascar, and India. Additionally, a northern-hemisphere Subtropical forest region was identified with representatives in Asia and America, providing support for a link between Asian and American northern-hemisphere forests.</p

Tree species composition and diversity in one ha forest, Ulu Muda Forest Reserve, Kedah

The present study was carried out to investigate the composition of species and species diversity at Compartment 28A in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve (UMFR), located in north-west of Peninsular Malaysia. The area covered was one ha. Stems with diameter at breast height (dbh)as ≥ 1 cm were enumerated, identified and their height measured. The importance value index (IVI) was estimated to show which species have the highest value, since species density was also estimated. We recorded 722 species from 81 genera belonging to 42 families. The highest IVI was recorded for Macaranga hosei (42.40). It was also the highest in stand density (33 individuals / 4.43 %) in one ha. Species from Euphorbiaceae were represented at the highest level, with 11 genera (about 210 individuals). The total above-ground biomass (TAGB) in one ha using three different modifications from Kato et al. (190.3 t/ha), Kueh and Lim (2522.8 t/ha) and Lim (174.7 t/ha) were noted from family Dipterocarpaceae

Mangrove ecosystems of Asia : status, challenges and management strategies

xvi, 471 p.: ill.; 24 c

Diversity of tree communities and its relationships with soil properties in a peat swamp forest in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia.

A study was conducted in a peat swamp forest at Pekan Forest Reserve, Pahang in Peninsular Malaysia with objectives to assess tree diversity and to examine relationships between tree communities and its soil characteristics. Tree species inventory was conducted in a one-hectare plot at three selected forest compartments viz. Compartment 100, 156 and 200, whilst soil samplings were carried out in nine selected subplots of each compartment, totalling 27 subplots for soil analyses. The measured soil variables include peat depth, soil pH, organic matter content, available Mg, P and K, total inorganic-N, total cation exchange capacity (CEC) and content of clay and silt. A total of 376 trees were enumerated in the plot at Compartment 100 which comprised of 49 species in 38 genera and 26 families. Compartment 156 contained a composition of 68 tree species in 49 genera and 28 families from a total of 557 enumerated trees whilst Compartment 200 recorded 555 trees which comprised of 100 tree species in 76 genera and 38 families. Guttiferae was the most speciose family in plots at Compartment 100 and 200, while Burseraceae was the most speciose in Compartment 156. The most important species in Compartments 100. 156 and 200 were Colophyllum ferrugenium var. ferrugenium, Stemontirus secundiflorus and Modhuca motleyona, respectively. The Shannon- Weiner Diversity Index (H') of tree species were different significantly between the study plots with H' values of 3.15, 3.61 and 4.12 for the plots in Compartments 100, 156 and 200, respectively. Soils of the study site were acidic and showed peat and silty clay texture, whilst available nutrients were of low to high concentrations. A floristic compositional pattern was observed among all surveyed subplots which were correlated to the edaphic variables as revealed by canonical correspondence analysis. Peat depth, soil pH, total inorganic-N, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus appear to be the principal environmental determinants of tree communities in the study plots

Development of a protocol for Malaysian Important Plant Areas criterion weights using Multi-criteria Decision Making - Analytical Hierarchy Process (MCDM-AHP)

Globally, in the selection of potential Important Plant Areas (IPAs), the preferred method used is scoring method because of its simplicity and ease of evaluation. However, the criterion weights developed from this method are vague and suffer from judgement uncertainties. In this study, we developed and propose a methodology for the assessment of Malaysian IPA criterion weights using Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) - Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The criterion weights were assessed from data obtained through questionnaire surveys of Malaysian biodiversity experts. As a result, threatened habitats are given the highest score (0.337), followed by threatened species (0.327), endemism (0.245), and botanical richness (0.091). This study, therefore, proposes the MCDM-AHP as a decision-making tool for prioritising and formulating criterion weights for Malaysian IPA