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ABSTRACT
The stages of ecological succession was studied through the study
and observation of a tropical grassland and tropical forest communities.
The structures of the two communities and its species were described
using the Shannons index and the Simpsons index. According to the
calculations that were made, the tropical rainforest has higher diversity
than the tropical grassland, and that the tropical grassland was observed
to be in an early stage succession while the tropical forest was observed
to be at its climax succession.
INTRODUCTION
Ecological succession, as defined by Begon (2006), is the non-seasonal,
directional and continuous pattern of colonization and extinction on a site by species
population. Succession can be observed through the abundance of some species in a
certain community. A certain species may be abundant in a certain community and at
the same time may face extinction in another. It can also be that a species may invade a
certain community, being introduced to new surroundings, and thus succession occurs.
Succession normally occurs when an opening left by a disturbance becomes an
entrance for other species to enter a certain community. These opening can either be
due to natural occurrences or man-made disturbances.
In ecological succession, the early species in a community were good colonizers
and fast growers and thus was well established in a community. However, the later
species can tolerate lower resource levels and grow along with the early species which
will eventually out-compete them in the long run. (Begon, 2006).
belt was counted. The population and relative densities of the species per area
observed were calculated using the following formula, in which the computed values
were entered in Table 4C.2:
Population density=
Relative density ( i )=
For the grassland area, as the class was travelling to the grassland study site the
vegetation on either side of the road or trail was observed and the presence of trees or
shrubs was noted. The scientific or common names of the familiar species were
recorded in Table 4C.1. Also, indicators of agricultural activities in the area close to the
study site were observed. All observations were recorded.
An area where the vegetation is least disturbed was selected. Its topography was
taken note of. For the whole class, a 30-m transect line was laid out in the area and it
was divided equally among the three groups. All plant species intercepted by the line
were identified and listed down. The data was entered in Table 4C.3. The horizontal
cover of each species encountered along the transect was determined. The following
parameters were calculated for each species:
Cover=
Relative cover ( i )=
Table 4C.1. Species present along the trail to tropical forest and tropical
grassland study sites
Grass and short statured species found along the road/ trail to forest study site
Triplaris
Arengga
Amorphophallus
Dieffenbachia
Celtis
Tree and shrub species found along the road/ trail to grassland study site
Poaceae (Grass
Asteraceae
Cyperaceae (Sedge Fabaceae (Legume
family)
(Sunflower Family)
family)
family)
Apluda mutica
Ageratum
Cyperus sp.
Alysicarpus
conyzoides
vraginalis
Chrysophogon
Barreria ocymoides Fimbristylis sp.
aciculatus
Imperata cylindrical
Chlorrolaena
odorata
Paspalum
Elephantopus
scrobiculatum
tomentosus
Pennisetum sp.
Succharum
spontaneum
Selaria geniculata
Songhum nitidium
Mikania cordata
Pseudoelephantopu
s
Table 4C.2. Species composition in a tropical rainforest.
Species richness, S (inside the transect): ____20_____
Total quadrat size: _____200 m2_____
Name of
Species
Number of
individuals
Populatio
n Density
Relative
Density
(i)
ln i
i(ln i)
i2
Pterocarpus
indicus
0.005
0.008
-4.880
-0.037
5.776 x 10-5
Coffea robusta
Guttiferae sp.
Neotrewia
cumogon
Guamuza
tomentosa
Fern
Triplaris
Sterculiaceae
Artocarpus
oratus
Anahaw
Fishtail
Nallaceodendr
on
Anaxagorea
Subiang
Lamio
Amorphophallu
s
Celtis
Mahogany
Arengga
Parashorea
TOTAL
1
1
0.005
0.005
0.008
0.008
-4.880
-4.880
-0.037
-0.037
5.776 x 10-5
5.776 x 10-5
0.010
0.015
-4.187
-0.064
2.310 x 10-4
0.015
0.023
-4.200
-0.095
5.153 x 10-4
1
1
1
0.005
0.005
0.005
0.008
0.008
0.008
-4.880
-4.880
-4.880
-0.037
-0.037
-0.037
5.776 x 10-5
5.776 x 10-5
5.776 x 10-5
0.005
0.008
-4.880
-0.037
5.776 x 10-5
1
4
0.005
0.020
0.008
0.030
-4.880
-3.497
-0.037
-0.106
5.776 x 10-5
9.181 x 10-4
26
0.130
0.197
-1.625
-0.320
0.039
4
3
2
3
0.020
0.015
0.010
0.015
0.030
0.023
0.015
0.023
-3.497
-4.200
-4.187
-4.200
-0.106
-0.095
-0.064
-0.095
9.181 x 10-4
5.153 x 10-4
2.310 x 10-4
5.153 x 10-4
57
6
11
3
132
0.2850
0.030
0.055
0.015
0.660
0.432
0.046
0.083
0.023
1.000
-0.840
-3.090
-2.485
-4.200
-79.242
-0.363
-0.141
-0.207
-0.095
-2.047
0.187
0.002
0.007
5.153 x 10-4
0.285
i(ln
i)
i2
Makahiya
Intercepte
d Length
(cm)
620
20.667
Relative
Cover
(i)
0.142
-1.952
Talahib
3000
100
0.689
-0..373
Pseudoelephantopu
s
Calopogonium
247
8.233
0.057
-2.865
112
3.733
0.026
-3.650
Crotalaria
22.5
0.750
0.00
-5.298
Name of Species
%
Cover
ln i
0.277
0.257
0.163
0.095
0.026
0.020
0.475
0.003
0.007
2.500 x 10-5
Alternanthera
61.5
20.500
0.014
-4.269
Commelina
23.1
0.770
0.005
-5.298
Fimbristylis
0.700
0.001
-6.908
Desmodium
17
0.567
0.004
-5.521
Cleome
11
0.367
0.003
-5.809
Ipomea
0.3
0.010
0.001
-6.908
Chrysopogon
119
3.967
0.027
-3.612
Synedrella
104
3.467
0.024
-3.730
Meremia
0.067
0.001
-6.908
Seedling of tree
0.167
0.001
-6.908
Unknown (Poaceae)
0.133
0.001
-6.908
Total:
4351.4
163.49
8
-67.35
0.060
0.026
0.007
0.022
0.017
0.007
0.098
0.090
0.007
0.007
0.007
1.166
1.960 x 10-4
2.500 x 10-5
1.000 x 10-6
1.600 x 10-5
9.000 x 10-6
1.000 x 10-6
7.29 x 10-4
5.76 x 10-4
1.000 x 10-6
1.000 x 10-6
1.000 x 10-6
0.507
The following indices of diversity of organisms in the tropical forest and tropical
grassland were computed as follows. The table below was followed for the formulae of
the different indices. All the results of the computations were recorded in Table 4C.4.
Index
Shannon Index of Diversity
(H)
Shannon Index of
Evenness (J)
Formula
S
H = i x ln i
'
i=1
J=
H'
ln S
Descriptions
S = species richness
= number of species
i = proportion of total
sample belonging to the ith
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S
Simpson Index of
Dominance (D)
D= i 2
SID = 1-D
i=1
Simpson Index of
Equitability (E)
E=
SID
S
disturbances. After some time, certain plants establish themselves in the areas only to
be replaced later by other species well adapted to the changing conditions. Eventually,
this will result in a stable structure, like as how mosses were replaced by vascular
plants in forest areas. (Schochet, 2013)
The forest study site is a primary growth forest. Primary succession begins with
rocks followed by lichens, mosses, grasses, shrubs then trees (Robinson, 2005).
Secondary succession, on the other hand, starts from soil then grass, shrub and up until
it reaches trees. In the forest study site, lichens, mosses, grasses, shrubs and trees
were found. The forest site is also still untainted by fire, agriculture and other
disturbances since it is maintained and protected (Pulhin, 2006). Primary growth tropical
rainforests are often characterized by large trees of specific species. Multiple canopy
layers are also present. The forest also contains trees with a wide range of age, evident
by their size.
According to the Shannon Index of Diversity (Table 4C.4), the tropical forest has
higher species diversity than the tropical grassland. Generally, tropical rainforests are
thought to be the oldest biome on earth, so the species living there had the most time to
Table 4C.4. Diversity and Similarity Indices in Tropical Grassland and Tropical
Rainforest
Community
S
H
Types
Tropical Forest
20
-2.057
Tropical
16
-1.166
Grassland
S = Species richness
H = Shannon Index of Diversity
J = Shannon Index of Evenness
D = Simpson Index of Dominance
SID
-0.683
0.285
0.715
0.036
-0.421
0.507
0.493
0.031
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diversify. The physical conditions like temperature, rainfall and soil type, in tropical
rainforests are relatively uniform. This characteristic makes it easier for the organisms to
live (Schochet, 2013). In addition, the soil is rich with nutrients coming from decaying
materials, and thus even with not much sunlight organisms thrive in the forest.
The most common species in the forest is Celtis, an introduced plant in the
Philippines. It was first introduced as an ornamental plant to the country until it had also
invaded the forest area of the country. This species is considered as one of the top bioinvasive alien tree species in the Philippines. It is dioecious and fast-growing and grows
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best in heat and humidity, making it thrive in the forests of Philippines (Banguinon,
2010).
LITERATURE CITED
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alien plant taxa-policy implications. Department of Forest Biological Sciences.
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