Assessment of agroecosystem in Cambantoc Watershed Mount Makiling Forest Reserve ASEAN Heritage Park, Philippines
2018
Castillo, L.A. | Castillo, M.L. | Canceran, M.S. | Barua, L.D. | Breva, R.V. | Alegre, A.C. | Gestiada, E.C. | Barredo-Parducho, V.D. | Limpiada, A.A. | Gonzalvo, K.J.P. | Caña, M.M. | Bantayan, N.C.
An agroecosystem is an ecosystem where biodiversity performs a variety of ecological services. It is very necessary to maintain its biodiversity to ensure continued supply of goods and services. This paper aims to determine the stand composition and diversity to access the effects of agriculture to forest natural landscape. Fifty 20m x 20m plots were established in a 2-hectare long term ecological research plot in an agroecosystem landscape in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve ASEAN Heritage Park (MMFR AHP). Trees with at least 10cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were measured and mapped. Study revealed a dominance of forest trees in Cambantoc watershed, an agroecosystem landscape area in MMFR AHP. A total of 726 individuals distributed to 42 families, 84 genera and 112 species were recorded. Of these, about eight percent are agricultural trees represented by only four species namely: Citrus reticulata, Cocos nucifera, Coffea arabica and Theobroma cacao. Importance values showed Displodiscus paniculatus (92.20) and C. Arabica (8.08) as dominating forest and agricultural species in the area, respectively. C. Arabica is the only agricultural species among the top 10 dominant species due to the existence if civet cat and other dispersal agents in the watershed. Shannon-Weiner index showed a relatively high diversity at 3.842 and a moderately low evenness at 0.4162. Cambantoc watershed with agriculture as dominating landuse is highly diverse area and planting of agricultural species along the forest periphery has minimal effect of forest diversity. The agricultural crops support the existence of wildlife animals that thrive in the area like civet cat. Furthermore, presence of threatened species such as Diospyrosblancoi, Syzygium nitidum, and Toona calantas makes Cambatoc a highly critical watershed requiring strict conservation and protection.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by University of the Philippines at Los Baños