BIOMASS AND SPECIES COMPOSITION OF A MANGROVE FOREST IN PULAU LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA

Author

A. NORHAYATI¹ and A. LATIFF²

¹ School of Environmental and Natural Resources Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia 

² Institute of Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

email : noryati@ukm.my

Abstract

An inventory of four 0.25 ha plots of mangrove forest at the Kisap Forest Reserve was conducted to determine species composition, structural properties and to estimate standing above-ground biomass of mangrove trees >_ 5 cm dbh. Density, frequency, basal area, tree height, and importance value index were calculated for each mangrove tree species. Above-ground biomass were obtained by using allometric relationships established by Clough and Scott (1989). The results revealed a high tree density of 849 stems/ha from nine tree species out of four families. The dominant species included Rhizophora apiculata (65.5%), Xylocarpus granatum (10.6%) and Brugueira parviflora (9.8%). The estimated total above-ground biomass was 115.56 tonne/ha, which indicated a high productivity.

Abstract

Inventori ke atas empat plot 0.25 ha hutan paya bakau di Hutan Simpan Kisap telah dilakukan untuk menentukan komposisi spesies, struktur hutan dan biomas pokok bakau _>_ 5 cm dbh. Kepadatan, kekerapan, luas permukaan pokok, ketinggian dan indeks kepentingan ditentukan juga untuk setiap spesies pokok bakau. Biomas atas tanah didapati dengan menggunakan perhubungan alometrik yang diperolehi oleh Clough dan Scott (1989). Hasil kajian memmjukkan kepadatan pokok yang tinggi iaitu 849 pokok/ha dari sembilan spesies dan empat famili. Spesies yang dominan termasuk Rhizophora apiculata(65.5%), Xylocarpus granatum (10.6%) dan Brugueira parviflora (9.8%). Jumlah estimat biomas atas tanah ialah 115.56 tan/ha, menunjukkan bahawa produktiviti hutan adalah tinggi. 

Key words: allometric equations, domiriance, density, importance value index, tree productivity

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