Abstract
Mount Merapi with its Merapi-type pyroclastic flows provides burnt and unburnt areas which are excellent to study establishment events of pioneer plant species. Using site comparison approach, floristic composition was studied, and thus an area that was burnt by pyroclastic flows in 2010 (Kalikuning) and another area that is relatively intact or unburnt (Kaliurang) was chosen as study sites. We found 7,817 individuals belonging to 72 species and 36 families in the burnt site, and 4,093 individuals belonging to 79 species and 39 families in the unburnt site. The most important family as determined by the Family Importance Value (FIV) was Rubiaceae in Kalikuning and Asteraceae in Kaliurang. In terms of Importance Value Index (IVI), Borreria occimoides (Rubiaceae) and Eupatorium riparium (Asteraceae) were the most important species in Kalikuning and Kaliurang, respectively. Multivariate approach using Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling ordination technique showed that floristic composition in the newly burnt site were different with those that occupying the intact site (RANOSIM = 0.72). Borreria occimoides, Eupatorium riparium, Athyrium dilatatum, Paspalum conjugatum, Brachiaria reptans, and Selaginella doederleinii were the species mainly responsible in explaining the differences between sites. DOI: 10.7226/jtfm.19.2.85
Highlights
One type of volcanic disturbance is pyroclastic flows
Pyroclastic flows are hot turbulent gas and fragmented material resulting from a collapsed lava dome that rapidly moves down the volcanic slope and local people living near Mount Merapi named this phenomenon as wedhus gembel. (Dale et al 2005a)
7,817 individuals of undercover plants belonging to 72 species and 36 families was recorded in the 15 plots of Kalikuning
Summary
One type of volcanic disturbance is pyroclastic flows (nuèes ardentes). The phenomenon of Merapi-type nuées ardentes in Mount Merapi volcano affects its forest areas. Fire as an integral part of volcanic disturbance has shaped community composition in montane forests of Java. Species establishment and composition changes is known as succession processes and volcanic disturbances can create this kind of processes (Walker & del Moral 2003). Establishment of invasive plant is interceded by disturbance (Hobbs & Huenneke 1992). Disturbance and changes in plant communities have long been an interest among natural historians, foresters and ecologists (Smith 1914; McLean 1919). Disturbance is a key process that can affect diversity levels and change the community (Hobbs & Huenneke 1992)
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