Diversity, Stand Characteristics and Spatial Aggregation of Tree Species in a Bangladesh Forest Ecosystem

Diversity

Mohammad B. Uddin¹  Manuel J. Steinbauer¹ 

[1] Department of Biogeography, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, D-95447, Germany; E-Mail:

关键词: diameter at breast height;    beta diversity;    distance-decay;    Indian Subcontinent;    national park;    reserve forest;    management;    conservation;   

DOI  :  10.3390/d3030453

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Assessing biodiversity and the spatial structures of forest ecosystems are important for forestry and nature conservation. However, tropical forests of Bangladesh are only sparsely investigated. Here we determined biodiversity (alpha, beta and gamma), spatial species turnover and stand characteristics of one of the few remnant tropical forests in Bangladesh. Two differently protected areas of Satchari forest were compared. We recorded tree species composition, in a systematic plot design, measured diameter at breast height for each individual tree (to assess basal area), and calculated decay in similarity of tree species composition with geographical distance. The distance-decay was assessed separately for the whole study area and for two subsamples from Satchari National Park and Satchari Reserve Forest. Satchari National Park (strictly protected) had, despite its smaller area, a higher Alpha and Gamma diversity, but a lower Beta diversity than Satchari Reserve Forest. Variation in species composition was not significant between the two differently protected areas. Basal area increased significantly with protection status although tree individuals were of equal size in both areas. Plots in the Reserve Forest were associated with higher species turnover than in the National Park. We suggest anthropogenic disturbance, which occurs in the less strictly protected Reserve Forest, is the main driver for the detected spatial heterogeneity in species composition.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.