Abstract:
A study on the mangrove vegetation structure at Tumpat (Kelantan Delta) was
conducted during 21 - 25 October 2007. Altogether, 21 stations (at 11cm intervals)
were chosen covering an area of approximately 32 sq. km (N: 6
°
°
12'00" - 6
13'30" &
°
E: 102
°
09'30" - 102
13'00"), and reached to their nearest point with the help of a
Global Positioning Systems. Out of 21 stations selected, seven represented mangroves
proper. The Point-Centered Quarter Method (PCQM) was employed in all mangrove
stations to estimate different tree structural parameters such as stem density
(nos/0.lha), basal area (m2
/0.lha), relative density (% composition), relative
dominance (% composition), absolute frequency (% composition), and species
individual ranking. Mangrove plant composition was represented by five dominant
tax.a i.e., Avicennia alba, Bruguiera gymnorrhyza, Nypa fruiticans, Rhizophora
mucronata and Sonneratia caseolaris. Based on stem density and basal area
measurements, four species' associations were recognized. Group-I represented by
S.caseolaris and N.fruiticans was abundant and distributed throughout the forest,
Group-2 (A.alba) species is a pioneer species, Group-3 (B.gymnorrhyza) is a
succeeded of the pioneer species, and Group-4 (Rmucronata) species have occurred
only at the bay-mangrove periphery showing their preference to those high salinity
regimes. Overall, the mangrove at Tumpat could categorize as "riverine mangrove"
based on their ecological distribution.
