Comparative Studies And Forested Areas On Biodiversity And Land-Use Change (LUC) In Penang Island
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Date
2017-06
Authors
Masum, Kazi Mohammad
Journal Title
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015 reported an increasing rate of privately owned forests on a global scale. However, deforestation was found to be very active in privately owned hill forest areas of Malaysia. Penang State was purposively chosen as it has been experiencing rapid and radical changes due to urban expansion over the last three decades. In this study, effect of differential management on land-use changes (LUC) and biodiversity were analysed. Analyses of land-use changes (LUC) were done by PCI Geomatica using Landsat images from 1991 to 2015 and future trends of LUC were assessed using EXCEL forecast function. Effect on biodiversity were studied in three hilly forest reserves (HFR) and three adjacent privately owned hill forests (PHF) in Penang State. In this study variations in biodiversity were measured using community structure of both vascular plants and avifauna species along four micro-environmental variables (canopy coverage, canopy height, elevation and disturbance). Vascular plants and avifauna species diversity was chosen since these have been proven as good indicator for biodiversity monitoring. Finally, implications for conservation were proposed considering the current state of deforestation in privately owned hill forests (PHF). LUC study revealed an annual deforestation rate of 1.4% in Penang Island with an annual urbanization rate of 3.29% since 1991 to 2015. Trend analysis forecasted a forest area that most probably be smaller than the current forest reserves by 2039. This LUC has already exposed major role in biodiversity loss with increasing landslides, mudflows, water pollution, flash flood, and health hazard. Plant community and avifauna analysis revealed that HFR were more diverse and healthier than PHF also with higher evenness.
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Keywords
forested areas on biodiversity and , land-use change in Penang island