Trees and regeneration in rubber agroforests and other forest-derived vegetation in Jambi (Sumatra, Indonesia)

Trees and regeneration in rubber agroforests and other forest-derived vegetation in Jambi (Sumatra, Indonesia)

background

Rubber agroforests (RAF) in Sumatra, introduced in the early 1900s, represent a managed forest type that is an intermediate ecosystem between natural forest and agricultural land. While understory vegetation and some trees are allowed to remain in RAF, as agriculturally managed forests, they may differ from unmanaged forests. This study compares forest regeneration in RAF and secondary forests.

research goals & methods

Inventories of vegetation in understory, seedling, sapling, and tree classes were taken in fixed-radius plots in RAF and secondary forests. Species richness and species accumulation curves for seedling and sapling stages were similar between forest and RAF, but in the tree stratum (> 10 cm dbh) selective thinning by farmers was evident in a reduction of species diversity and an increase in the proportion of trees with edible parts.

conclusions & takeaways

While RAF have considerable species richness in the strata of seedling and sapling, species richness and diversity decrease in tree strata due to human management. However, the relative distribution of early and late successional species showed no difference between RAF and forest.

Reference: 

Tata HL, van Noordwijk M, Werger M. Trees and Regeneration in Rubber Agroforests and Other Forest-Derived Vegetation in Jambi (Sumatra, Indonesia). Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research. 2008;5:1–20. doi:10.20886/ijfr.2008.5.1.1-20.

Affiliation: 

  • Forest and Nature Conservation Research and Development Center, Bogor, Indonesia