Abstract
The paper aims to examine plant species diversity, density, and distribution in different altitudinal zones of Bolikhamxay Province, Central Lao PDR. We conducted an inventory to collect the data from a total of 10 sampling plots from five villages of four districts of Bolikhamxay Province situated at different geographical locations with different above mean sea level. The analysis revealed that the Shannon diversity index was diverse in all sites. We found approximately 55 plant species with circumference of greater than 94 cm in the sampling plot 40x40m and 43 plant species with circumference of 32-93 cm in the sampling plot 20x20 m. We also found 40 different plant species in the sampling plot 10x10m when tree species has circumference of 4-31 cm. In small sampling plots 2x2m, we found 43 plant species which are plant species with circumference of less than 3 cm (height of 0.3-1.5m) and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Overall, there were high variations in relative density, density, species richness, litter decomposition, and soil hardness in the study area and it can be concluded that the study area has diverse plants species and different geographical habitats of trees.
Highlights
Indo-Burma region is one of the biodiversity hotspots where about 13,500 vascular plants species were scientifically found
The result of the analysis for four main indicators of the plant richness: relative density of plant species, density of plants in areas sampled as well as assessment result of litter decomposition and soil strength are explained as follows
3.1 Relative density of plant species The analysis of relative density of tree species with circumference of greater than 94 cm was experimented in the sampling plot 40x40m which was called “RD1” while tree species with circumference of 32-93cm in the sampling plot 20x20 m was called “RD2”
Summary
Indo-Burma region is one of the biodiversity hotspots where about 13,500 vascular plants species were scientifically found. Approximately 7,000 plants or 52 % identified are currently endemic (Mittermeier, Robles-Gil et al 2004). Lao PDR (in short Laos) is located at the centre of this biodiversity hotspot, which is very rich in biologically fertile for both plants and animals. In Laos, about 5,005 species in 1,373 genera and 188 families of native seed plants were found. There is an increasing new discovery of new plant species over the past few decades. Tagane, et al (2018) has recently discovered thirty angiosperm species in 20 families, collected in Nam Kading National Protected Area, Central Laos
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