Plant diversity in a self-regenerating mangrove after disturbance by Durian typhoon in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract

The study aims to assess the plant diversity in a self-regenerating mangrove in Can Gio mangrove biosphere reserve after being offended by Durian typhoon in 2006. Tree individual numbers were collected in permanent sample plots which were placed in the intact zone (INT), transitional zones (TRA) and devastated zones (DEV), designed in 2007 to monitor the mangrove succession. Diversity was examined via diversity indices including tree density (D), Shannon-Wiener (H'), Evenness (E) and Simpson's Dominance index (Cd). The species numbers in the INT, TRA and DEV sections were 3, 5 and 10 respectively. The highest tree density of Rhizophora apiculata Blume was acquired in the INT and TRA zone while Avicennia spp. was the dominant species in the DEV zones. The H' and Cd indices revealed a significant difference between the DEV zone and the others in terms of species diversity. Avicennia spp. was widely distributed in the devastated zone. On the other hand, their appearance frequency in the TRA zone was low, but these species were dominant in the DEV zone. After 13 years of self-recovery, the devastated mangrove was turning into a multi-species community while the transitional zone tended to sustain the monoculture structure.