Diversity of meranti (Shorea spp) in secondary forest of tropic area in Mempawah District, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract The demand for the wood as basic human need is increasing in line with the population growth worldwide. Meranti (Shorea spp.) is a species of commercial tree that has been traded since the start of forest exploitation. This plant easily grows in various habitats, including tropics areas, such as secondary tropical rain forest located in Mempawah District, West Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia. The purpose of this study is to determine and reviewing the diversity of Shorea spp in secondary forest in Mempawah District, West Kalimantan. The observation was carried out by a survey method using a combination of path and line square methods. The paths were put with a purposive sampling method in many areas of that secondary forest that have Shorea spp in each site of observation. Following to the result, there were four species of meranti (Shorea spp), including Shorea platyclados (Meranti Batu), Shorea leprosula (Meranti Bunga), Shorea pinanga (Meranti Merah), Shorea bracteolatadyer (Meranti Putih) in each growth stage from seedling, stake, pole, and tree, but not dominate in the secondary forest of Mempawah District. The observation found that those Shorea spp there had the Dominance Index in seedling, stake, pole, and tree stages was less than 0.5, the Species Diversity Index was overflowing (H 1 ≤ H ≤ 3), while the Species Abundance was less than 1.