THE DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF GROUND HERBS IN LOWLAND MIXED DIPTEROCARP FOREST AND HEATH FOREST IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
ABSTRACT: The diversity and
abundance of ground herbs in lowland mixed dipterocarp forest and heath forest
in Brunei Darussalam. Reinwardtia 14(1): 73 – 78. ― Herbaceous plants are
important components of total plant species richness in tropical forests.
Ground herb diversity and abundance were studied in a lowland Mixed Dipterocarp
forest (Andulau) and a heath forest (Bukit Sawat) in Brunei Darussalam, Borneo.
At each site, all ground herbs in twenty randomly selected 10 × 10 m subplots
within a one hectare permanent plot were censused and identified. The study
recorded a total of 20 families and 32 genera of ground herbs, with the family
Zingiberaceae as the most abundant at both sites. Thirteen genera were recorded
only at Andulau and 7 genera were exclusive to Bukit Sawat, with twelve genera
common to both sites. Ground herb species richness appear higher at Andulau
than Bukit Sawat (37 vs. 29), but this difference was not statistically
significant at the subplot level. However, ground herb abundance and density
were significantly higher at Bukit Sawat than Andulau (n = 846 vs. 385; 4230
vs. 1925 individuals ha -1). The more open canopy at Bukit Sawat may provide
higher light availability here than at Andulau, which is characterised by a
closed canopy. We suggest that light availability is the most important
environmental factor influencing ground herb density and abundance at these
sites.
Author: NURUL HAZLINA ZAINI, RAHAYU
SUKMARIA SUKRI
Journal Code: jpbiologigg140017
