Authors:Wan Nur Fasihah Zarifah Binti Wan Rozali, Kazi Mohammad Masum, Rahmad Zakaria, Asyraf Mansor and Ahmad Sofiman Othman
Abstract:Elevation act as determinant of variation in species diversity, especially for the rattan palms which have become one of the most important non-wood forest produce. This study examines the species abundance, composition and species diversity of rattan along an altitudinal gradient in the offshore Penang Hill Reserve Forest of peninsular Malaysia. A total number of 1721 individuals under 10 species representing 4 genera of rattan were recorded in Penang Hill Reserve. High elevation recorded the highest abundance of individuals (966) comprising all ten species with the highest Margalef index value (R1= 1.309) and least evenness (e^H/S=0.4919). High diversity of rattan species (value of Shannon, H'=1.749), greater species evenness (e^H/S=0.7184) and the highest Menhinicks index value (R2= 0.3694) was observed in middle elevation. Low elevation recorded the lowest species richness (R1=0.5304, R2= 0.2365) but the highest dominance value (D=0.4306). Anthropogenic disturbances hamper the habitat of rattan in the lower elevation, near the periphery of this reserve on a continuous basis.
Keywords:Elevation, Penang Hill Reserve, dominance, evenness, richness