Plant Diversity and Community Structure in the Highland Savanna of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26740/jrba.v8n2.p120-136Abstract
Disturbances continually decline savanna plant diversity, yet Indonesian research historically favors forests and lowland tropical savannas (e.g., Baluran and East Nusa Tenggara), leaving montane savannas understudied. Given these dynamic shifts, establishing baseline plant diversity data is imperative. This study specifically aims to evaluate plant diversity, community structure, and their relationship with abiotic parameters in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park’s disturbed montane-subalpine savanna. Vegetation sampling used 30 plots (10 m x 5 m based on minimum curve area), measuring plant density, cover, abiotic factors, and soil microorganisms (three replications). Diversity was evaluated using the Shannon-Wiener index (H’), and dominance using the Importance Value Index (IVI) and cover percentage. Spearman’s correlation was used to examine the relationship between species richness and environmental factors. Vegetation inventory identified fifteen plant species belonging to nine families, with a diversity index (H’) of 1.81. Pteridium aquilinum heavily dominated the community structure (IVI = 69.44%), followed by Imperata cylindrica (55.08%). The low-to-moderate plant diversity observed in the Bromo savanna is likely driven by the peak dry season and the heavy dominance of invasive species. These data contribute to the ecological baseline database of the national park, providing a crucial reference for future monitoring of vegetation dynamics.
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