Mangrove vegetation structure and analysis : a case for Sungai Chukai, Kemaman, Terengganu, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

A study on the mangrove vegetation structure at Sungai Chukai was conducted during 23 - 24 July 2009. AJtogether, 5 stations (at 1 km intervals) were chosen and reach to their nearest point with the help of a Global Positioning Systems. The Point-Centered Quarter Method (PCQM) was employed in all mangrove stations to estimate different tree structural such as stem density (nos/0.l ha), basal area (m2/0.lha), relative density (% composition), relative dominance (% composition), absolute frequency (% composition), and species individual ranking. Mangrove plant composition was represented by eight dominant taxa i.e., Avicennia officinallis, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Ceriops decandra, Excoecaria agallocha, Lumnitzera littorea, Nypa fruticans, Rhizophora apiculata, and Xylocarpus granatum. Based on stem density and basal area measurements, three groups association were recognized. Group-I represented by R.apiculata, A.officinallis, B.gymnorhiza, Xgranatum, L.littorea and C.decandra were abundant throughout the forest. For Group-2, and Group-3 (N fruticans and E. agallocha) species, the similarity of this species commonly found on the inter-tidal ridge forest and river banks. Overall, the mangrove at Sungai Chukai could categorized as riverine mangrove based on their ecological distribution.