Search

The eruption in 2010 of Merapi Mount changed the diversity of plant species. The objective of this research was to investigate the diversity of plant species on Mount Merapi National Park (MMNP). The sampling area was divided into three different levels of damage (heavy, medium, and minor). The research was conducted by using line-transect and quadrat method. The research was conducted by using line-transect and quadrat method. The research showed that Acacia decurrens has the highest Important Value Index (IVI) at the heavy damage area of Cangkringan Resort (CR) and Kemalang Resort (KR) as well as in minor damage area of Selo Resort (SR). The most important species at medium damage area of Dukun Resort (DR) were Albizia lopantha and Pinus merkusii. The pioneer species at Non-Cover Area (NCA) among others were Trema cannabina, Pityrogramma calomelanos, Imperata cylindrical, Buddleja asiatica, and Anaphalis javanica. Eupatorium riparium was the most important species of herb in all four locations based on SIMPER, but it was not dominant in NCA. The homogeneity of plant in Cangkringan Resort and Selo Resort (C < D < E) were normally distributed, whereas NCA, DR, and KR (E ≥ D) were homogeneous. Analysis of non-metric multidimensional scaling and value of ANOSIM (RANOSIM = 0.69; p = 0.0001) demonstrated that all site locations have significance differences. This research was not only focusing on survey of vegetation diversity, but also frequency class distribution. Through this study of frequency of species provides a database for conservation biodiversity and restoration program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry is a cropping pattern that is commonly applied to private forest management in Indonesia. Agroforestry based private forest is a land-based silviculture that incorporates forestry plants with agricultural crops, plantation crops, and multi-purpose plants. One of the felling techniques used in agroforestry based private forests is the sandat-felling technique (SFT), which is a rope-assist felling technique. The felling technique was used to protect the remaining stand of the agroforestry based private forest. This technique is an innovation in the harvesting of agroforestry based private forests in Indonesia. The time consumption and productivity of this technique are not yet known. This study aims to assess the working time and productivity of SFT in agroforestry based private forests in Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia. The observed tree-felling technique included rope installation and tree-felling operations. The performance of the SFT was evaluated by analyzing its working time and productivity. The results of the study showed that the total working time of the SFT was 8.65 minutes tree-1, which consisted of 33.34% for rope installation and 66.66% for felling operation. The productivity of the SFT was 2.02 m3 hour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest and land fires in Indonesia have serious impacts on many aspects, including the environment, health, economy, politics, and international relations. They cause haze pollution that extends to neighboring countries and peatland degradation. Despite extensive research and mitigation efforts, forest and land fires continue to occur and cost lives. Therefore, effective management and mitigation strategies are required. This research developed a webbased knowledge management system (KMS) using the Laravel framework as an effective forest and land fire mitigation platform. The KMS aims to support decision-making, facilitate knowledge exchange, improve coordination between stakeholders, and expand access to relevant information, while maintaining the sustainability of forest and land resources in Indonesia. The KMS evaluation results cover two important aspects: blackbox evaluation and Performance Evaluation. The blackbox evaluation showed that KMS provides knowledge retrieval features based on expert knowledge. The Performance Evaluation revealed that the KMS provides easy and quick access to information on forest and land fire prevention and management. Thus, this research has great potential to help overcome the problem of forest and land fires in Indonesia and protect the environment and society from their adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsistence hunting has sustained human populations in New Guinea for millennia, without seriously affecting the highest levels of biodiversity on Earth. Recent changes to hunting practices, demographic, social and economic context and the introduction of large exotic species has significantly altered the dynamic of hunting and its potential effects in north-west New Guinea. In this paper we examine contemporary hunting practices of six ethnic groups from highland to coastal sites throughout Papua and West Papua provinces of Indonesia. Semi-structured interviews were used to examine hunting practices as well as customary rules and attitudes associated with hunting in the region and how they have changed in living memory. Each group indicated traditional restrictions on at least one of target, tool, timing or tenure, albeit in varied ways. Six different hunting tools were used and each hunter typically combined several tools while hunting. Religious and cultural factors deeply influenced hunting practices among the communities. We discuss the implications of these findings and conclude with recommendations to integrate local, village level governance and customary practices with regional and national law for more effective conservation and management of wildlife in the region while simultaneously respecting cultural heritage and local ecological knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development encompasses three fundamental dimensions, including the sociocultural, economic, and ecological. Agroforestry seeks to achieve multifunctional, efficient, and environmentally sustainable production by replicating forest-like circumstances and employing management strategies that align with the cultural values of local people. The successful execution of this strategy is facilitated by the improvement of soil and microclimate conditions, which positively impact agricultural results. The Lore Lindu National Park (TNLL) is an officially declared national park in the Central Sulawesi province of Indonesia. The location plays a crucial role in conserving Sulawesi Island's rich array of biological diversity. The research findings indicate that the flora variety within the TNLL region encompasses a wide range of botanical species, including diverse trees, resin-producing plants, rattan, orchids, and medicinal plants. The agroforestry patterns seen in the buffer region of the TNLL can be categorized as the agrisilviculture model. This model represents an agroforestry system that integrates plant and agricultural components, specifically nonwood species. The pattern under consideration encompasses several components, including tree plants such as cocoa, durian, cloves, and candlenuts, alongside agricultural components like corn, vegetables, and tubers. The historical trajectory of land utilization commenced with the indigenous communities who exercised stewardship over the vicinity surrounding TNLL, employing their indigenous knowledge and practices as a consequence of their successful adaptation to the prevailing natural circumstances. The utilization of natural resources by indigenous groups within national park regions for their daily necessities is frequently perceived as exerting strain on the protected landscape's ecological integrity and long-term viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire events in tropical peatlands often relate to dry peat conditions associated with climate variability (drought) and anthropogenic-driven ecosystem degradation. However, drought is not the only driver of long-term fire events and peatland ecosystem changes. This study used palaeoecological and geochemical proxies to investigate the long-term drivers of charcoal influx to identify local fires and examine the associated responses to the tropical peatland ecosystem in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The results showed local fire events increased after 756 cal. yr BP, and possible drivers of charcoal influx include changes in sea level, increased frequency of El Niño events, increased biomass, and anthropogenically-driven ecosystem degradation. However, the vegetation composition showed changes since ∼2300 cal. yr BP from a mix of peat swamp forest (PSF) and open vegetation (OV) during the late Holocene (∼2300 to 1129 cal. yr BP), to predominantly PSF from 1128 to 375 cal. yr BP, dry lowland mixed with swamp forest (LMS) and open vegetation (OV) from 374 to 135 cal. yr BP, and predominantly OV and freshwater swamp forest (FSF) from 134 to −62 cal. yr BP. The possible drivers of the vegetation turnover were hydrological conditions and the availability of peat nutrients, while the vegetation turnover affected the accumulation and decomposition of recalcitrant organic matter in peat. The thresholds of the peatland ecosystems over longer-term timeframes provided the following restoration insights: 1) PSF species (i.e. Eurya and Ilex) showed high fire tolerance and increased in abundance up to charcoal influx threshold of ∼23 grains mm−2 cm−3 yr−1 while LMS and OV species increased up to a lower threshold of ∼13 grains mm−2 cm−3 yr−1before declining; 2) PSF species expanded during periods of wet conditions and high peat nutrients (i.e. TN - enriched); and 3) Future revegetation in the region can focus on tree taxa such as Euphorbiaceae, Arenga, Ficus , and Trema as they were historically able to thrive in fire events and dry hydrological conditions. • Palaeoecology and geochemical analysis of peat inform on long-term fire and alterations to the hydrology and peat conditions. • Charcoal abundance in peat can be due to changes in sea level, hydroclimate, and biomass. • Vegetation composition changed over time as a result of fire regime, peatland hydrology and nutrient status. • Peatland ecosystem changes resulted in the shift from swamp to dryland vegetation. • The thresholds of the vegetation species that can cope with fire provide restoration insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smallholder farmers and their agroecosystems in active volcanic landscapes need to deal with and recover from eruptions. Resilience to extreme shocks may increase with system diversity, enhancing food and income security and ecosystem services provision; however, the longer term effects of volcanic ash are rarely assessed. To test the hypothesis that tree diversity contributes to the social–ecological resilience of coffee-based agroforestry, we quantified (1) the immediate effects of deposition of a 15-cm ash layer on tree survival, (2) the effect of volcanic ash on aboveground C stocks, tree diversity and wood density frequencies, (3) litter layer dynamics, and (4) farming system and income recovery 3 years after. Observations in four land-use systems before and after ash deposition (remnant forest, coffee-based complex and simple agroforestry, annual crops) were complemented by 46 farmer interviews on tree species' survival, system, and financial recovery. Based on farmer interviews, low-wood-density trees were most affected by volcanic ash deposition. Ash deposition did not, after 3 years and across land-use systems, significantly change tree density, basal area, or C stocks. In contrast, species richness in coffee-based agroforestry increased significantly. Standing litter stocks in agroforestry decreased, but slower decomposition partially compensated for reduced litter input. Farmers stated that diversity and flexibility in coffee-based agroforestry support a system recovery that is faster than that for annual crops, suppressing income fluctuation. Farmer's adaptive responses to enhance species diversity contributed to the resilience of farms, by retaining basic system structure and functions of agroforestry, and increasing product diversity and income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding past forest dynamics and human influence is essential for future forest management and ecosystem conservation. This study aims to provide insights into the forest dynamics and agroforestry history in the highlands of Sumatra for the last 1800 years. We carried out palaeoecological multi-proxy analyses of pollen, spores, non-pollen palynomorphs, macro-charcoal, and X-ray fluorescence on a limnic sediment core taken from Danau Kecil in the submontane area of Kerinci Seblat National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia. Our results provide an 1800-year record of forest dynamics under climate change and human influence including the transition from forest opening to shifting cultivation and eventually permanent agroforestry. Indicators for forest openings and secondary forest formation have been present since the beginning of records (AD 200). This is followed by the possible initiation of sugar palm (Arenga) cultivation (AD 400). Since AD 500, potential agroforestry and forest gardening practices have promoted major timber trees such as Lithocarpus/Castanopsis, Bischofia, and Dipterocarpaceae combined with sugar palm (Arenga). Permanent agroforestry systems were possibly established since AD 1760, evinced by an increase in commodity trees such as Dipterocarpaceae for resin production. With the Dutch invasion ca. AD 1900, agroforestry intensified and expanded to the Kerinci Valley. This was followed by land use intensification and potential rice cultivation around Danau Kecil since the 1940s. This study provides the first details on past forest dynamics around Danau Kecil since AD 200, showing among others how appropriate forest management and a closed canopy could reduce fire vulnerability in submontane rainforest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plantation forests have been strongly established in Indonesia, with Acacias and Eucalyptus as the most common species. Using a single species in a large plantation may affect its sustainability because of the threat from biotic and abiotic factors. The soil microbiome is key to an ecological process strongly associated with both biotic and abiotic factors. However, research aiming to understand soil microbial communities in plantation forests in Indonesia is still limited. We analyzed the soil bacterial communities from six sites of plantation forests and three sites of conservation areas representing natural forest ecosystems. We produced approximately 140,136 reads from nine soil samples and generated 2385 total OTUs from the reads. The ten most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Nitrospirae, Gemmatimonadetes, and Planctomycetes. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of microbes in E. pellita plantation forests and natural forests was similar, except for Bacteroidetes. The richness and diversity of the microbiomes were slightly lower in the plantation forests than in the natural forests. Minor variations in the soil's chemical properties may be responsible for the variations in the microbiome between natural and plantation forests. According to RDA, the K, total N, and organic C were positively correlated with the bacterial diversity, while the pH was negatively correlated. There was a positive correlation between the abundance of Bacteroidetes and the K content. However, there is not much information regarding this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research is the property of Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Rice is one of the most important subsidence crops, however evidence of the origin and domestication of rice cultivation is still scarce in Indonesia. This study aims to trace the beginning of rice cultivation and buffalo husbandry in Sumatra, Indonesia. We carried out palaeoecological multi-proxy analyses of pollen and spores, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and macro-charcoal analysis on a sediment core from the swamp forest of Danau Bento (DB) in the Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP). Our results provide first evidence of buffalo husbandry in the Kerinci at least 4,300 years ago, in line with the migration of the Austronesians to Sumatra. NPPs and pollen results indicate the existence of grassland until about 3,200 cal bp around the site, which was used for buffalo grazing and not for rice cultivation. The rise of Poaceae about 2,500 cal bp suggests the beginning of rice cultivation in the swamp contemporary with a decline in grazing as shown by the NPPs. However, this phase lasted only few centuries until ca 2,100 cal bp. Following the decline of rice cultivation, the swamp remained in use as a grassland for grazing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few examples of primary succession from tropical conditions, especially on land degraded by human activity, for example, mine wastes. Such studies would assist in informing ecological restoration of these degraded sites. Here, a chronosequence approach was used to investigate early‐stage primary succession on overburden spoil wastes derived from coal mining in a tropical climate over a 64‐month period. Plant species composition and several microclimatic and spoil physicochemical and microbial properties were measured, and responses analysed using regression and multivariate (nonmetric multidimensional scaling) analyses. A clear primary successional process was described showing that vegetation cover and species richness generally increased through time with a successional pathway from graminoids and herbs as the early dominants, shrubs in midsuccession, and trees in the later‐successional stages. Two important differences were noted between our results and primary successions elsewhere; a lower abundance of nitrogen‐fixing species and the colonization by some late‐successional shrubs and trees at the start. During the succession, aggregate stability and organic matter (total C) increased—whereas electrical conductivity and some potentially toxic elements (Al, B) decreased. The constant high spoil moisture content appears to be an important determinant of vegetation development during primary succession and may be a factor in the rapid pace of succession detected here. The lessons for ecological restoration for coal overburden spoil under tropical conditions are that succession can proceed relatively rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasitic plants lived by adhering, absorbing water, minerals and food to host plants. The objective of this research was to determine the diversity of the parasitic plants and their hosts in agroforestry lands where farmers cultivated various plants around their houses or forests. The research was conducted in Kepala Jeri and Pemping Islands, Batam, Riau Islands Province in October 2014 using exploration methods. Plant inventory and data collection were done along determined exploration tracks. There were three species of the parasitic plants were found namely Cassytha filiformis L., Dendrophthoe pauciflora Dans. and Viscum stenocarpum Dans. The most dominant parasitic plant was C. filiformis, whereas the least dominant parasitic plant was V. stenocarpum. There were 26 species, from 24 genera and 17 families of host plants of C. filiformis whereas hosts of D. pauciflora were 15 species, from 12 genera and 9 families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the paper are to identify levels of bio-geodiversity of Bromo-Tengger-Semeru-Arjuno area, describes local community and factors triggering biodiversity disturbance and declines, and establishes recommendations for geotourism development in Bromo-Tengger-Semeru-Arjuno Biosphere Reserve, Indonesia. This study cundected a series of field observation, secondary data analisys and interview at the local and regional levels. Result shows that Bromo- Tengger-Semeru-Arjuno has high biodiversity and is the most diverse highland region in East Java Province. There are a large number of flora-fauna and geological phenomena, reflecting the importance of biodiversity conservation and geotourism development in this area. While there are many positive impacts from tourism, there are also environmental problems. A number of identified problems encompass unsustainable agriculture practices, illegal hunting, illegal logging, forest fire, illegal plant collections and tourism. A large number of visitors at some attraction locationsare a critical issue in the biosphere reserve area. The development of other tourist spots has been important to reduce human impact to the biophysical environment of biosphere reserves. The challenges facing the development of sustainable geotorism in Bromo-Tengger-Semeru-Arjuno Biosphere Reserve are to find a balance between conservation and tourism as well as involve local people as active participants in tourism development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic Botany is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forest utilization of indigenous communities is intimately connected to experiences and knowledge arising from the interaction between people and their environment. The traditional ecological knowledge of the Dayak Tunjung communities in East Borneo offers an interesting example of the interrelation between agricultural food production, forest management and local culture. This study describes how the local villagers manage their rice cultivation system combined with forest succession based on traditional ecological knowledge. Data were obtained through direct participatory techniques by interviewing key informants about their practices and perception as well as field observations on farming activities and forest management. Traditional ecological knowledge on food production and forest management has evolved over many generations but is degrading rapidly. The Dayak people base their practices on a shifting cultivation system of rice intercropped with other foods, while at the same time maintaining forest succession after abandonment. Traditional knowledge relates to ecological reasons for different shifting cultivation stages, selection of suitable cultivation plots, soil classification and culturally embedded ‘signs of nature’ – which signs to look out for during which month of the year and which activities to undertake. Throughout Indonesia, traditional ecological knowledge can prove to be instrumental for future forest resource and conservation management. EDITED BY Leni Camacho [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents a study related to the dynamic process of shifting cultivation practices of the Serampas, an indigenous group of the Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP), a protected area in Indonesia. It mentions the classification of land, change in the land-use patterns over time, land tenure arrangements, transition to cinnamon agroforestry and implications on the conservation of KSNP. Serampas traditional ecological knowledge is stated to provide insight for forest conservation.

The article focuses on the study on the natural metallic mordant processes implemented in traditional Indonesian textiles. It says that the researchers implemented four participatory ways of investigation including local perceptions of priority species, Symplocos poster distribution, and plant specimens collection. It explores the six traditional processes which include soaking cotton threads in a mixture of wood ash and water, adding seed oil to a wood ash lye bath, and drying cotton threads.

We reply to Webber et al. (2011). Our study, Sheil and Padmanaba (2011), was a preliminary assessment of the alien Neotropical tree Cecropia around Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. We highlighted the need for low-cost assessment approaches for addressing alien species and considered what might be achieved by local actors with limited resources. We successfully characterised the local distribution of Cecropia and identified, addressed and illustrated various concerns. Based on these results we asked how such studies might be useful and how they could be improved. Webber et al. criticise our study but fail to engage with its goals. Certainly, low-input local approaches lack the sophistication and rigour of larger international efforts, but such comparisons are unhelpful. Aside from a number of misunderstandings, we find Webber et al.’s principal arguments overstated, and unsupported by published information. The evidence that Cecropia causes harm is unconvincing; species-level identification is overemphasised; and the insistence on completing detailed research before considering management options is problematic. We offer some positive conclusions and repeat our plea for the development of effective low-input methods for evaluating and addressing naturalised organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Palaeoecology may contribute to the debate on nature conservation and the preservation of cultural heritage. Here we present two palaeo-records from the Lore Lindu Biosphere Reserve and National Park in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The park comprises one of the largest remaining and most biodiverse mountain forests of Sulawesi. Outstanding megalithic sites reveal long-term human impact on the area. Thus, modern vegetation composition within the park has been determined by complex site histories, natural and anthropogenic. Palaeo-records from sites between 1,000 and 1,400 m a.s.l. demonstrate that human activity as well as climate variations have to be considered as the main drivers of vegetation changes in the region for the last 2,000 years. Human impact is reflected by large amounts of charred fragments in the pollen records plus low values of arboreal pollen resulting from forest clearance. The stratigraphy of one of the pollen records shows effects of a general cooling trend during the Little Ice Age (LIA). Biomass loss due to the conversion of lower montane rainforest to grassland has reduced the carbon storage potential in the area of the Lore Lindu Park. Recommendations for conservation policy that may be made from the environmental history within the biosphere reserve thus include the consideration of human influence in easily accessible areas, particularly in face of recent settlement intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charcoal fragments in forest soils give evidence of prehistoric and historic natural and anthropogenic wildfires in the equatorial rainforests and in seasonal monsoon forests of continental and insular South Asia. Conditions favourable for the occurrence of historic and contemporary rainforest fires are associated with droughts, especially during dry spells caused by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. Historic land-use fires and wildfires can be reconstructed from a number of narrative reports, including documents that reveal drought and famine. In the eastern part of Borneo prehistoric and historic records of coal fires reveal a unique natural source of wildfires. Starting with modern transmigration programs and systematic conversion of primary and secondary vegetation, including peat-swamp ecosystems, into farmland and industrial plantations, the use of fire as a land-clearing tool escalated in the 1990s. During droughts land-clearing fires additionally contribute to wildfires. A detailed study of the ecological consequences of the episode of land-use fires and wild-fires of 1982-1983 was conducted on an area of 2.7 million ha of dipterocarp rainforest in East Kalimantan. The results show that dipterocarps are highly susceptible to fire and are replaced by pioneers and fire-tolerant species that occupy the disturbed sites or survive the immediate fire effects. Smoke from forest conversion burning caused considerable environmental problems, reducing visibility and affecting human health and security. Emissions from vegetation burning influence chemistry and functioning of the global atmosphere. The situation is different in those parts of mainland and insular Southeast Asia that are characterized by seasonal climate. Through long-term influence of climate variability, fire influence, and anthropogenic pressure the vegetation is better adapted to extrinsic stresses. During the 15 years between the extreme ENSO events and fire episodes of 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 the national and international communities have been alerted and prepared to respond to the escalating fire situation in Indonesia. The response to the onset of the 1997-1998 fire and smoke episode, however, was absolutely inadequate and erratic. Meanwhile a whole continent -- the maritime continent of Southeast Asia -- has been degraded by excessive application for more than 20 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 1997/98 ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) event more than 5 million ha of East Kalimantan, Indonesia burned. Here we quantify the initial stages of regeneration (19982001), both in forest that burned and in unburned controls. Sapling and seedling density and species richness remained significantly lower in burned than in unburned forest and community composition remained substantially different between both forest types throughout the sampling period. The only pronounced edge effect was a significantly higher density of seedlings in the interior of unburned forest. Sapling density increased and seedling density declined in both unburned and burned forest during the four-year study period. In the unburned forest, sapling and seedling species richness remained stable, but sapling species richness declined significantly with time in the burned forest. The pioneer community in the burned forest was, furthermore, characterised by higher growth and recruitment than in the unburned forest but mortality did not differ between both forest types. Differences in environment (burned versus unburned: 2965% of variation explained) and the distance between sample sites (1323% of variation explained) explained substantial amounts of variation in sapling and seedling community similarity. Similarity was, however, only marginally (< 1% explained) related to the edge position and temporal variation (difference among sample events). Our results, four years after the initial burn, indicate that burned forest still differed greatly from unburned forest in terms of density, species richness and community composition. There was also no clear trend of a return to pre-disturbance conditions, which indicates that the burned forest may remain in a severely degraded state for a prolonged period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the diversity of tropical animal communities in recently fire-affected environments. Here we assessed species richness, evenness, and community similarity of butterflies and odonates in landscapes located in unburned isolates and burned areas in a habitat mosaic that was severely affected by the 1997/98 ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) event in east Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. In addition related community similarity to variation in geographic distance between sampling sites and the habitat/vegetation structure Species richness and evenness differed significantly among landscapes but there was no congruence between both taxa. The species richness of butterflies was, for example, highest in sites located in a very large unburned isolate whereas odonate species richness was highest in sites located in a small unburned isolate and once-burned forest. We also found substantial variation in the habitat/vegetation structure among landscapes but this was mainly due to variation between unburned and burned landscapes and variation among burned landscapes. Both distance and environment (habitat/vegetation) contributed substantially to explaining variation in the community similarity (beta diversity) of both taxa. The contribution of the environment was, however, mainly due to variation between unburned and burned landscapes, which contained very different assemblages of both taxa. Sites located in the burned forest contained assemblages that were intermediate between assemblages from sites in unburned forest and sites from a highly degraded slash-and-burn area indicating that the burned forest was probably recolonised by species from these disparate environments. We, furthermore, note that in contrast to species richness (alpha diversity) the patterns of community similarity (beta diversity) were highly congruent between both taxa. These results indicate that community-wide multivariate measures of beta diversity are more consistent among taxa and more reliable indicators of disturbance, such as ENSO-induced burning, than univariate measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the botanical diversity in the karst-dominated Ayawasi area in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, and its relation to soil and geological substratum. Types of bird species found in the area; Comparison of number of most frequent species in mixed forest with that in other types of forests; Factors contributing towards less migration of bird species in the area.

Survival and growth of 83 tree species were tested in three separatespecies elimination trials on Imperata cylindrica dominated grassland in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The trial layout was randomized complete blocks design with 6--8 replications of 5-tree line plots. At the age of two years exotics, like several Acacia species (A. mangium,A. crassicarpa, A. auriculiformis, A. cincinnata, A. leptocarpa), aswell as Gmelina arborea, Paraserianthes falcataria and Cassia siameahad survival rates of 90--100%, crown width of 3--6 m and mean height of 5--8 m. Among the most promising local species were Anthocephalus chinensis, Peronema canescens and Parkia roxburghii but their growth was inferior compared to exotics. Eucalypts and pines were not among the highest ranking trees and cannot be recommended for initial grassland reforestation. At the age of 7--8 years the same species were still dominating, but increasing mortality of several species was observed. Especially Acacia crassicarpa and A. cincinnata of the exoticswere affected, and indigenous Anthocephalus chinensis almost perished. Since fast early growth is necessary in first rotation reforestation of grasslands, fast growing exotic species provide a reliable basis for further activities. Final performance of reforestation species has to be confirmed in stand-level experiments and pilot plantations.Intensive work on integrating local tree species in reforestation ofgrasslands in the long run is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the compositional balance of the flora and fauna of the Krakatau islands, Indonesia for the identification of the ecological groups which are under-represented. Factors that hinder an accurate estimate of the situation; Theory of dispersal syndrome; Reason for the colonization of species with winged propagules; Causes of slow colonization of zoochorus plants.

Pteropus griseus (gray flying fox) is a species of Old World fruit bat that is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Data Deficient. The species is found on small islands in the Lesser Sundas and Sulawesi, and is endemic to Indonesia, but no contemporary roosts are known, and the last study of the species was in Timor in the Lesser Sundas. In this study, we describe the first known day roost in Sulawesi for Pteropus griseus and collected anecdotal evidence regarding conservation threats to the colony. We compared data from flying foxes collected from this roost to other P. griseus specimens and those of closely related co-occurring species to confirm its identity. We confirmed that this roost is likely of Pteropus griseus, though the subspecies identity remains to be determined. However, it is newly threatened by middlemen traders of bat meat from North Sulawesi arriving to encourage local villagers near the roost to hunt the bats. Elevated levels of hunting may deplete the entire colony in a single season should no conservation action be taken to safeguard the roost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred and fourteen species of flowering plants, claimed to have medicinal uses, were recorded from a previously uninvestigated area of Sumatra. Of the specimens, which belonged to 51 families, 50% were used to combat fever, 33% for diarrhoea and 31% for other gastrointestinal problems. External applications were often used to treat internal conditions, particularly fever. Species new to the ethnomedical literature are Garcinia parvifolia, Scleria purpurescens, Galearia filiformis, Litsea elliptica, Litsea robusta, Barringtonia lanceolata, Sesbania aculeata, Mimosa pigra, Abelmoschus ficulneus, Hedyotis leucocarpa, Pavetta multiflora, Symplocos cochinchinensis and Trema tomentosa. Hanguana (as H. malayana) represents a new genus of medicinal plants.