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One of the rehabilitation efforts undertaken by the Forest Research and Development Center in Bogor was to establish a mixed meranti(Dipterocarp) forest in the Gunung Dahu Research Forest, Bogor - West Java. The rehabilitation activities adopted several planting techniques, including total and line planting, used several types of red meranti (Shorea spp.). The purpose of this study was to assess the success of rehabilitation effort by analyzing the growth performance of Shorea leprosula and Shorea selanicastands in which applying total and line planting techniques. Diameter and height, as well as environmental factors such as soil texture, average litter thickness, slope, the average thickness of topsoil, and canopy density, were plant growth parameters that were observed. Growth data analysis was performed using ANOVA and followed by Duncan's test. The results showed that planting techniques affected the diameter growth. The highest growth rate was found in S. selanicaspecies with line planting techniques with the average diameter and height increment was 1.13 cm/year and 0.78 cm/year. Line planting techniques also scored the highest value of basal area and stand volumes, 0.06 m2 and 0.64 m3per year for S. leprosulaand 0.06 m2and 0.66 m3per year for S. selanica.

Susilowati A, Rachmat HH, Elfiati D, Hasibuan MH. 2019. The composition and diversity of plant species in pasak bumi’s (Eurycoma longifolia) habitat in Batang Lubu Sutam forest, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 413-418. Pasak bumi (Eurycoma longifolia Jack) is one of the most popular medicinal plants in Indonesia. Currently, E. longifolia is being over-exploited due to its potential and popularity as herbal medicine and its high value in the market. Therefore, the study on the population structure of the species and habitat characterization is required to ensure successfulness of conservation of this species. The study was carried out in lowland forest, located in Limited Production Forest within the Register Number 40, situated administratively in Papaso Village, Sub-District of Batang Lubu Sutam-Padang Lawas, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Batang Lubu Sutam forest is known as a source of pasak bumi material in North Sumatra. Every year tons of pasak bumi are collected from this forest and exported to Malaysia and surrounding countries. Due to illegal harvesting for its roots, pasak bumi has been seriously depleted in some areas in Batang Lubu Sutam forest. Therefore, current data on its population are needed for conservation effort of Batang Lubu Sutam's pasak bumi. The objectives of this study were to assess the structure of forest where pasak bumi grows and to determine the correct management for sustainability the future stocks. Vegetation analysis was carried out purposively in four transect belts, each consisting of five quadrats or plots. The results showed that the Importance Value Index of pasak bumi at seedling, sapling, pole and tree stages was 21.26%, 9.147%, 0, and 0 respectively. The Shannon Diversity Index (H) ranged between 3.050 and 3.220 and was inside its common value distribution. The evenness index was high, more than 0.85, at all stages of plant growth. The disappearance of pasak bumi at pole and tree stages indicates threatening condition for the sustainability of pasak bumi in the study sites because of excessive harvesting.

Rachmat HH, Subiakto A. 2019. Initiating the establishment of commercial stand at Tasik Besar Serkap, Riau, Indonesia: An early growth assessment of two peat swamp tree species. Biodiversitas 20: 267-272. Degraded and converted peat swamp forest has enhanced the emission of CO2 and become one major contributor of huge greenhouse gas emission. Management unit at site level of KPH Tasik Besar Serkap covers a very wide area of more than 510.000 ha, dominated by 90% of peat swamp forest (PSF) which is susceptible to several disturbance sources (fires, illegal logging, land encroachment, alien species invasion, etc) and experiencing more deteriorated condition if there is no significant action carried out in managing its resources. Thus, it is important to improve the productivity of this PSF by planting it with native commercial tree species in order to maintain its role both in production and conservation aspects. The main objective of this study was to determine suitable PSF native species to rehabilitate highly degraded PSF in KPHP Tasik Besar Serkap. Two native PSF tree species were used namely Balangeran (Shorea balangeran) and Bintangur (Callophylum soulatri). Seedlings were planted at 4 x 3 meter spacing distance, each species was planted in a 1-ha plot, and thus the planting trial total area was 2 ha with 834 individual trees/species/ha. The survival rates at 6 months and 12 months after planting were 81.77% (682 seedlings/ha) and 58.6% (488 seedlings/ha) respectively for Balangeran, and 12.64% (105 seedlings/ha) and 10.34% (86 seedlings/ha) for Bintangur. The average heights at 6 and 12 months after planting for Balangeran were 111.54 cm (±16.731) and 206.03 cm (± 30.905) respectively, while for Bintangur 60.00 cm (± 12.921) and 72.76 cm (± 11.326) respectively. We also observed physical damage on planted seedlings, namely the occurrence of shoot and twig boring (pest) and seedling mortality caused by herbicide contact when our field staff applied herbicide at the experimental plots to ease the planted seedlings from weeds and other competitors. Borer was only identified in the surviving Balangeran seedlings at 12 months after planting with the intensity of attack of 17% . We did not observe similar case occurring in planted Bintangur. Seedling mortality rates caused by herbicide contact for Balangeran and Bintangur were 3.8% and 3,2% respectively. From the study result, it was concluded that only Balangeran was recommended to be planted for increasing the productivity of PSF in the scheme of commercial stand.

Rachmat HH, Fambayun RA, Yulita KS, Susilowati A. 2020. Ex-situ conservation and management of dipterocarps genetic resources through seedlings collections and nursery establishment. Biodiversitas 21: 556-563. Dipterocarpaceae is a pantropical tree family that spread throughout Asia, including Indonesia. Dipterocarps species are highly valued for their timber. However, their existence is threatened due to illegal logging, forest degradation, and land conversion, result in population reduction in their natural habitat. Conservation nursery is one of germplasm conservation concepts that contain a living collection of endangered, commercially valuable, and multi-purpose tree species. Related to this nursery concept, Forest Research and Development Agency (FORDA) collaborated with Komatsu established a KoFCo nursery (Komatsu- FORDA Conservation Nursery). The establishment of this nursery was by field collection of dipterocarps species as targeted species, followed by sowing and acclimatization for seed and wildings, vegetative propagation using the KOFFCO cutting system, and nursing (watering, weeding, fertilizing, and soil change). At present, the KoFCo nursery has ca. 13,000 individuals of nine genera of dipterocarps seedlings originated from fifteen provinces in Indonesia. Of these, 76 species (68%) are categorized as threatened based on the IUCN red-list category and criteria. Hence, more than 60% of these threatened species were conserved and well-managed through KoFCo nursery. Seedlings collection and KoFCo nursery, therefore, play a vital role and support in ex-situ conservation effort and management of dipterocarps genetic resources.

Susilowati A, Hartini KS, Elfiati D, Rachmat HH, Kusuma YS, Sinaga MZE, Suhartati T. 2020. Macropropagation by shoot cutting of raru (Cotylelobium melanoxylon), a highly utilized dipterocarp in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 724-730. Cotylelobium melanoxylon (Hook.f.) Pierre, or locally named raru, is one of native tree species from North Sumatra that has many uses for its wood and medicinal purposes for anti-diabetic, anti laxative and blood coagulation. C. melanoxylon has been experiencing short supply due to its limited natural distribution, forest degradation, illegal harvesting for its wood and bark and uncertain fruiting season of the species. Along with these alterations, C. melanoxylon population has been decreasing. The objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of C. melanoxylon propagation by shoot cutting. Randomized factorial design with 2 factors was employed in this research. The first factor (factor A) was the cutting media (i.e. topsoil only; topsoil and sand with proportion of 1:1 v/v), and the second factor (factor B) was commercial auxin addition (i.e. 1g/100cuttings; without auxin). The observed parameters were survival percentage, rooted percentage, number of primary and secondary root, length of primary and secondary root and root histology. The results showed that the interaction between media and auxin addition did not have any significant effect on all tested parameters. The average survival percentage was 70-90% and rooting percentage was 50-90%. Adventitious root formation on C. melanoxylon cutting was originated from cell differentiation on wounded area near cambium, followed by root primordia formation and root meristem formation. The success of artificial propagation technique for this species will provide basic practice of C. melanoxylon cultivation and may contribute to the effort of ex situ conservation for valuable and threatened tree species.