Floristic diversity of four woodland types in the Upper Hantana campus land

Abstract

In the upper Hantana campus land, three broad-leaf-(Paraserianthes fa/cataria, Alstonia macrophylla or mixed species) and Pinus carihaea-woodland grow III proximity to one another. The wide range of floristic diversity exhibited by these different woodlands was compared using plot sampling.

The overstorey vegetation of the Alstonia woodland showed the highest, (i) density (ii) floristic richness, (iii) proportion of endemics, and (iv) plant diversity. followed in decreasing order by that in the Paraserianthes-, mixed-. and Pinus woodland. In the understorey vegetation, floristic diversity (<- I 0 em) was highest in Paraserianthes woodland, followed in decreasing order by that in Alstonia-, Mixed species-. and PinUS woodlands. Species rank abundance plots of ovcrstorey and understorey of these woodlands fit with the log series type. except the oversiorey species abundance PIVW\ woodland, which fits the geometric senes.

The broad-leaf woodlands in Upper Hantana also showed better natural regeneration uf 311 array ui species. Levels of human disturbance and burning may contribute to differences observed among different woodlands. Ihese results provide baseline ecological information on the natural regeneration in different woodland types and indicate their relative potential for conservation of biodiversity and water resource.

Funded by University Grant No. RG/97/19/S