Population Ecology of Some Important Palm Species in Phetchabun Province

Abstract

Thailand is located in a tropical rain forest, enriched with natural resources. Phetchabun Province is in the lower northern part of Thailand. This area has complicated and diversed forest ecosystems, and this diversity provides both economical and social benefits for local people. Many species of plants found in the locality are traded. The particularly important species are members of the palm family. In the past, Phetchabun had an abundance of diversed palms. As a result of partial destruction by human activities, a large area of Phetchabun forest became highly degraded land. At present, diversity palm species is lower than in the past. The objectives of this research were to investigate the population, abundance and species composition within three conservation areas of Phetchabun mountain land including Thung Salaeng Luang National Park (TS), Khao Kho non-hunting area (KK) and Wang Pong-Chondaen non-hunting area (WP). A systematic random sampling was utilized in this study with circular temporal plots, 20 meters in diameter. Plots were laid out along the baselines, at 20 m intervals, alternating between the left and the right of the central line. For vegetation inventory, palms were classified into three categories; seedlings, juveniles and adults. Quantitative data included the number of species and density were compared. The results show that there were difference in species composition between the three study sites. Daemonorops jenkinsiana and Areca triandra are dominant species in KK and TS where as Arenga pinnata is a dominant palm in WP. Considering species density of Calamus cf. khasianus in KK (area 2) was significantly different from KK (area 1), TS and WP (p<0.05). Meanwhile, density of both C. cf. khasianus and L. jenkinsiana was lower than the other palms at all studied sites. Besides, C. cf. khasianus and L. jenkinsiana were observed only in KK and TS. This suggests that they are endemic species and are threatened to extinction.