Flora

Knowledge of the flora of the Danum Valley Conservation Area (DVCA) is based on general botanical collecting in the vicinity of the Field Centre, from a number of WWF expeditions during the 1970's and by much more detailed but localised enumeration studies.

The higher-plant checklist compiled to date includes more than 1,300 species in 562 genera of 139 families. Although this list is far from complete, it already represents close to 15% of the approximately 10,000 species of higher plants recorded for Sabah.

The Danum forest is dominated by dipterocarps, particularly Parashorea malaanonan and P. tomentella together with Shorea johorensis and other Shorea species of the Rubroshorea group. Between 80 and 90% of large canopy trees within the conservation area belong to the Dipterocarpaceae with the balance being accounted for mainly by Koompassia, Diospyros and Durio species. Although dipterocarps dominate the upper canopy, understory species from families such as Euphorbiaceae and Rubiaceae can make up over 85% of small stems. There are clear riverine and streamside associations comprising smaller trees of genera including Saraca, Eugenia, Dillenia and Octomeles. Interestingly, very few large palms are found in the forests of Danum Valley.

At higher elevations the flora is quite different. On the upper slopes of Mount Danum, for example, the canopy seldom exceeds 25m and includes the gymnosperms Phylocladus and Podocarpus spp. Nepenthes are common at higher elevations as well as many species of orchid and a recently described climbing bamboo, Racemobambos pairinii.

In terms of dynamics, large parts of the forest at Danum are thought to be in the final stages of recovery from an exceptionally severe drought disturbance at the end of the 19th century. Moderate to severe droughts, occurring irregularly at intervals of 1 - 2 events per 20 years, are an important feature of the forest environment of this part of Borneo. Tree species, particularly those in the understory, are apparently well adapted to temporary water stress, the intensity of which changes along the local topographic gradient from low slopes to ridge tops. An ENSO associated drought event in 1997/98, for example, perturbed, but did not significantly disturb, the forest ecosystem; such stochastic variations doubtless play an important role in shorter-term forest dynamics and the maintenance of tree species richness.

Major News
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Kuala Lumpur, 28th August 2007
The Royal Society SEARRP signs a 7-year, £1 million sponsorship agreement with Malaysia’s Petra Foundation

 
How to Apply?
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SEARRP is open to all scientists from Malaysia, SE Asia, the UK and Europe who plan to do research at the Danum Valley Field Centre.
 
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