Maluku Dipterocarp Forest

In Seram’s Manusela National Park these forests are largely associated with leached, base-poor soils of steep slopes and low ridges. The upper canopy seems to be largely dominated by the endemic Shorea selanica (Dipterocarpaceae), which is the only dipterocarp species in the lowland forests of north Seram. In the absence of other dipterocarps this species has become highly dominant and possibly explains why these forests tend to be less diverse than dipterocarp forests found elsewhere in Malesia. Typical sub canopy trees include Calophyllum soulattri, Ganua motleyana and Polyalthia glauca.

 

Maluku Montane Forests and Summit Formations

On Seram these forests are mainly dominated by Castanopsis buruana and Lithocarpus celebicus. They range in altitude from about 400 to 1400 m, and examples can be found on Gunung Kobipoto and Gunang Binaiya. Other trees typically include Agathis dammara, Coelostegia griffithii and Fagraea blumei. Lower montane zones of Gunung Binaiya are characterised by a large and distinctive species of Syzygium (possibly S. aqueum), while conifers such as Dacrycarpus imbricatus, Phyllocladus hypophyllus, Trimenia papuana and species of Podocarpus characterise the upper montane zones. Dacrycarpus imbricatus can reach heights of up to 35 m and have basal trunk diameters of over 1 m. At altitudes above 2400 m the forests become open and shrubby with species of Rhamnus, Rhododendron and Vaccinium together with the endemic tree ferns Cyathea binayana and C. pukuana (Cyatheaceae). These often form distinctive groves richly covered in epiphytic ferns. Small stands of so-called tree-fern savannas can extend up to the summit zones of Binaiya together with low stands of Vaccinium woodland. At the highest altitudes, from 2700-3000 m, these give way to mountain grasslands characterised by a number of endemic herbs such as Euphrasia ceramensis (Orobanchaceae), Pterostylis papuanum var. ceramensis (Orchidaceae) and Viola binayensis (Violaceae).

 

Maluku Limestone Forests

Forests of base-rich soil can be found throughout these islands but seem to be prevalent on Halmahera. In the Sungai Dodaga region the limestone and calcareous sandstones support rich forests. Typical tree species include Gnetum gnemon, Vaticum papuana and the endemic or near endemic Pimeleodendron amboinicum (Euphorbiaceae) and Microcos ceramensis (Tiliaceae) together with species of Calophyllum, Canarium, Diospyros, Eugenia, Intsia, Litsea, Myristica, Pometia, Pygeum, Saccopetalum and Vitex.

Further information required.

 

References

Campbell, D. G. & Hammond, H. D. 1989. Floristic Inventory of Tropical Countries. The New York Botanical Garden.

Edwards, I. D., Macdonald, A. A. & Proctor, J. (eds). 1993. Natural History of Seram, Maluka, Indonesia. Raleigh International. Intercep Ltd, Andover.

Edwards, I. D., Payton, R. W., Proctor, J. & Riswan, S. 1990. Altitudinal zonation of the rain forests in Manusela National Park, Seram, Maluku, Indonesia. In: The Plant Diversity of Malesia. Proceedings of the Flora Malesiana Symposium commemorating Professor Dr. C. G. G. J. van Steenis Leiden, August 1989. Eds. P. Baas, K. Kalkman and R. Geesink. Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Hugh-Jones, T. 1995. Habitats. In: Halmahera ’94. A University of Bristol Expedition to Indonesia in conjunction with Pattimura University, Ambon, The Biological Sciences Club, Jakarta and Sub-Balai Konervasi Sumber Daya Alam, Maluku. Report prepared for The Indonesian Institute for Sciences (LIPI) and The Directorate General for Forestry Protection and Nature Conservation (PHPA).

Leith, H. & Werger, M. J. A. 1989. Ecosystems of the World 14B - Tropical Rain Forests. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company.

Monk, K. A., De Fretes, Y. & Reksodiharjo-Lilley, G. 1997. The Ecology of Nusa Tenggara and Maluku. The Ecology of Indonesia Series. Oxford University Press.

Steenis, C. G. G. J. van. 1957. Outline of the vegetation types in Indonesia and some adjacent regions. Proceedings of the Pacific Scientific Congress, 8: 61-97.