Plant Community Comparison Among Man-made Forest, Secondary Dry Evergreen Forest and Natural Dry Evergreen Forest at Pa Muak Lek-Tabkwang Plaeng 2 National Reserved Forest, Saraburi Province

Abstract

             A comparative plant community study was carried out at Muak Lek-Tubkhwang Plaeng 2 National Reserved Forest, Saraburi province.  The objectives were to investigate and compare the structural characteristics and composition of plant communities in man-made forest (MMF), secondary dry evergreen forest (SDEF) and natural dry evergreen forest (NDEF).  Three temporary plots each 20x50 m² in size were set up in the forest types to study the structural and silvicultural characteristics.  In addition, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan’s new multiple range test (DNMRT) were used to test for statistically significant differences.

            The results showed that MMF had 22 species while 11 and 37 species were found in SDEF and NDEF, respectively.  The tree, sapling and seedling densities of the three forest types were 493, 3,587, and 51,667; 293, 2,200, and 20,000; and 523, 5,040, and 44,333 stems ha^-1, respectively.  The highest basal area (BA) was in MMF at 19.63 m² ha^-1 followed by NDEF and SDEF at 10.90 and 5.83 m² ha^-1, respectively.  The trend for BA was followed by the aboveground biomass in the same three forest types at 103.75, 68.01, and 27.67 t ha^-1 and volume at 135.37, 74.04, and 40.82 m³ ha^-1, respectively.  NDEF had the greatest species diversity (H’) at 3.91 followed by MMF and SDEF at 2.44 and 1.68, respectively.  In addition, based on the similarity index, NDEF was considered to be more similar to MMF than to SDEF.  Therefore, reforestation should be undertaken for more rapid growth and yield and to achieve greater species diversity improvement in degraded forest.  

Keywords: Plant Community Comparison, Man-made forest, Secondary dry evergreen forest