Mass propagation method from the cutting of three dipterocarp species

We developed a vegetative propagation system for mass-producing three dipterocarps species,Shorea selanica Bl.,Shorea leprosula Mig., andShorea platyclados Sloot. This system uses fog evaporative cooling inside a greenhouse to reduce the leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit (leaf-to-air VPD) inside the propagator, even under high irradiance conditions. This cooling method has no negative influence on medium conditions such as overwetting. A plastic tent propagator combined with this cooling method was used for vegetative propagation experiments. In mass-production experiments, the annual rooting percentages from the cuttings were low in the first 2 years (1997–1998) due to operational problems of the tent propagator (S. selanica, 48–51%;S. leprosula, 56–59%;S. platyclados: 50–63%). A hard cover propagator improved the rooting percentages in the mass-production experiments in 1999 because it made operations easier (S. selanica, 70%;S. leprosula, 77%;S. platyclados, 77%). This system, which uses a combination of fog evaporative cooling and a hard plastic propagator, should be useful for the mass propagation of these dipterocarp planting stocks. This study was carried out under a joint project of the Ministry of Forestry, Indonesia and Komatsu Ltd. The project was supported by Research Association for Reforestation of Tropical Forest (RETROF) organized by Japanese Forestry Agency.     

不同光照和土壤水分对3种龙脑香科植物种子发芽的影响

2007和2008连续两年的1月、10月,分别采集云南龙脑香科的东京龙脑香、望天树、狭叶坡垒的种子,将种子在不同光照(20%、40%、60%和80%)和不同土壤水分(土壤含水量20%、40%、60%和80%)条件下进行种子萌发试验,研究不同光照和土壤水分对3种植物种子发芽率和苗木生长的影响。结果表明,龙脑香科植物种子发芽率在光照强度为20%、40%时较高,80%时较低;种子发芽率在土壤含水率60%时较高,80%和20%均较低;在同等条件下,狭叶坡垒种子发芽率最高,最高时可达88%,东京龙脑香种子发芽率最低,最低时仅为9%;在相同条件下,3种云南龙脑香科植物苗木生长最快的为狭叶坡垒,15个月苗龄苗高为86 cm,地径达1.23 cm。     

Production of planting stock from wildings of four Shorea species

Seedling production from wildlings and early field performance of planted wildlings of four ecologically and commercially important Shorea species were studied in rainforest conditions of South Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). We report results from eight trials on Shorea johorensis, S. leprosula, S. faguetiana and S. parvifolia. Five trials were conducted in the nursery and three in the field. Growth medium, container type, wildling size or duration of shading period did not have significant effects on survival or growth of wildlings in the nursery. Keeping the potted wildlings in the greenhouse resulted in significantly higher survival than keeping them under shading net. Duration of greenhouse period had a significant effect on the survival of wildlings, with three weeks being the minimum period resulting in acceptable survival. Early field performance of hardened wildlings was better than that of seedlings raised from seed. Wildlings of 10–40 cm can be grown successfully in the nursery in several growth media and container types. A greenhouse period of 3–5 weeks is necessary for rooting and high survival. Use of wildlings is recommended as a supplementary method for producing dipterocarp planting stock. The techniques tested in the study are simple and appropriate for seedling production in conditions where skilled labor and advanced technology are not available.     

Investigating residual effects of selective logging on ant species assemblages in Sinharaja Forest Reserve,Sri Lanka

The residual effects of logging on forest fauna and flora have been well studied in other regions of the world, with many investigations finding that recovery of species richness and abundance can occur within one or two decades after the logging event. In this study, we use ant assemblages to compare logged (>30 years) and unlogged mixed dipterocarp forest in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, a World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka. Species richness and abundance were higher in the logged forest than in the unlogged forest, but not significantly so. Species assemblages, on the other hand, were significantly different and were associated with different environmental variables in the logged and unlogged forest. The findings from this study corroborate other studies that have shown that species composition in logged forest does not appear to return to unlogged forest composition, even after three to six decades have passed. Since this study was not a before-and-after comparison, it is difficult to confirm whether the differences arise from the residual effects of logging or from the general patchiness of species distribution in tropical forest. However, the cumulative results do suggest that there is a residual effect of logging on ant species composition in this forest, even after more than 30 years of regeneration.     

热带优质速生用材树种--小瘤龙脑香的引种栽培研究

引种泰国的小瘤龙脑香经22年的栽培观测表明,该树种在引种地中国的西双版纳生长迅速,超过原产地部分地区;开花结果正常,用种子已繁殖出一批新植株;对其落叶量和林下土壤养分的测定表明,该树种具有保持水土、改良土壤的作用.本文还就小瘤龙脑香的造林的环境条件要求以及国外种植情况及其经济效益等方面,分析了该树种在我国热带地区大面积发展的可行性.     

Forensic DNA profiling of tropical timber species in Peninsular Malaysia

Illegal logging poses a significant threat to the sustainability of tropical forest ecosystems. By using Neobalanocarpus heimii (Dipterocarpaceae) as an example, the study assessed the feasibility of using short tandem repeats (STRs) as a tool to identify the source of illegally logged timber. Thirty natural populations of N. heimii were profiled using 12 STRs to develop the DNA profiling databases. As the cluster analysis divided the 30 populations into three genetic clusters, corresponding to three subregions within Peninsular Malaysia. The DNA databases were characterised at the levels of population, subregion and Peninsular Malaysia. Independence tests within and among loci were violated in all the databases due to significant levels of population differentiation and inbreeding. Thus, the effects of population substructure and inbreeding should be incorporated into the calculation of random match probability. The random match probabilities estimated using subpopulation and subpopulation-cum-inbreeding models were biased in favour of the defendant, whereas the random match probabilities estimated using product rule were biased in favour of the prosecutor. The conservativeness tests showed that the subregion and Peninsular Malaysia databases were conservative, and these databases should be able to provide legal evidence for court proceedings against illegal loggers in Peninsular Malaysia.     

Geographical traceability of an important tropical timber (Neobalanocarpus heimii) inferred from chloroplast DNA

The inbuilt unique properties of DNA within the timber could serve as tracking and monitoring tools to verify the legality of a suspected timber in the context of illegal logging, forest certification and chain of custody certification. By using Neobalanocarpus heimii (Dipterocarpaceae) as an example, a population identification database and haplotype distribution map in Peninsular Malaysia were generated for authenticity testing based on four chloroplast DNA markers (trnL intron, trnG intron, trnK intron and psbK-trnS spacer). Twenty one haplotypes were identified from 10 significant intraspecific variable sites. The results clearly revealed that only northern and southern regions of Peninsular Malaysia were distinguishable. Thus, this database could only be used to determine the wood lot of unknown origin at the regional level. Statistical procedure based on the composition of wood lot was used to test whether a suspected timber conforms to a given regional origin. Overall, the observed type I and II errors of the database showed good concordance with the predicted 5% threshold, which might indicate that the database is useful to reveal provenance and establish conformity of wood lot from northern and southern regions of Peninsular Malaysia. Applications of this database for timber tracking are discussed.     

When agroforests drive back natural forests: A socio-economic analysis of a rice-agroforest system in Sumatra

In the Krui arae, (South Sumatra, Indonesia), the damar agroforests (Shorea javanica, Dipterocarpaceae) are but one element of the farming systems which include several other cropping systems such as irrigated or rainfed rice cultivation, and coffee plantation.Rainfed rice is cultivated in forest clearings, in order to meet rice requirements which cannot be met with irrigated rice crop only. In the forest clearings, coffee stands are established in rice crop, and later, Damar are planted among coffee plants. As a result of this cropping system, the damar agroforest spreads while the forest dwindles.In one village, no more forest land is available for peasants' clearings. The resulting high land pressure causes cropping systems and farming systems to change or to be exported to neighbouring areas where forest land is still available.

---

Résumé Les agroforêts à damar (Shorea javanica) ne sont qu'un élément du système d'exploitation agricole de la région de Krui, Sud Sumatra, Indonésie. Ceux-çi associent plusieurs systèmes de culture tels que la riziculture irriguée, la culture du riz pluvial et la plantation de cafeiérs.L'insuffisance des surfaces en rizières irriguées est compensée par la culture du riz pluvial, pratiquée en ladang, parcelle de forêt défrichée et brûlée. Sur les ladangs se succèdent les cultures de riz, de café puis de damar, transformant ainsi la forêt naturelle en agroforêt à damar. On assiste à l'extension continue des agroforêts au détriment de la forêt naturelle.Dans un des villages étudiés, la réserve de terres forestières communales est épuisée, déjà transformée en agroforêts. La forte pression fonçière qui en résulte induit des transformations dans les systèmes de production agricole ou incite des agriculteurs à migrer dans des régions voisines encore riches en terres forestières. Dans ces régions, les migrants reproduisent un système agroforestier très proche de celui de Krui, dans la mesure où les conditions écologiques le permettent.

     

Man-made dipterocarp forest in Sumatra

Traditional plantations of Shorea javanica in Southern Sumatra deserve mention on three main points: (1) it is a rare case in Indonesia of successful cultivation of an indigenous species. This species being a Dipterocarp is an even more attractive reason: Dipterocarps are in the paradoxical situation of being the largest family of timber trees in natural forests of tropical Asia but are almost never used for silvicultural purposes; (2) the tree is grown in association with many other useful trees to constitute an agroforestry system of both cash and subsistence incomes; and (3) such plantations represent a good potential for the production of natural resin in the humid tropics.This paper is a slightly revised version of an internal report prepared for BIOTROP (SEAMEO — ASEAN Center for Tropical Biology). The project has been funded by BIOTROP, while the author is a French consultant to that organization.     

普文试验林场引种的龙脑香科植物

普文试验林场从１９６２年开始，先后引种了十种龙脑香科植物。本文从生态习性、分布、用途、生长适应性、物候、种植要点等方面，介绍了十个树种的引种情况。