Terrestrial Ecosystem In Malaysia PDF

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM IN MALAYSIA 16 TERRESTIAL ECOSYSTEM IN MALAYSIA Malaysia, country of Southeast Asia, lying just north of the Equator, that is composed of two noncontiguous regions: Peninsular Malaysia (Semenanjung Malaysia), also called West Malaysia (Malaysia Barat), w...

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM IN MALAYSIA 16 TERRESTIAL ECOSYSTEM IN MALAYSIA Malaysia, country of Southeast Asia, lying just north of the Equator, that is composed of two noncontiguous regions: Peninsular Malaysia (Semenanjung Malaysia), also called West Malaysia (Malaysia Barat), which is on the Malay Peninsula, and East Malaysia (Malaysia Timur), which is on the island of Borneo.  Both peninsular and insular Malaysia lies in the same tropical latitudes and is affected by similar airstreams. They have high temperatures and humidities, heavy rainfall, and a climatic year patterned around the northeast and southwest monsoons. The four seasons of the climatic year are the northeast monsoon (from November or December until March), the first inter monsoonal period (March to April or May), the southwest monsoon (May or June to September or early October), and the second inter monsoonal period (October to November). The onset and retreat of the two monsoons are not sharply defined.  Temperatures are uniformly high throughout the year. On the peninsula, they average about 27 °C in most lowland areas. In coastal areas in East Malaysia, temperatures are about 23 °C to 32°C; temperatures are lower in the interior highland regions. The mean annual rainfall on the peninsula is approximately 2,540 mm; the driest location is Kuala Kelawang in Negeri Sembilan, (which receives about 1,650 mm) of rain per year, while the wettest, Maxwell’s Hill in Taiping, Perak (receives some 5,000 mm) annually. Mean annual precipitation in Sabah varies from about 2,030 to 3,560 mm, while most parts of Sarawak receive 3,050 mm or more per year.  The classification of the natural ecosystem in Malaysia is determined by the presence of a water body. Therefore, the first division is the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Among that, the aquatic ecosystems are the freshwater ecosystem and the marine ecosystem. For freshwater, there are the running riverine ecosystems and the standing freshwater lakes. In addition, there is also the mangrove ecosystem that lines the seashore and rivers; and the peat swamp ecosystem some of which are inland and with standing water bodies. Terrestrial Ecosystem in Malaysia Malaysian rainforests contain several different forest types throughout the region. It includes lowland dipterocarp forest, hill dipterocarp forest, upper hill dipterocarp forest, oak-laurel forest, montane ericaceous forest, peat swamp forest, mangrove forest, freshwater swamp forest, heath forest, and forests that thrive on limestone and quartz ridges.  Mangrove Forest Mangrove forests (also called mangal) are a type of wetland rainforest formation that has its own unique characteristics not found elsewhere. Occurring in coastal regions near the equator, the trees in mangrove forests are all adapted to deal with a highly saline environment that would normally be uninhabitable for other kinds of trees.  Mangrove Forest Mangrove forest is often classified based on the frequency of tidal inundation from the sea, which affects the species that grow in these zones. The main genera of mangroves revolve around the genus Avicennia, Bruguiera, Rhizophora, Sonneratia, Ceriops, and Lumnitzera. Further inland in the brackish intertidal zone, this is a zone dominated by the Nipah palm (Nypa fruticans). Due to their dispersal mechanism by seawater, many mangrove plants and animals are widely distributed and have broad ranges spanning many countries, and even continents.  Mangrove trees have special adaptations to enable them to colonize their environment, such as leaves that can excrete salt, viviparous breeding (fruits that germinate while attached to the parent tree), stilt and buttress prop roots to support them in the muddy substrate, and pneumatophore roots (aerial roots that can breathe).  Peat swamp Forest Peat swamp forests are waterlogged forests growing on a layer of dead leaves and plant materials. It is characterized by tanned or black water sometimes with an unpleasant smell. They comprise an ancient and unique ecosystem characterized by waterlogging, with low nutrients and dissolved oxygen levels in acidic water regimes. Their continued survival depends on a naturally high-water level that prevents the soil from drying out to expose combustible peat matter. This harsh waterlogged environment has led to the evolution of many species of flora uniquely adapted to these conditions. Peat swamp Forest The formation of peat is interesting when fallen trees were not fully decomposed or very slowly decomposed, perhaps due to poor decomposer fauna, such as insects, fungi and bacteria. This may happen when trees fell into acidic water collection/pool. As more fallen trees accumulate a layer of partially decomposing vegetation appear and this is called peat. This peat layer is made up of trees at various stages of decomposition.  In Peninsular Malaysia, the peat swamp forest is located at several Permanent Forest Reserves: Nenasi and Bera inPahang, Air Hitam in Peat Swamp Forest Johor, North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest, and Pondok Tanjung in Taiping, Perak. At least 221 of flora species have been recorded from peat swamp ecosystem. Significant flora species are: Ramin (Gonystylus bancanus), Durio catrinatus, Tetramerista glabra, Alstonia angustiloba, Nageia motleyi. Of the 17 taxa of tree endemics to Peninsular Malaysia (from Peat Swamp Forest ecosystem), 8 have been found in South East Pahang Peat Swamp Forest Complex. In Sabah the peat land is mainly in Klias Peninsular, Sugut and Kinabatangan floodplain. Two remaining protected peat swamp forests left, the Klias Forest Reserve (Klias FR) which is about 3,6000ha and the Binsulok Forest Reserve (Binsulok FR) about 12,106ha. 135 species of 59 families of plants for in peat swamp forest in Klias/Binsuluk FR. Dominants trees were Dryabalanops rappa (Seraya paya), Stemunurus scropioides, Palaquium rostratum, Gonystylus bancanus and Combretocarpus rotundus.  Terrestrial Ecosystem in Malaysia LOWLAND DITEROCARP FOREST OF MALAYSIA Lowland Dipterocarp Forest of Malaysia has the most luxuriant of all plant communities. It is lofty, dense, evergreen forest of 45m or taller, characterize by the large number of tree species which occur together. Gregarious dominance (consociations) are uncommon and usually two thirds or more of upper canopy tree are of species individually not contributing to more than 1% of the total number.  LOWLAND DITEROCARP FOREST OF MALAYSIA This formation is conventionally regarded as having four layers: the top layer of individual or group of giant emergent trees, over a main stratum of 24-36m length or canopy layer and with smaller, shade-dwelling trees below that or understorey layer. Ground vegetation or forest floor is often sparse and mainly of small trees; herbs are patchy. Some of the bigger trees have clear boles of 30m and reach 4.5m girth, and may be deciduous or semi-deciduous without affecting the evergreen nature of the canopy as a whole. LOWLAND DITEROCARP FOREST OF MALAYSIA Big, woody climbers, are mostly free hanging, and are frequent to abundant and sometimes also bole climbers. Shade and sun epiphytes are occasional to frequent. Bryophytes are rare. They occur in perhumid lowland climates where water stress is intermittent or absent, from sea-level to about 1200m on dry land. Two characteristics of a Malaysian tropical rainforest are featured presence of epiphytes and climbers. Hill and Upper Hill Dipterocarp Forests Hill Dipterocarp forest refers to the rainforest on mountain slopes (about 300 – 750 m elevations) that are distinctly different from the lowland rainforest that covers the plains, flatlands, and low hills. Generally, this forest formation can be considered an intermediate zone between the Upper Hill Dipterocarp/montane cloud forest located at much higher altitudes, generally above the persistent cloud zone, and the tall evergreen rainforest of the lowlands. Hill Dipterocarp Forest  Hill and Upper Hill Dipterocarp Forests In Peninsular Malaysia, Hill Dipterocarp forest is most developed and distinct on the main granitic mountain ranges, such as the Titiwangsa, Bintang, and East Coast mountain ranges. Hill Dipterocarp forest can be classified into two kinds, the oak- laurel type, and the upper (hill) dipterocarp type. The Upper Hill dipterocarp is basically an extension of the Hill Dipterocarp forest, but with the absence of the common hill dipterocarp, Shorea curtisii. Instead, the dipterocarps that predominate include Shorea platyclados, Shorea ciliata, Dipterocarpus retusus, and Shorea ovata, which are all capable of large size. The upper dipterocarp forest normally begins at altitudes Upper hill dipterocarp forest (at above 800m ASL, and continues until conditions get too cold roughly 900m elevation here) for even these dipterocarps to survive.  Montane Forrest Montane forest dominated by trees of Fagaceae and Lauraceae then take over above altitudes of 1200m ASL (or on exposed slopes and ridges slightly lower down). This forest has a lower canopy compared to the upper hill dipterocarp forest, and is significantly lower than lowland forest; normally not exceeding 35 m in height. Podocarpus, Syzygium, Eugenia, and Calophyllum species become common here.  Montane Forrest The montane forest is also distinctive from the upper dipterocarp forest not just because the big dipterocarp trees are absent, but if you notice, the trunks of the trees are always covered in lichens and moss of some sort, which give the appearance of speckled tree trunks everywhere. The lower canopy allows slightly more sunlight to penetrate, thus allowing a proliferation of climbers and undergrowth (ferns, palms, herbs, and gingers). The change from upper hill dipterocarp to montane forest is a gradual one, with dipterocarps being phased out slowly, the higher the ascent.  Montane Forest The montane forests are made up of evergreen trees, which form a canopy 10-20 meters high. The tree canopy is lower than the lowland forests and lack emergent trees, and the trees mostly and lack buttressed roots and have smaller glossy- green leaves. Ephiphyes, including orchids, ferns, mosses, and lichens, are more abundant. Upper montane forests occur above 1500 meters elevation. Trees form a flat-topped canopy from 1.5 to 18 meters high. Epiphytes, including orchids, ferns, leafy liverworts, and lichens, are abundant.