Species Diversity and Increment Rate of Bamboos in Community Forest Areas in Phrae Province

Abstract

The aims of this research were to study the species diversity and increment rate of bamboos in community forest areas in Phrae province. Three community forests, namely Ban Pong, Bang Na San and Ban Hua Fai, were chosen as the representative community forest areas of Long district in Phrae province. A systematic sampling method was used to establish 75 sample plots of 20x20 m². There were 25 sample plots in each community forest.  The number data of clumps and culms were collected for each plot. Then three culms per clump were randomly selected for culms diameter and height measurements. The species diversity index was analyzed by using the Shannon–Wiener (H') index. In addition, numbers of fresh bamboo stumps and shoots were also recorded. All parameter data were measured and recorded on selected 30 clumps in each bamboo specie to calculate the increment rate.

The results enumerated 4 genera and 5 species of bamboos from this study as follow, Dendrocalamus membranaceus, Cephalostachyum pergracile, Gigantochloa albociliata, Gigantochloa nigrociliata and Bambusa tulda. There were 5 bamboo species found in Ban Pong and Ban Na San and 4 species in Hua Fai community forests. However, Bambusa tulda was not found. The bamboo species diversity indices (H') were 1.00, 1.32 and 1.27, respectively from Ban Pong, Ban Na San and Hua Fai community forests. The basal areas of bamboo stems in each area were 0.54, 0.49 and 0.63 m²/ hectare, respectively. The total frequencies of bamboo occurrence were 152, 196 and 213%, respectively. The increment rate of Dendrocalamus membranaceus in Ban Pong community forest was 758 stems/year, following by Ban Hua Fai and Ban Na San community forest with 608 stems/year and 368 stems/year, respectively.