A Vegetation Study of the Forest in Ruteng Nature Recreation Park, Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

Abstract

An ecological study on the Ruteng Nature Recreation Park (TWA Ruteng), Flores Island, Indonesia was conducted with intent to obtain accurate and current information on the forest such as structure, species distribution and diversity, and aititudinal zonation in the island. Data were collected from quadrants taken at every 20m on line transects horizontally set up at an altitudinal interval of 100m in following five sampling sites, Lempang Paji, Uluwae, Mano, Ponggeok and Mocok in the TWA Ruteng. Forest stands of TWA Ruteng were classified approximately into three groups or forest zones. The lowest group is only found at 520m in altitude at Mocok, and is a lowland tropical forest represented by Artocarpus elasticus and Canarium asperum. The second is a submontane forest between 800m and around 1500m. This group was assemblage of various forest types. Upwards from 800m, Celtis tetrandra-Itea macrophylla, Villebrunea sylvatica-Talauma sumbawensis, Elaeocarpus sphaericus- Mallotus philippinensis, Palaquium obovatum-Cryptocarya densiflora, Platea excelsa-Elaeocarpus floribundus, Pagiantha sphaerocarpa-Acer niveum, Pittosporum moluccanum-Palaquium obovatum, and Chionanthus ramiflorus-Litsea resinosa stands were recognized, and there were considerable number of common species among those forest stands. Two types of montane forest, Planchonella nitida-Platea excelsa stands at Uluwae and Ponggeok and Acer niveum-Chionanthus ramiiflorus stand at Mano, were recognized from 1500m to 2100m, but the last stand has a number of common species with high value of importance among the former stands. A number of forest types in the lowland area have a trend of convergence into a few types in higher altitudes with replacing species. The highest value of total basal area reached 1 % of plot area at 1700m asl. at Ulwae. Mean basal area of a tree was low in high density ranges, but it gradually increased with decrease of density. A plot of an afforestation which has been kept naturally after planting, has low value of it, too, but its process of increase will follow in another way. Forests between 500m and 1000m in altitude are usually confined with villages, and the villagers have exploited forest resources for their daily life. Their exploitation has been extended upwards into higher altitudes than 1000m. One example has kept in the forest as an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation. Ruteng forest should be protected more strictly for promoting people's health and for recreation than in the past.