Cluster analysis on floristic composition and forest structure of hilly lowland forest in Lok Kawi, Sabah State of Malaysia

• Published in: International Journal of Botany
• Main Author: Adam J.H.; Mahmud A.M.; Muslim N.E.; Hamid H.A.; Jalaludin M.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Asian Network for Scientific Information 2007
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-37349063047&doi=10.3923%2fijb.2007.351.358&partnerID=40&md5=8b6c4714333686874655cbc6dbbcf240

The purpose of this study was to carry out a vegetative study on the slope of Lok Kawi Hill. A total of 12 plots were laid between 20 to 350 m altitude on the slope of lowland hilly forest at Lok Kawi in Sabah State of Malaysia. These plots were subjected to cluster analysis using Ward Linkage Method (WLM) and Euclidean Distance Measurement (EDM). This similarity analysis classified them into five cluster groups (CGS). These CGS, denoted by three most dominant species in term of importance value were respectively named as Hevea brasiliensis-Parastemon urophyllum-Antidesma ghaesembilla Association (CGI); Chionanthus pachyphyllus-Parastemon urophyllum-Adinandra dumosa Association (CGII); Pithecellobium ellipticum-Calophyllum inophyllum-Arenga undulatifolia Association (CGIII); Calophyllum inophyllum-Croton oblongus-Cratoxylum arborescens Association (CG IV) and Oncosperma tigillarium-Sarcotheca glauca-Calophyllum inophyllum Association (CG V). The species diversity of these CGS were relatively poor. CGII and CGIII were each repres ented by 19 species, whereas CGIV, CGI and CGV comprised of 18, 10 and 6 species. In term of Basal Area Contribution (BAC), CGIII recorded the highest BAC, followed by CGII, CGIV, CGI and CGV. Density of trees between CGS was recorded highest in CGII, followed by CGIV, CGIII, CGI and CGV. Based on the species composition, CGI is an abandoned rubber plantation; CGII is a coastal vegetation with the presence of Oncosperma tigillarium; CGIII is a disturbed primary forest with the presence of Macranga hypoleuca, Macaranga gigantea and Mallotus paniculatus; CGIV is a disturbed primary forest with the presence of Vernonia arborea, Adinandra dumosa, Vitex pubescens and Macranga triloba; CGV is a disturbed primary forest with the presence of Macaranga gigantea. The value of species diversity differed between CGS. CGII have the highest R, H and E-values, 2.12, 2.393 and 0.813, followed by CGIII, CGIV, CGI and CGV. CGV possessed the lowest R, H and E-values among the five CGS that is 0.96, 0.814 and 0.454. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.