Rattan (Calamoideae) abundance and above-ground biomass at a primary rainforest of Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Background: Rattans are widespread throughout paleo-tropical forests; however, there is no information on their contribution to above-ground biomass (AGB).

Aims: This study established biomass baseline values for 11 different rattan species in a Malaysian primary forest, and calculated the overall rattan AGB contribution and dynamics during two years.

Methods: All rattan stems in five 100 m × 100 m study plots were counted in 2011 and 2013. Biometric non-invasive measurements were carried out on 11 climbing and non-climbing species and total rattan biomass for both years calculated was compared.

Results: Rattans contributed with 3.1 Mg ha⁻¹ to the forest AGB. There was no significant change in rattan biomass between the years.

Conclusions: These preliminary results are the first published on the AGB contribution of rattans to Malaysian primary forests. Further studies are required to ascertain values across forest types and over time to reliably estimate the contribution of rattan species to ABG and carbon sequestration.

Keywords:

• Arecaceae
• Calamoideae
• Calamus
• Ceratolobus
• Daemonorops
• Korthalsia
• palms

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr John Dransfield, Carolin Kade and Lluís Vendrell-Ciurana for their assistance. Forest permits to conduct non-invasive research were issued by the Perak Forestry Department.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was part of a research project that was financially supported by Universiti Sains Malaysia under USM Postgraduate [grant number 1001/PBIOLOGI/843098]; USM University Research [grant number 1001/PBIOLOGI/815076]; and Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education under Fundamental Research [grant number 203/PBIOLOGI/6711223].

Notes on contributors

Nadine Ruppert

Nadine Ruppert is a senior lecturer who studies interactions of plant and mammal communities with focus on primates’ role as seed dispersers for rattans and other plant families.

Asyraf Mansor

Asyraf Mansor is a senior lecturer with main research interests in palm ecology and palm dispersal biology.

Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah

Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah is an associate professor of zoology who focuses on population studies of mammals, birds and herpetofauna.