TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM MASTER PROJECT (TEMP)

Plant Diversity and Status in the Northern Landscape of Malindang Range and Environs, Misamis Occidental, Philippines

This study attempted to generate comprehensive information and understanding of the diversity and status of the plants in the northern part of Malindang Range Natural Park in Misamis Occidental. Inventory of the forest and agroecosystems was carried out in three municipalities of Misamis Occidental, viz., Don Victoriano (Brgys. Mansawan, Gandawan, and Lake Duminagat), Oroquieta City (Brgys. Sibucal, Mialen, Toliyok, and Bunga), and Lopez Jaena (Brgy. Peniel). Nine vegetation types were delineated namely, mossy forest (above 1700 masl), montane forest (1000-1700 masl), dipterocarp forest (700-1400 masl), almaciga forest (1000-1400 masl), two types of mixed-dipterocarp forest (300-400 masl), lowland dipterocarp forest, plantation forest (300-1400 masl) and agroecosystem (300-1400 masl). Each vegetation type was characterized by a specific combination of plant species. The mossy forests included two variants of the community of Ascarina philippinensis and Xanthomyrtus diplycossifolium. The montane forest has the community of Clethra lancifolia and Impatiens montalbanica. The submontane dipterocarp forests were comprised of Almaciga forest (community of Almaciga philippinensis and Cinnamomum mercadoi) and the community of Ficus minahassae and Bischofia javanica. Lowland dipterocarp forest (community of Ficus variegata and Selaginella moellendorfii) were found at lower altitudes. Two types of mixed dipterocarp forests occurred on steep slopes, namely, community of Shorea polysperma and Shorea palosapis at relatively high altitude (above 700m) and community of Diplodiscus paniculatus and Lithocarpus at lower altitude.

Plantations and degraded forests were found near Barangays Peniel and Bunga. The agroecosystem was characterized by arable fields with vegetables (Sechium edule-Allium fistulosum) and cereals (Oryza sativa-Zea mays). Also agroforestry (Cocos nucifera-Lansium domesticum), and grass-dominated fallowed areas (Cyathea spp.-Saccharum spontaneum) have been assigned to this group. The forests and the agroecosystem vegetation types revealed a total of 1286 species: 873 angiosperms, 20 gymnosperms, 281 pteridophytes, 84 mosses (Bryophytes), and 28 lichen species.

Among the vegetation types, the Almaciga forest appeared to be the most species-rich vegetation type (on average 33 species per plot) with the most number of endemic species, followed by the southern variants of the montane forest and the mossy forest (29 and 31 species per plot, respectively). The lowest species richness and endemism were found in the plantation forest with 11 species per plot only.

In general, the forest types (except the plantations) scored high on the species diversity index, with values from H=1.92 to 2.04. It is expected that this species diversity index may increase when the forest will be protected and properly managed. This can be combined with sustainable use of these ecosystems by the local people of Malindang Range Natural Park. The forest types revealed the presence of 56 endangered and locally threatened species. This should be made known immediately to the decision makers in the concerned communities and other stakeholders to restrain or declare a harvesting moratorium in the said critical resources. The identification of forest types, their communities and threatened species are vital information for the production of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials for dissemination to the concerned communities and stakeholders. This will enable them to design protection, conservation and management strategies through their annual natural resources management action plan. This will be an important contribution of BRP to biodiversity conservation in Mt. Malindang Range. An integrative approach to biodiversity conservation, which considers the upliftment of the social well-being of the upland farmers is hereby recommended.

Vertebrate Faunal Diversity and Relevant Interrelationships of Critical Resources in Mt. Malindang

Fieldwork was conducted in Mt. Malindang, Mindanao from October 2003 until December 2004 in nine different vegetation types (mossy, montane, almaciga, submontane dipterocarp, lowland dipterocarp, mixed dipterocarp, mixed lowland dipterocarp, plantation forest and agroecosystem) at elevations of 120 to over 1700 meters above sea level. Using a participatory method in which local researchers were involved in the project, primary data were collected using a combination of methods to assess faunal diversity. The aim of the project was to obtain a better understanding of critical resources for subsequent improved implementation of management for conservation.

A total of 257 species of vertebrates (26 amphibians, 33 reptiles, 162 birds, 19 volant mammals and 17 non-volant mammals) were recorded. The level of endemism was high (50% for amphibians, 34% for reptiles, 41% for birds, 47% for volant mammals and 71% for non-volant mammals). Twenty-seven threatened species were recorded in the recent study comprising 11 amphibians, nine birds, three volant and four non-volant mammals. The results suggest that communities have their traditional practice of monitoring and conserving the faunal resources. Cluster analysis using TWINSPAN revealed that the forest sites (submontane dipterocarp, almaciga, montane and mossy forests) are highly diverse areas with many endemic and threatened species. Despite habitat loss in some areas, Mt. Malindang is a rich biodiversity area and key conservation site. Actions need to be taken for the conservation of the remaining faunal resources; particular attention should be paid to the forest sites that harbor the majority of the endemic and threatened species.

Arthropod Faunal Diversity and Relevant Interrelationship of Critical Resources in Mt. Malindang

An assessment of arthropod diversity and analysis of the interrelationships with other resources were done in 32 sites at the research wedge of Mt. Malindang and its environs from June 2003 to April 2005. The different sites spread in 10 barangays of Oroquieta City and the municipalities of Don Victoriano, Lopez Jaena and Calamba, Misamis Occidental.

The current inventory of Mt. Malindang arthropods includes 741 species with an overall endemism of 9%. These species were contained in 340 genera, 135 families, 21 orders, and five classes. The top most species orders, the Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera and Araneida account for 78.37% of the species.

Arthropod species diversity was higher in the forest ecosystem than in the agroecosystem. When treated per vegetation and per site, diversity was highest in the mixed dipterocarp forest, specifically at Peniel, Lopez Jaena with 82 restricted species (60% beetles) out of 316 species.

Arthropod fauna was slightly similar between the mixed lowland dipterocarp forest and plantation and degraded forest and between the mossy and montane forests. In all other comparisons, arthropod fauna was only very slightly similar between vegetations.

Proportional representation of the trophic guilds of the selected taxa, indicated biggest proportion of the phytophagous group, followed by the predatory, pollinators, parasitic, scavengers, and xyloborous species.

Some species of arthropods were utilized in various ways. The honeybee, Apis cerana is well known for its honey. Honey, and sometimes including the hives were either utilized for home consumption or sold in markets. Other arthropods like crabs, termites and the larvae and adults of coconut beetle were utilized as food, termites and naiads of Odonata as fish baits and ants as biocontrol agents (with an attractant) for cabbage worms. Indigenous knowledge on arthropod species is very scanty and limited only to common species of bees, beetles, butterflies, dragonflies, spiders, ants, centipedes, millipedes, snails and crabs.

Out of 67 (mostly curculionid beetles) endemic arthropod species, at least 21 species were associated with 18 endemic host plants in Mt. Malindang, a situation urging immediate conservation efforts.

Soil Ecological Diversity and Relevant Interrelationships of Critical Resources in Mt. Malindang

Conversion of forest to agricultural lands is a serious problem in Mt. Malindang. The absence or scarcity of information on the drastic effects of forest cover loss and any form of disturbance has kept the denudation of forest and soil degradation unabated. This study was conducted to assess the physico-chemical and biological properties of the soil, and the changes that have occurred with the increasing degree of disturbance. Samples were taken from disturbed and undisturbed forest patches, and agroecosystems and grassland ecosystems above and below the 1000 m elevation along the Mt. Malindang landscape.

Results of the study showed that the highest amount of organic matter was retained in the undisturbed and less disturbed ecosystems. Consequently, these ecosystems had the highest cation exchange capacity (CEC), and low soil bulk densities indicative of well-aggregated soils. In contrast, forestlands converted into agricultural lands and later abandoned to become grasslands, have reduced their soil properties close to critical values. Earthworm population was diverse in natural ecosystem or where disturbance was limited to small-scale timber cuttings. In contrast, single species of Pontoscolex corethrurus inhabited the agroecosystems and grassland ecosystems. Nematode population in forest ecosystems mainly consisted of high abundance of moss and root-hair feeding nematodes. In agroecosystems and grassland ecosystems, ectoparasitic plant-feeding nematodes dominated. Soil respiration rate was lowest in the grassland ecosystems. Thus, in any human-induced forest disturbance, it is not only the forest cover that is lost, the soil as well.

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