Species diversity and regeneration at Sessang peat swamp forest, Sarawak

I. Salma, S. Hatari and H. Masrom

Abstract

A survey of species diversity was made along a trail in a 65-ha plot of peat swamp forest at MARDI Station, Sessang, Sarawak before the trees were cleared for agricultural development. Plant species that regenerated 10 months later were studied in a plot (100 m x 100 m) each under the felling-burning, felling-stacking and felling-chipping-stacking clearing techniques. Before the felling of trees, the peat swamp forest was represented by Macaranga triloba-community as well as M. gigantea, M. pruinosa and M. puncticulata which formed the dominant species. A total of 148 species represented by 66 families and 91 genera were recorded. The most diverse families in species number were Annonaceae, Euphobiaceae, Lauraceae and Moraceae. About 10 months after clearing of the forest, a total of 87 plant species regenerated, belonging to 71 genera and 47 families. About 31% of the species recorded before clearing of the forest were found to regenerate in the area. Out of the total 87 species recorded, about 37% of the species regenerated could be found in the areas of the three clearing techniques. Comparatively, the area cleared by the felling-burning technique had the least number of plant density and plant species diversity with 44 species belonging to 36 genera and 28 families while the area cleared by felling-stacking technique, registered more plant species and higher number of plant density than that of the felling-burning technique with a total of 66 species, belonging to 55 genera and 39 families. The plot cleared by the felling-stacking-chipping technique possessed the most abundant not only in plant density but also in species diversity, with 78 species, 61 genera and 43 families recorded.

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