Tropical Rainforest and Tropical Grassland

Shannen Krishna S. Sena

Group Star, Sec. B-3L

April 26, 2016

1
A scientific paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in Principles of
Ecology laboratory under Prof. Aimee Lynn A. Barrion-Dupo, 2nd sem., 2015-2016.
 INTRODUCTION

Earth has several community types that comprises diverse species of plants and animals

that have special adaptations to survive in an area. These areas are termed biomes and they are

defined by abiotic factors like climate, relief, soil and vegetation. Biomes maintain their general

community integrity by encompassing their own particular groups of plant and animal species

and decomposing factors that are not necessary to be similar with other biomes.

In the Philippines, the most common type of biome is the tropical rainforest. This biome

dominates the country and houses a rich diversity of more than 3 500 species. Unfortunately, the

forests are threatened due to disturbances caused by humans. In 2001, less than 8% of the

country was covered by original tropical rainforests. Some of the forests destroyed, either due to

human interventions or natural disturbances, have resulted to a new biome, the tropical

grassland. This biome encompasses a new group of organism which can tolerate extreme

environment as for the fact that it is an open area with a very prevailing sunlight exposure and

higher possibility of destruction.

Most tropical rainforest in the Philippines undergo ecological succession that is a gradual

process by which ecosystems change and develop over time. Tropical rainforests are the climax

stage of ecological succession because they have become balanced with the climate of an area

but some tropical rainforests undergo secondary succession in which a previously colonized

habitat is replaced by a new type of habitat due to disturbances through undergoing an orderly set

of changes in the composition and structure of an ecological community. The grassland biome

which replaced the disturbed rainforest usually encompasses pioneer species, which are species
that are the first to colonize a previously damaged ecosystem, take several years to reach the

climax community.

To determine that succession has occurred between the two aforementioned biomes, a

forest and grassland community were observed by only considering flowering plants because

they indicate stages of ecological succession.

This study aimed to describe and compare the tropical rainforest and tropical grassland

community. The specific objectives were to:

1. infer stages of ecological succession after the study of grassland and forest

communities; and

2. describe the structures of tropical forest and tropical grassland communities through

measures of species diversity and dominance indices;

The study was conducted at Putinglupa, Calamba (grassland) and Mt. Makiling Forestry

(forest), University of the Philippines Los Banos, Laguna on April 3, 2016 and April 7, 2016,

respectively.

METHODOLOGY

The forest community was studied by observing the vegetation on either side of the trail

and noting down the scientific species of the plants. The distance of the vegetation from the

actual forest study site was also noted. The change in the type of plant habit and plant species

composition as the study site is approaching was also considered.

 On the study site, a belt transect measuring 10 x 20 meters was laid out on a relatively

flat topography. The scientific names of the species within the belt transect were recorded. The

number of individuals of each species within the belt transect were counted for further

computations.

On the grassland community, the scientific names of the vegetation on either side of the

trail were noted down. Indicators of agricultural activities in the area close to the study site were

also observed.

On the grassland study site, a 30-m transect line was laid out on a minimally disturbed

vegetation. The line was divided equally into three groups. The plant species found within the

transect line were measured using a ruler based on the horizontal space occupied by each plant.

These measurements were recorded for further computations of the percentage cover, Shannon

index and Simpson’s index.

1-10 meters 10-20 meters 20-30 meters

Figure 1. Illustration of the 30 m transect line equally divided into three groups
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 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

 Saccharum

 Makahiya

 Talahib

 Commelina
Tree and shrub species found along the road/trail to grassland study site

 Lantana camara

 Langka

 Coconut

 Fishtail palm
Indicators of agricultural activities in the grassland study site

 Cassava

 Kangkong

 Kalabasa

 Ashitaba

 Alugbati

 Gabi
 Species richness, S (inside the transect): 51

Total quadrat size: 10 x 20 meters

Table 2 Species composition in a tropical rainforest

Number of Population Relative Density

Scientific Name ln pi pi(ln pi) pi2
Individuals Density (pi)

Pterocarpus indicus 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5

Celtis Luzonica 4 0.02 0.017094017 -4.06903 -0.06956 0.000292205
Drypetes
2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
maquilingensis
Triplaris cumingiana 132 0.66 0.564102564 -0.57252 -0.32296 0.318211703
Swietena macrophylla 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Ventilago sp. 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Hevea brasiliensis 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Cayota rumphiana 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Ptychosperma
3 0.015 0.012820513 -4.35671 -0.05586 0.000164366
macarthruii
Glochidian album 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Semecarpus
0 0 0 #NUM! #NUM! 0
cuneiformis
Strombosia
3 0.015 0.012820513 -4.35671 -0.05586 0.000164366
philippinensis
Pometia pinnata 0 0 0 #NUM! #NUM! 0
Knema glomerata 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Symphorema
1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
luzonicum
Strychnos sp. 5 0.025 0.021367521 -3.84588 -0.08218 0.000456571
Amorphallus konjac 5 0.025 0.021367521 -3.84588 -0.08218 0.000456571
Koordersiodendron
1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
pinnatum
Beilscmiedia
1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
gemmiflora
Bauhinia integrifolia 3 0.015 0.012820513 -4.35671 -0.05586 0.000164366
Gomphandra
1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
luzoniensis
Heterospathe elata 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Antidesma montannum 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Syzygium calubcob 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Palaquium foxworthyi 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Memecylon 0 0 0 #NUM! #NUM! 0
Morinda sp. 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Pseudomussaenda
1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
flava
Dracaena fragrans 4 0.02 0.017094017 -4.06903 -0.06956 0.000292205
Pycnarrhea manillensis 3 0.015 0.012820513 -4.35671 -0.05586 0.000164366
Arenga pinnata 6 0.03 0.025641026 -3.66356 -0.09394 0.000657462
Saribus rotundifolius 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Shorea contorta 0 0 0 #NUM! #NUM! 0
Goniothalamus
2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
amuyon
Trophis scandens 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Tabernaemontana 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Lygodium circinnatum 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Unknown 4 0.02 0.017094017 -4.06903 -0.06956 0.000292205
Canarium hirsutum 7 0.035 0.02991453 -3.50941 -0.10498 0.000894879
Family Annoceae 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Buchania arborescens 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Phaenthus
1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
ophthalmicus
Artocarpus lacucha 3 0.015 0.012820513 -4.35671 -0.05586 0.000164366
Cordyline fruticosa 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Coffea canephora 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Olax imbricata 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Guazama ulmifolia 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Garcinia binucao 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Platymitra arborea 3 0.015 0.012820513 -4.35671 -0.05586 0.000164366
Pygeum griseum 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Antidesma montannun 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Wrightia pubescens 2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
Mischocarpus
2 0.01 0.008547009 -4.76217 -0.0407 7.30514x10-5
pentapetalus
Planchonella duclitan 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Artabotyrs 1 0.005 0.004273504 -5.45532 -0.02331 1.82628x10-5
Total number of
individuals for all 234
species
Species richness (total
51
number of species)
http://eschooltoday.com/ecosystems/what-is-a-biome.html

http://owt-thephilippines.weebly.com/tropical-rainforest.html

http://www.philippines.hvu.nl/forest1.htm