The regeneration of dipterocarps in secondary forest and its reproductive behaviour
2011
Mohd Nazip Suratman | Mohd Fahmi Jusoh @ Mustaffa | Nurun Nadhirah Md Isa
The regeneration of Dipterocarps in secondary forest is an increasing global trend, due to the amplification of monetary conversion from Dipterocarps as the main source of timber. In 1999-2003, Malaysia had the annual round-wood production of ca. 20 million m3 and was then the third largest tropical timber producer. Generally in Malaysia, 62.3% or about 20, 456,000 ha are forested area and classified as primary forest. However, from 1990 to 2010, Malaysia had lost an average of 96, 000 ha or 0.43% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Malaysia had lost 8.6% of its forest cover or around 1,920,000 ha due to the logging activities and industrialization besides the intensification of agricultural activities to meet global and domestic demand. Malaysia's forest functions as a home for at least 15,500 species of vascular plants, of which 23.2% are endemic. According to the Five Year Plan of Malaysia from 1961 to 1996, a total of 2.5 million ha of forested land were opened for agriculture. Forestry in Malaysia is one of the economic backbone and the floristic characters of Dipterocarps nominate its candidacy as the primary logging source. The resilience possessed by this family as the main source of logging is manifested by its ability to regenerate whenever the gap is created despite the difference between the primary forest in terms of species compositions are observed. The prowess of performing mast flowering facilitates the survival of Dipterocarps hence promote its dominance in Malaysia's a seasonal tropical rainforest. Albeit its competency of regenerating and performing mast reproduction, effective measures of logging should be continuously improvised to diminish the loss of potential discoveries from Dipterocarpaceae.
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