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Structure, composition and diversity of plant communities in FSC-certified, selectively logged forests of different ages compared to primary rain forest

Biodiversity and Conservation volume 23, pages 2445–2472 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The impact of logging on plant communities was studied in forest that has been logged selectively 1, 5 and 10 years previously (following a certified procedure): diversity was compared with that of primary rain forest in the Berau region of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Four sets of 20 transects located within an area of 6 ha were sampled for all trees, saplings and seedlings, and records were made of topographic position, structure, composition and species diversity. There was a high level of floristic similarity between primary forests at the study sites compared to primary forest elsewhere in Kalimantan. The impact of logging is therefore likely to be the most important factor determining any differences between the plant communities of the selectively logged and primary forest sites. We found differences in species composition and abundance of most plants between selectively logged and primary forest. Overall, stem densities of trees in the primary forest were higher than in the three selectively logged forest sites. Stem densities of saplings were equivalent in all four forests. Seedling stem densities were higher in the forest site logged 10 years previously than in primary forest. Our results showed that the forests logged selectively under certified regimes still have a high plant diversity, possibly indicating that biodiversity values may be conserved by following certification procedures.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Tien Wahyuni (B2PD, Samarinda), for the information of PhD Louwes fellowship to study in University of Leiden, the Netherlands. We would also like to thank Irsal Yasman, Joni Mujiono, Pudja Satata, Director of the PT. Inhutani and Sewoko Priyoyudoko, Rajudin Abdul Rahman, Director of the PT. Hutansanggam Labanan Lestari, for their support and permission to use the field station in Labanan. The head of BPTKSDA, Nur Sumedi, The head of Herbarium Wanariset Samboja, Kade Sidiyasa, Zainal Arifin are thanked for their help with plant identifications and for the opportunity to use the material housed in the herbarium. We would also like to acknowledge M.C. Roos, ter Stage H (NHN, Leiden), C.J.M (Kees) Muster, M. (Merlijn) van Weerd (CML, Leiden), K.A.O. Eichhorn (Bosflora, Utrecht), Wawan Gunawan, Ishak Yassir, Tri Atmoko (BPTKSDA, Samboja) and Amiril Saridan (B2PD, Samarinda) for their many discussion on methodology and statistical analysis. The fieldwork would have been impossible without the help of many people from Berau and Samboja who assisted him. We would especially like to mention Pujiansyah, Anto, Mahmud, Sugito and Prapto for their great assistance in the field. This study was supported under the umbrella of a LOUWES fellowship grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Science (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2, PO-Box 9518, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Arbainsyah, H. H. de Iongh & G. R. de Snoo

  2. Universitas Mulawarman, Kampus Gunung Kelua, Jl. Kuaro I/5, PO-Box 1068, Samarinda, Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia

    W. Kustiawan

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  1. Arbainsyah
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  2. H. H. de Iongh
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  3. W. Kustiawan
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  4. G. R. de Snoo
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Correspondence to Arbainsyah.

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Communicated by Peter Ashton.

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Arbainsyah, de Iongh, H.H., Kustiawan, W. et al. Structure, composition and diversity of plant communities in FSC-certified, selectively logged forests of different ages compared to primary rain forest. Biodivers Conserv 23, 2445–2472 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0732-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0732-4

Keywords

  • Sustainable forest management
  • Selective logging
  • Species diversity
  • Forest structure
  • Tropical rain forest

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