Ecological factors affecting durian production in the forest gardens of West Kalimantan,Indonesia

Whereas a natural ecosystem is stochastically created by mechanism of natural selection, an agroecosystem is systematically fashioned by farmers in response to specificperceived ecological and economic constraints. In this paper, I employ a geographical information systems (GIS) based analysis to examine the beliefs of forest garden owners in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, regarding ecological factors involved in maximizing durian fruit (Durio zibethinus) production. Factors that I tested included individual tree characteristics (age, size, color), microsite factors (on or off ridge, near stream, slope, proximity to rock outcrops, in dry or swampy site), species associations (with other types of trees, spacing to nearest large tree), and the overall position of the garden (on flat land or hill, distance to natural forest). I first conclude that respondents generally had accurate perceptions as to how ecological factors influence durian production. I then briefly discuss how the findings of this study could be used to improve existing and future durian gardens. Finally, I discuss the potential for studying slow-growing agroforestry systems using cross-sectional data collected from plots owned and managed by individual house-holds through the use of a GIS and statistical control.In spite of the high specific richness of the gardens' vegetation ... the place of each plant is carefully chosen, and often corresponds to its ecological niche in the natural forest. Enauiries have shown that people have a certain ecological knowledge in individual care towardseach plant that is in contradicion to the mass treatment of cultivated crops in monoculture.-G.Michon (1983, p.19)     

On-farm evaluation of the establishment of clonal rubber in multistrata agroforests in Jambi,Indonesia

Perennial tree crops are often grown in complex multistrata systems that incorporate natural vegetation. These systems contribute simultaneously to sustaining rural livelihoods and to the conservation of biodiversity, but their productivity is usually low. Introduction of high yielding germplasm, usually selected in monocultural plantations, is a potential way to increase productivity, but a critical requirement is that such plants can be established in a competitive multispecies environment. The establishment of clonal planting stock in the jungle rubber agroforests of Indonesia was explored through participatory on-farm research. The trial involved four farmers who grew clonal rubber trees in a total of 20 plots, constituting five replicate experimental blocks spread across four farms. Unexpectedly, vertebrate pest damage by monkeys (Presbytis melalophos nobilis) and wild pigs (Sus scrofa) was the most important influence on establishment, explaining almost 70% of the variation in rubber tree growth. The amount of labour invested in weeding was also positively correlated with rubber tree growth. Farmers generally decided to completely cut back vegetation between rows of rubber trees, including potentially valuable trees, rather than weeding within the rows and selectively pruning trees in the inter-row. Farmers thought that the inter-row vegetation would harbour vertebrate pests and compete with the clonal rubber, and they had access to fruits, firewood and other non-timber forest products from other land. Thus, contrary to expectations, when offered clonal germplasm, farmers opted to use plantation monoculture methods to protect what they considered a valuable asset, rather than maintain the traditional multispecies strategy they use with local germplasm. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Indigenous livelihood systems in industrial tree-plantation areas in West Kalimantan, Indonesia: Economics and plant-species richness

An integrated tree plantation approach combining indigenous livelihoods and industrial wood production is being implemented in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. In this study the economics of land-use was investigated in villages within the plantation scheme. The effect of three alternative land-use scenarios and costs and benefits of each land-use type were studied using linear programming. The scenarios were based 1) on the current land-use, 2) on the integrated tree plantation system with incentives and government regulations, and 3) on a financially optimal land-use distribution. Additionally, plant species richness in different land-use types was surveyed. The scenarios had different kinds of effects on villages varying in respect to their possibilities for land-use intensification. In villages with extensive land use, establishment of tree plantations without any land-use regulations increased the potential economic return on land, resulting in conversion of natural and man-made semi-natural forests into swidden fields. In villages with more sedentary agriculture, the plantation scheme did not create pressures towards remaining forests even in the case of financially optimal land-use distribution. Incorporation of land-use regulations prevented further deforestation but also decreased households' economic returns. The results also showed that conversion of Imperata grasslands to any other land-use increased species richness. Incentives, restrictions or regulations aiming at conserving natural and semi-natural forests are needed to ensure conservation of biodiversity and long-term improvements in local livelihoods. It can be concluded that tree plantations can be combined with other land-use practices: They can improve the economic return on land without further degradation of the environment.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Plant and bird diversity in rubber agroforests in the lowlands of Sumatra,Indonesia

Plant and bird diversity in the Indonesian jungle rubber agroforestry system was compared to that in primary forest and rubber plantations by integrating new and existing data from a lowland rain forest area in Sumatra. Jungle rubber gardens are low-input rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) agroforests that structurally resemble secondary forest and in which wild species are tolerated by the farmer. As primary forests have almost completely disappeared from the lowlands of the Sumatra peneplain, our aim was to assess the contribution of jungle rubber as a land use type to the conservation of plant and bird species, especially those that are associated with the forest interior of primary and old secondary forest. Species-accumulation curves were compiled for terrestrial and epiphytic pteridophytes, trees and birds, and for subsets of ‘forest species’ of terrestrial pteridophytes and birds. Comparing jungle rubber and primary forest, groups differed in relative species richness patterns. Species richness in jungle rubber was slightly higher (terrestrial pteridophytes), similar (birds) or lower (epiphytic pteridophytes, trees, vascular plants as a whole) than in primary forest. For subsets of ‘forest species’ of terrestrial pteridophytes and birds, species richness in jungle rubber was lower than in primary forest. For all groups, species richness in jungle rubber was generally higher than in rubber plantations. Although species conservation in jungle rubber is limited by management practices and by a slash-and-burn cycle for replanting of about 40 years, this forest-like land use does support species diversity in an impoverished landscape increasingly dominated by monoculture plantations.     

The dynamics of Imperata: historical overview and current farmer perspectives, with special reference to South Kalimantan, Indonesia

The paper reviews modern attitudes to and uses of imperata grasslands in parts of Southeast Asia, including government and NGO efforts at reforestation. It is argued that the perspective of small farmers has usually been inadequately considered in planning the rehabilitation of Imperata. A historical overview of the impact of changes in land use, population, vegetation dynamics and human adaptation on the creation, disappearance or persistence of Imperata provides a context for the present concerns and emphasizes the wide variability of the situation at the local level. Nine questions are proposed as needing consideration whenever changes are planned to a grassland-based system. They cover three main areas: 1) the origins, past and present uses of the grasslands (including the present land tenure position and variations in uses by ethnic group, socio-economic status and gender); 2) perceptions by farmers of the opportunities and constraints provided by local micro-environments, particularly vegetation types; 3) farmer suggestions for ways of improving their economic status and the potential benefits of agroforestry innovations. These questions are applied to one case study area, the Riam Kiwa valley of South Kalimantan, Indonesia.     

Deterioration of a sustainable agro-silvo-pastoral system in the Sudan: the gum gardens of Kordofan

The development and establishment of agroforestry systems is often suggested as a way to stabilize rural economies in developing countries [King, 1979]. At the same time, some traditional systems are being lost, due to an inability to protect the perennial or tree crop components of the system. These traditional systems and the forces that reinforce or destroy them should be carefully studied by those in the process of encouraging adoption of agroforestry systems in the developing world. The gum gardens of Western Sudan are a case in point.Acacia senegal (hashab) andAcacia seyal (talh) are the two major marketable gum-producing trees found in the western region of Sudan. TheAcacias are grown as part of an agro-silvo-pastoral system that has persisted for more than a hundred years in Kordofan Province, where 70% of Sudan's gum Arabic was once produced, as well as most of its grain and livestock products. After a lengthy drought lasting from 1979 to 1985 gum production in Sudan drastically decreased. It was reported that pest attacks and drought were major causal agents in the decline of gum production [Awouda, 1989; Sungar, 1986]. A survey executed in Northern Kordofan Province, starting in August of 1986, did uncover a great number of deadAcacias due to drought and pest attack, but from interviews with gum farmers we conclude that the decline in gum production is largely due to unfavorable socioeconomic relationships exacerbated by the drought, leading to the deterioration of the agroforestry system of production. An inability to get a fair price for gum at the local level and increasing emphasis on a cash economy led to the neglect of the tree components of the system. The gum gardens have long flourished with the intensive husbandry of small-scale farmers. Once these farmers were no longer able to care for them, the gum trees disappeared from the system, indicating that a lack of community stability can be fatal to even a well-developed agroforestry system.     

Composites of wood andtrans-1,4-isoprene rubber 1: Mechanical, physical, and flow behavior

The modification oftrans-1,4-isoprene rubber (TIR) with maleic anhydride (MAH) was conducted in a kneader at 150°C, 30–70 rpm, for 10 min without using peroxide. The resultant MAH-modified TIR (MTIR) was then evaluated as a compatibilizer for TIR-wood flour (WF) composites. A control composite composed of TIR and WF only was also prepared. The presence of WF in the TIR-WF composite worsened the tensile and some physical properties. The addition of 5% MTIR as a compatibilizer to the whole composite improved the mechanical and the physical properties and increased the flow temperature and the melt viscosity. The improved composite had a 2.5 times increase in tensile strength and absorbed considerably less water than did the control composite. The SEM micrograph proved that interaction and adhesion between TIR and WF could be improved by the MTIR compatibilizer. The composites of TIR-MTIR-WF melts were of pseudoplastic nature, and their flows obeyed the Ostwald de Waele power law equation.     

Intercropping field crops between rows of Leucaena leucocephala under rainfed conditions in northern India

A field study was conducted for six years (1981–1986) on sandy loam soil on intercropping hedgerows of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Wit. with three field crops viz. maize (Zea mays L), black gram (Vigna mungo L) and cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L Taub.). In treatments 1 and 2 Leucaena hedges were planted as pure crops at close (25 cm × 75 cm) and wide (25 cm × 375 cm) spacings. In treatments 3, 4 and 5 the three field crops were intercropped between the hedgerows of Leucaena at the wide spacing, and in treatments 6, 7 and 8 the field crops were raised as pure crops. Leucaena was topped to 75 cm each time it attained a height of 175 cm. The pure crop of Leucaena at close spacing produced an average, over the six years, of 34 t ha⁻¹a⁻¹ of green fodder and 9.4 t ha⁻¹a⁻¹ of air dry fuelwood. The Leucaena at wide spacing produced 18.9 t ha⁻¹a⁻¹ of green fodder and 6.3 t ha⁻¹a⁻¹ of fuelwood. Intercropping with field crops decreased the yield of green fodder and fuelwood. The yield of all the field crops was less when raised as intercrops than as pure crops. Mean maximum net returns were obtained from intercrops of Leucaena and cluster bean (Rs 3540 ha⁻¹a⁻¹) which were significantly higher than the returns from pure crop of Leucaena at wide spacing but similar to the returns from pure crops of cluster bean. Leucaena with maize (Rs 3273 ha⁻¹a⁻¹) and black gram (Rs 3125 ha⁻¹a⁻¹) gave significantly higher net returns over pure crops of Leucaena at wide spacing, maize and black gram. ICRISAT = International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics- Hyderabad, India. CIAT = Centro International de Agricultura Tropical - Cali - Columbia     

Genetic diversity ofKandelia candel andBruguiera gymnorrhiza in the Southwest Islands, Japan

The genetic diversity of the mangrove tree speciesKandelia candel andBruguiera gymnorrhiza in the Southwest Islands of Japan was investigated. These islands are located at the periphery of the distribution area of the two species, and their populations are relatively small. Allozyme analyses of 17 loci inK. candel and 13 loci inB. gynmorrhiza revealed very little genetic variation in both species. At the species level, the proportion of polymorphic loci was 4.2%, the average effective number of alleles per locus was 1.02, and the average expected heterozygosity was 0.012 inK. candel. The corresponding figures forB. gymnorrhiza were 9.0%, 1.06 and 0.035, respectively. However, the coefficients of genetic differentiation among the populations were high (G _ST=0.165 forK. candel and 0.253 forB. gymnorrhiza). The genetic variation and habitat area ofK. candel on Amami Island is greater than on the islands Okinawa and Iriomote. The genetic variation and habitat area ofB. gymnorrhiza is greater on Iriomote Island than on the islands Okinawa and Amami. The level of genetic variation in both of the species might be related to their population sizes.     

Population genetic diversity and regional differentiation of Chinese forest frogs (Rana chensinensis) in Heilongjiang Province

The Random Amplified Polymorphism DNA (RAPD) markers were used to study the intra-specific diversity and regional differentiation of the Chinese forest frogs (Rana chensinensis), which were sampled from the fields of 8 regions in, Heilongjiang Province. Totally 78 polymorphic DNA loci were amplified by 10 RAPD primers. By genetic distance analysis and phylogenetic tree reconstruction with the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method the results showed that the populations of Chinese forest frogs distributed in 8 regions existed great differentiation (Average Fst=0.347, SD=0.235) while, there was the paradox between geographic distances and genetic distances. Based on geographic and geological data, a hypothesis was posed that it is very possible that the hilly lands in the downstream of the Songhua River and the Heilong River were the center of the origin of the Chinese forest frogs in Heilongjiang Province. And mainly through the Songhua River system, the Chinese forest frogs dispersed into the Songneng Plain from the Sanjiang Plain whereas the Fangzheng region became a sub-center for the western dispersion. Foundation item: This project is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province (C9726). Biography: XIAO Xiang-hong (1960-), female, professor in College of Wildlife Resources, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, P.R. China. Responsible editor: Zhu Hong     

Genetic variation in fruitfulness in a hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) seed orchard and its impact on the maintenance of genetic diversity in seedlots

Genetic variation in seed/cone production among clones was studied in a hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) seed orchard containing 25 plus-trees by analyzing the number of cones, the yield of cones and seeds of individual ramets for 5 successive years (1982 to 1986). There was significant variation among clones each year and parental contribution in the seed orchard. Specifically, in the years 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986, 20% of the clones produced 37.2, 60.6, 36.0, 44.3, and 44.8% of the total cones, respectively. The size of the crop greatly influenced the parental balance in the resulting seed/cone crops. The product moment correlation coefficients and Spearman’s coefficients of rank correlation were small and insignificant between consecutive years, but large and highly significant between alternate years, suggesting the presence of carry-over effects in seed/cone production. The broad-sense heritability on a clone mean basis was 0.74 ± 0.15 for the number of cones, 0.72 ± 0.14 for the yield of cones, and 0.68 ± 0.13 for the yield of seeds. The corresponding heritabilities from analyses combined over all years were 0.24, 0.558, and 0.724, respectively. These results indicate that seed/cone production in hinoki is under strong genetic control. Several managerial measures are discussed that maintain the genetic diversity in seedlots used for reforestation, by reducing the variation in seed/cone production among clones and producing seed crops with equal contributions from all parents.     

凉山州核桃坚果表型多样性研究

[目的]以四川省凉山州核桃和泡核桃农家类型的坚果为样本,研究其表型丰富度和变异特点,为其资源挖掘和合理利用提供理论依据。[方法]以15个核桃和泡核桃居群的330棵实生单株为研究材料,利用18个坚果表型相关性状进行多样性和聚类分析。[结果]表明:(1)凉山州核桃和泡核桃实生居群坚果表型性状变异系数为8.46%59.47%,平均为35.26%,单果质量极大(20.0 g)和极小(5.0 g)的资源均占一定比例;该地区坚果资源在《植物新品种特异性、一致性和稳定性测试指南-核桃属》中所描述坚果表型性状的基础上,新增了3个垂直于缝合线纵切面形状和1个核仁皮色特征;居群遗传性状Simpson指数为0.201 0.855,Shannon-Wiener指数为0.649 2.873,说明凉山州核桃和泡核桃坚果表型多样性比较丰富。(2)18个坚果表型性状的居群内变异均大于居群间,居群间的表型分化系数为6.03%,说明居群内变异是凉山州坚果表型多样性的主要来源。(3)UPGMA聚类分析结果表明,凉山州坚果表型性状Manhattan距离表现出与地理距离或气候条件显著正相关的趋势。[结论]凉山州核桃和泡核桃资源坚果表型丰富度高,是重要的核桃资源多样性分布地区。     

Community participation in a social forestry program in Central Java,Indonesia: the effect of incentive structure and social capital

A new social forestry program has been implemented in Java to overcome encroachment of state forests. In this program, the state and local communities jointly manage the state forests and share the benefits of increased forest resource stock and flow as a result of the management. This article aims to investigate the complete incentive structure of the social forestry program and how the incentive structure changes community member participation in forest management. Property rights transfers and economic analyses were employed to analyze the incentive structure. We conclude that although incomplete, the transfer of rights from the state to the community members is a useful approach toward establishing an effective incentive structure and provides a net gain to the community members. The extent of community participation, however, depends not only on the incentive structure but also on the social capital that exists in the community.     

Local knowledge and management of simpukng (forest gardens) among the Dayak people in East Kalimantan,Indonesia

Among the Dayak people in East Kalimantan, simpukng (“forest gardens”) are an important component of their traditional farming systems. Simpukng is managed secondary forests in which selected species of fruits, rattan, bamboo, timber and other plants are planted. While most are owned by families and passed down from one generation to the next, some are managed on a communal basis. Complex customary Dayak rules exist that control the use and inheritance of these forests that help to avoid over-exploitation of resources. There is clear gender division of labour among Dayak in the management of simpukng that provide a range of products – for household consumption and sale and for customary rituals – fruits, vegetables, medicines, fire wood, honey, rattan, bamboos, and timber. Local knowledge about the more highly valued species are discussed. These indigenous forest garden systems are currently under threat from large-scale mining and logging activities; conflicts between local and external agencies are unfortunately frequent. This paper examines the development and management of simpukng in four Dayak villages in East Kalimantan and their implications on sustainable management of natural resources, with particular emphasis on the role of local knowledge of some of the more highly valued species and the current challenges faced by these communities in maintaining their traditional agroforest management practices.     

Comparison of organic matter dynamics in soil between Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) forest and adjacent Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) forest established on flatland

In order to clarify the effects of tree species on organic matter dynamics in soil, we investigated the amount of forest floor material, leaf litter decomposition rate, soil chemical characteristics, soil respiration rate and cellulose decomposition rate in a Japanese cedar forest (cedar plot) and an adjacent Japanese red pine forest (pine plot) established on a flatland. The amount of forest floor material in the cedar plot was 34.5 Mg ha⁻¹ which was greater than that in the pine plot. Because the leaf litter decomposition rate was higher in the pine plot than in the cedar plot, it is likely that the difference in the amount of forest floor material between the plots is caused by the difference in the leaf litter decomposition rate. The C concentrations of soil in the cedar plot were 1.2–2.1 times higher than those in the pine plot. Soil pH(H₂O)s in the cedar plot were significantly higher than those in the pine plot. The soil respiration rates and the rates of mineralized C in the cedar plot byin vitro incubation were higher than those in the pine plot. From this result, it is assumed that soil organic matter in the cedar plot was decomposed relatively faster compared with the pine plot. Furthermore, microbial activities, which were reflected as cellulose decomposition rates in the cedar plot, were higher than those in the pine plot. A part of this paper was presented at the 109th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Forestry Society (1998).     

Substitution of nitrogen requirement of maize through leaf biomass of Leucaena leucocephala: agronomic and economic considerations

In a 3-year field study, the effects of substitution of nitrogen requirement of maize through Leucaena leaves were studied on runoff, soil loss, maize and wheat yield and economic returns. The treatments were (1) 80 kg N ha^-;1 all through Leucaena leaves (80 L), (2) 40 kg N through Leucaena leaves + 40 kg N ha^-;1 through fertilizer (40 L + 40 F), (3) 20 kg N through Leucaena leaves + 60 kg N ha^-;1 through fertilizer (20 L + 60 F), (4) 80 kg N ha^-;1 all through fertilizer (80 F), and (5) control (No fertilizer). Green Leucaena leaf biomass (containing 3.3% N on dry basis) was incorporated every year in 15 cm top soil two weeks before sowing of summer maize.Other treatments being almost equal, runoff was reduced marginally in treatment 20 L + 60 F which was attributed to better crop growth in this treatment. Mean minimum soil loss (6.202 t ha^-;1) also occurred in treatment 20 L + 60 F. Soil loss in 80 L was 13% less than in 80 F. Maize yield was at par in 80 L and 80 F. However, mean maximum yield of maize was obtained with 20 L + 60 F.Residual effect of incorporation of Leucaena leaves to maize crop was observed on wheat yield. The mean yield differences were statistically at par in all the treatments except control. The total mean net returns were statistically at par in 80 L and 80 F. However, significantly higher mean net returns (Rs 6811 ha^-;1; one US$ = Rs30) were obtained with 20 L + 60 F. Substitution of N through Leucaena leaves even in small quantity may be helpful to small holders, particularly where chemical fertilizers are in short supply or too expensive.     

Realized genetic gain observed in second-generation seedling seed orchards of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia mangium</Emphasis> in South Kalimantan,Indonesia

Realized genetic gains brought by the first-generation tree improvement of Acacia mangium were evaluated by analyzing the 1-year growth performance of growth (height, dbh) and form (stem straightness, multi-stem) traits using data collected from three second-generation orchards: groups B, C, and D. Each orchard was composed of improved families derived from open-pollinated seed of plus trees selected from the first-generation seed orchards and newly added unimproved families collected from the same geographic region. The number of improved families and that of the unimproved in each orchard were 31 and 23 for group B, 28 and 39 for group C, and 24 and 30 for group D. Gains were calculated as percentage increase of improved families over unimproved ones. Improved families performed better than unimproved ones in 11 out of 12 comparison cases: four traits each in the three orchards. Averages of the realized genetic gain across the three seedling seed orchards were 3.1%, 5.2%, 4.3%, and 0.5% for height, dbh, stem straightness, and multi-stem, respectively. Except for multi-stem, the performances of improved families were significantly better than those of unimproved families in all the three orchards for dbh and in two out of three orchards for height and stem straightness.     

Mechanical site preparation effects on understory plant diversity in the Piedmont of the southern USA

Diversity of understory vegetation was compared among four intensities of site preparation and an adjacent 50-year-old pine-hardwood forest. The study site was a six-year-old loblolly pine (Pines taeda) plantation in the lower Piedmont of Georgia. Species richness and Shannon diversity indices were used to evaluate vine and woody (trees and shrubs) species diversity. Biomass distribution was compared among four plant categories: vines, forbs, grasses, and woody. Moderate intensity treatments (chainsaw and shear and chop) consistently ranked highest overall in diversity, with the mature pine-hardwood forest ranking lowest. Distribution of the four plant categories was not significantly affected by intensity of site preparation.Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Series No. 9-892325P.