Download or read book Wattles written by David M. Richardson and published by CABI. This book was released on 2023-11-13 with total page 586 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge about "wattles", a large clade of over 1000 species of trees and shrubs in the genus Acacia, most of which are native to Australia. It examines the biology, ecology, evolution, and biogeography of wattles in their native ranges, including the evolutionary forces that have driven past speciation and adaptation to diverse environments, the conservation status, uses and human perceptions of these species. It considers the different histories of the introductions and proliferation of wattles as alien species in different parts of the world since c. 1850 (the Anthropocene), situated within relevant political, socio-economic and scientific contexts, together with an analysis of how awareness of their impacts as invasive species has changed over time. Differences in the dynamics and trends associated with the introduction, naturalization and invasion of wattles in different parts of the world are reviewed. The book also synthesizes the global distribution of wattles using diverse data sources, alongside trends, patterns and projections of global uses of wattles. It discusses the genetics, biotic interactions, and ecological, economic and social impacts of invasive wattles. This book is aimed at academics and students in the field of ecology, and at managers of natural and anthropic ecosystems, policy-makers and regulators, and the general public interested in biology and environmental science.
Download or read book Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management written by Ian Nuberg and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2009-05-18 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In its early days, agroforestry may have been viewed as the domain of the 'landcare enthusiast'. Today, integrating trees and shrubs into productive farming systems is seen as a core principle of sustainable agriculture. Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management provides the foundation for an understanding of agroforestry practice in both high and low rainfall zones across Australia. Three major areas are discussed: environmental functions of trees in the landscape (ecosystem mimicry, hydrology, protection of crops, animals and soil, biodiversity, aesthetics); productive functions of trees (timber, firewood, pulp, fodder, integrated multi-products); and the implementation of agroforestry (design, evaluation, establishment, adoption, policy support). The book also includes a DVD that features videos on forest measurement and harvesting, a Farm Forestry Toolbox and many regionally specific agroforestry resources. Written by leading researchers and practitioners from around Australia, Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management will be an essential resource for students in agroforestry courses, as well as a valuable introduction to the field for professionals in related areas.
Download or read book Forest Trees of Australia written by Douglas J. Boland and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2006 with total page 769 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The classic Australian guide - now fully revised and updated with nearly 300 of Australia's most important native trees.
Download or read book Legumes as Food Ingredient written by Alfonso Clemente and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2021-05-07 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Legume crops provide a significant sources of plant-based proteins for humans. Grain legumes present outstanding nutritional and nutraceutical properties as sources of bioactive components with benefits in human health, while they are affordable food that contributes to achieving future food and feed security. Furthermore, they are major ingredients in the Mediterranean diet, playing a vital role in developing countries. Global food security requires a major re-focusing of plant sciences, crop improvement and production agronomy towards grain legumes (pulse crops) over coming decades, with intensive research to identify cultivars with improved grain characteristics, helping to develop novel legume-derived products (foods) adapted to today consumer preference. In this context, studies dealing with legume processing impact such as soaking, boiling, microwave cooking, germination, and fermentation among others, in their nutritional and anti-nutritional (i.e., food allergy) properties are of great interest in these future food developments. This Research Topic aims to bring together a collection of studies for a better understanding of current research in legume seed compounds functional properties to provide an updated and global vision of the importance of legumes in human health.
Download or read book Forest Trees of Australia written by DJ Boland and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2006-12-01 with total page 768 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forest Trees of Australia is the essential reference for observing, identifying and obtaining information on the native trees in this country. It describes and illustrates over 300 of our most important indigenous trees, which have been carefully selected for their environmental significance, their importance to the timber industry, or their prominence in our landscape. This new and thoroughly revised edition has been fully updated throughout and includes treatments of 72 additional species. New maps and photographs show us a wonderfully diverse range of forests, from mangrove swamps, tropical regions and deserts, to alpine areas and majestic stands of temperate forests. A colour section illustrates some of the major forest types of Australia and bark from a diverse range of species. Forest Trees of Australia is an unsurpassed guide to identification for horticulturists, botanists, foresters, students, farmers, environmentalists and all those who are interested in our native trees.
Download or read book The Evolutionary Ecology of Invasive Species written by Johannes Le Roux and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2021-10-24 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Evolutionary Ecology of Invasive Species offers new insights into the mechanisms that underlie rapid evolution in these species. The book provides a comprehensive overview of achievements in the field during the boom of information over the past two decades and includes discussions of possible future directions for the study of evolution in invasive species. Written by an international expert in invasion ecology, population genetics, and evolutionary biology, the book explores the roles of preadaptation, phenotypic plasticity, selection, and stochastic processes in driving rapid evolution. The book draws insights from a wide spectrum of invasive microbes, plants, and animals, covering many of the planet's biogeographic regions and discusses the evolutionary consequences for native species in response to biological invasions. A valuable resource to researchers and students in evolutionary biology, invasive species biology, and global change biology, this text suggests future research directions related to the evolutionary biology, impacts, and management of invasive species. - Highlights the most recent advances and developments in using evolutionary principles to study and manage invasive species - Offers new and often overlooked insights in processes that govern rapid evolution - Discusses key stages of population demography that underlie rapid evolutionary change in invasive species, including their introduction, naturalisation, and dispersal
Download or read book Trees for Saline Landscapes written by Nico E. Marcar and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents current knowledge on a large suite of tree species tolerant to different levels of salinity as well as their uses. Contains detailed descriptions of 85 saline tolerant species as well as a detailed overview of salinity problems in Australia. Assists all involved in Australian agriculture to make decisions about which trees might be appropriate for different types of salt-affected environments as well as an introduction to the physical and chemical nature of the soil environment, issues on sustainability and the establishment and management of tree plantings.
Download or read book Australian Forestry written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Australian Plants written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 780 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book New Serial Titles written by and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 1712 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A union list of serials commencing publication after Dec. 31, 1949.
Download or read book Bulletin written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia written by Royal Society of Western Australia and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Nanotechnology Applications in Environmental Engineering written by Nazir, Rabia and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2018-08-03 with total page 491 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nanotechnology is the twenty-first century revolution that has impacted each and every aspect of life despite its small size. As nanoscale research continues to advance, scientists and engineers are developing new applications for many different disciplines, including environmental applications. Nanotechnology Applications in Environmental Engineering contains innovative research on nanomaterials and their impact on the environment. It also explores the current and potential future applications of nanodevices in environmental science and engineering, showcasing how nanomaterials can be tailored to address some of the environmental remediation and sensing/detection problems faced today. While highlighting topics such as environmental science, nanomaterials, and membrane technology, this book is ideally designed for environmental scientists, nanotechnologists, chemists, engineers, and individuals seeking current research on nanotechnology and its applications in environmental engineering.
Download or read book Research Anthology on Synthesis Characterization and Applications of Nanomaterials written by Management Association, Information Resources and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2021-03-19 with total page 1917 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The use of nanotechnologies continues to grow, as nanomaterials have proven their versatility and use in many different fields and industries within the scientific profession. Using nanotechnology, materials can be made lighter, more durable, more reactive, and more efficient leading nanoscale materials to enhance many everyday products and processes. With many different sizes, shapes, and internal structures, the applications are endless. These uses range from pharmaceutics to materials such as cement or cloth, electronics, environmental sustainability, and more. Therefore, there has been a recent surge of research focused on the synthesis and characterizations of these nanomaterials to better understand how they can be used, their applications, and the many different types. The Research Anthology on Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Nanomaterials seeks to address not only how nanomaterials are created, used, or characterized, but also to apply this knowledge to the multidimensional industries, fields, and applications of nanomaterials and nanoscience. This includes topics such as both natural and manmade nanomaterials; the size, shape, reactivity, and other essential characteristics of nanomaterials; challenges and potential effects of using nanomaterials; and the advantages of nanomaterials with multidisciplinary uses. This book is ideally designed for researchers, engineers, practitioners, industrialists, educators, strategists, policymakers, scientists, and students working in fields that include materials engineering, engineering science, nanotechnology, biotechnology, microbiology, drug design and delivery, medicine, and more.
Download or read book Vegetation Types of the Dieng Mountains and Their Influences on Bird and Mammalian Communities written by Siti Nurleily Marliana and published by Cuvillier Verlag. This book was released on 2013-01-21 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kurzbeschreibung Der Druck des Bevölkerungswachstums auf der indonesischen Insel Java hat zu gravierender Entwaldung und Schädigung von Wäldern geführt, so dass nur noch 8,2 Prozent der ursprünglichen Waldfläche in den Jahren 2006-2007 vorhanden waren. Der Bevölkerungsdruck ließ Javas Waldflächen durch Landumwandlung in Siedlungen und Äcker weiter schrumpfen und kleine, isolierte Waldstücke an Berggipfeln wie die in den Dieng Mountains übrig. Das in der Provinz Zentral-Java gelegene Dieng Mountains Ökosystem spielt eine wichtige Rolle bei der Bereitstellung einer breiten Palette von Waren und Dienstleistungen, insbesondere bei der Versorgung angrenzender Gebiete mit Süßwasser und beim Erhalt der biologischen Vielfalt. Allerdings leiden auch die Bergwälder in den Dieng Mountains in Folge des Bevölkerungsdrucks unter Abholzung. Schlechte landwirtschaftliche Anbaumethoden haben zum Auftreten von Pestizidbelastungen, zu einem hohen Maß an Erosion, Sedimentationen von Seen und Stauseen, Erdrutschen, Schlammlawinen und Überschwemmungen geführt. Waldbrände und illegaler Holzeinschlag, gefolgt von Landbeanspruchung und Wanderfeldbau, führten dazu, dass reife Bergwälder durch junge Sekundärvegetation ersetzt wurden. Wiederbewaldungen sind zu einem bedeutenden Vegetationstyp rund um das Dieng Plateau geworden, und angesichts der gegenwärtigen landwirtschaftlichen Anbaumethoden zeigt der Trend ihres Flächenausmaßes, dass sie auch in Zukunft fortbestehen werden. Bisher hat man sich wenig mit den Wiederbewaldungen in den Dieng Mountains beschäftigt; ihr Wert in Bezug auf die Funktionsweise von Ökosystemen und den Erhalt der biologische Vielfalt wurde nur unzureichend untersucht. Da Bergwälder der Dieng Mountains dafür bekannt sind, viele endemische und seltene Tier- und Pflanzenarten zu beherbergen, ist es wichtig zu verstehen, wie Tier- und Pflanzenarten in diesem Gebiet den Habitatwandel bewältigen. Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit ist ein Versuch, Auswirkungen von Landnutzungsänderungen, die durch anthropogene Störungen hervorgerufen wurden, auf die lokale Flora und Fauna, speziell auf Vogel- und Säugetiergemeinschaften zu untersuchen. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie sollen einen Überblick über den gegenwärtigen Zustand des Dieng Mountains Ökosystems geben und dazu beitragen, Informationslücken früherer Studien zu schließen. Diese Untersuchung soll zuständigen Politikern Wissen über den aktuellen Stand der Dieng Mountains bieten. Sie soll ihnen ermöglichen, ein wirksames Programm mit angemessenen Zielen zu entwickeln und geeignete Maßnahmen zu ergreifen, um die ökologischen Bedingungen der Dieng Mountains zu verbessern. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Entwicklung der Sekundärvegetation der Dieng Mountains stark von der Geschichte ihrer Landnutzung und von den Aufforstungsprogrammen der lokalen Regierung beeinflusst wurde. Die Vegetationsstruktur der Wälder und des Buschlandes der Dieng Mountains waren einander ähnlich. Sie kennzeichnete die typische einfache Struktur mit einem offenen Kronendach und dichtem Unterholz, die in der Regel in einem tropischen Sekundärwald vorgefunden wird. Auf Grünland kamen wenige Bäume vor; kein Anzeichen der Einwanderung von Bäumen wurde in diesem Lebensraum gefunden, trotz seiner unmittelbaren Nähe zu natürlichen Waldstücken. Die relativ niedrigen Anteile von Baumverjüngungen in allen Lebensräumen können den in diesen großen Höhen rauen Umgebungsbedingungen, den Auswirkungen von Kahlschlägen in der Vergangenheit sowie der Konkurrenz von Kräutern zugeschrieben werden. Der Einfluss menschlicher Aktivitäten in diesen Lebensräumen kann auch ein wichtiger Faktor sein, der die Erholung der Vegetation verlangsamt. Die Auswirkungen der Aufforstungen auf die Gestaltung der Zusammensetzung der Sekundärvegetation zeigten sich in der Dominanz der Baumarten, die im Laufe des Programms gepflanzt worden waren: die nicht einheimischen Arten Acacia decurrens und Cupressus sempervirens und die indonesische Bergart Schima wallichii. Der Pionierstrauch Melastoma affine, die Gräser Imperata cylindrica und Isachne globosa sowie die Ruderalarten Eupatorium odoratum, Eupatorium riparium, Buddleja asiatica, und Rubus rosaefolius dominierten die Unterholzvegetation. Insbesondere auf Grünland schien die Dominanz des kleinen Farns Gleichenia dichotoma das Wachstum der vorkommenden Grasarten zu unterdrücken, was zur Dominanz einer Krautart, der Conyza javanica, über Pioniergrasarten führte. Naturverjüngungen einheimischer indonesischer Baumarten wurden in einer relativ kleinen Zahl vorgefunden. Verglichen mit ähnlichen Studien in anderen Sekundärwäldern wurde in den Dieng Mountains eine wesentlich geringerer Reichtum an Pflanzenarten, vor allem an Gehölzarten festgestellt. Der Beitrag der Strauch- und Krautkategorien mit mehr als 80 Prozent an der gesamten botanischen Artenvielfalt zeigt den Mangel an Baumarten in unserem Forschungsgebiet an. Generell waren der Reichtum und die Diversität an Pflanzenarten im Buschland am höchsten. Der niedrigste Pflanzenartenreichtum wurde im Wald gefunden, während die geringste Diversität an Pflanzenarten auf Grünland verzeichnet wurde. Diese Ergebnisse können mit dem Grad von Störungen in jedem Lebensraumtyp zusammenhängen, wobei Buschland auf einem mittleren Niveau liegt. Die Ähnlichkeit der Zusammensetzung der Pflanzenarten war zwischen den Habitaten in jeder Kategorie sehr hoch. Dies deutet trotz des Altersunterschiedes zwischen beiden Lebensräumen darauf hin, dass Waldund Buschland noch in einem vergleichbaren Sukzessionsstadium waren, während sich Grünland wohl nicht zu Wald entwickeln wird. Wegen der anhaltenden Bevölkerungsausbreitung in den Dieng Mountains dürfte das Schicksal der sekundären Vegetation dieses Gebietes von dem Ausmaß zukünftiger Störungen durch den Menschen bestimmt werden. Vögel wurden in den verschiedenen Lebensräumen der Dieng Mountains in relativ geringen Dichten gefunden. Nach früheren Studien anderer Autoren sind niedrige Vogeldichten häufig in einer tropischen Landschaft, in der landwirtschaftliche Flächen und Flächen sekundärer Vegetation gemischt in mosaikartiger Verteilung vorliegen. Wald hatte von allen Lebensraumtypen die komplexeste Vegetationsstruktur, und er wies die höchste Dichte und die größte Artenvielfalt von Vögeln auf. Da Vogelabundanzen durch die Lebensraumtypen in ihrer Umgebung beeinflusst werden, kann die Nähe der Waldstücke zu den Urwaldresten auf den Berggipfeln positive Auswirkungen auf die Vogelpopulationen im Wald gehabt haben. Mit einer ähnlichen, aber weniger komplexen Vegetationsstruktur und -zusammensetzung als Wald wies das Buschland ein mittleres Niveau der Dichte und der Artendiversität der Avifauna auf. Trotz seines Mangels an mosaikartiger Heterogenität und des Vorhandenseins von nur einer kleinen Anzahl Bäume zwischen den Flurstücken hatten landwirtschaftliche Flächen die zweithöchste Vogeldichte. Mögliche Ursachen hierfür sind die Nähe von landwirtschaftlichen Flächen zu städtischen Gebieten und zu Buschland mit seinen Randstrukturen holziger Gewächse; diese Faktoren sind dafür bekannt, positive Auswirkungen auf die Abundanz und Artendiversität von Vögeln zu haben. Grünland wies die geringste Artenanzahl, Artendiversität und Vogeldichte auf. Die gesamte Anzahl der Vogelarten in unserem Untersuchungsgebiet war gering im Vergleich zur Anzahl Vogelarten einer früheren Studie, die auch in den Dieng Mountains durchgeführt worden war. Allerdings war die Vogelwelt in unserer Untersuchung sehr heterogen, so dass es wahrscheinlich ist, dass die tatsächliche Artenzahl deutlich höher als die erfasste war. Die meisten der erfassten Vogelarten haben eine niedrige bis mittlere Abhängigkeit von Wald und können ihre Ansprüche in einer breiten Palette von Lebensräumen decken; es wurden nur sechs Vogelarten erfasst, die vom Wald abhängig sind. Unsere Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass das Dieng Mountains Ökosystem in seinem gegenwärtigen Zustand die Lebensraumansprüche von Populationen verschiedene Vogelarten decken kann. Das beruht vor allem auf dem Vorhandensein von Sekundärvegetation, die als Ersatzhabitat für waldabhängige Arten fungiert. Allerdings wird das Fortdauern dieses Zustandes hauptsächlich von der zukünftigen Ausweitung der Landwirtschaft abhängen. Eine Ausweitung der Agrarlandschaft wird letztendlich die Abundanz und die Vielfalt von Vögeln in den Dieng Mountains verringern. Lässt man es zu, dass sich die Sekundärvegetation zu einer Klimaxgesellschaft entwickelt, so wird die Abundanz und Artendiversität von Vögeln zunehmen. Ähnlich positive Wirkungen kann nach unserer Einschätzung zukünftig die bislang im Untersuchungsgebiet noch nicht praktizierte Agroforstwirtschaft entfalten. Letztendlich muss der Zustand des Dieng Mountains Ökosystems verbessert werden, um seine Eignung als Lebensraum für seine einheimische Vogelwelt sicher zu stellen. Dreizehn kleine bis mittelgroße Säugetierarten wurden in unserem Untersuchungsgebiet mittels direkter Bestandsaufnahmen und Interviews erfasst. Zwei Arten, der schwarze Haubenlangur Trachypithecus auratus und der Java-Leopard Panthera Pardus melas wurden in der Roten Liste der IUCN als gefährdet bzw. vom Aussterben bedroht eingestuft. Unsere Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass die Sekundärvegetation der Dieng Mountains noch einen geeigneten Lebensraum für die Säugetiergemeinschaft aufwies, wobei im Wald und im Buschland jeweils ein viel höherer Artenreichtum herrschte als auf Grünland. Der Artenreichtum an Säugetieren war auf Ackerland fast so hoch wie im Wald und im Buschland, was bedeutet, dass die landwirtschaftlichen Flächen mit ihren angebauten Kulturen Nahrungshabitate für die meisten Säugetierarten in den Dieng Mountains bot. Die Mehrheit der aufgeführten Arten waren Lebensraumgeneralisten und fähig, sich an gestörte Umgebungen anzupassen. Hiervon sind zwei Primatenarten ausgenommen, der Javaneraffe Macaca fascicularis und der schwarze Haubenlangur Trachypithecus auratus, deren Lebensraum nur auf Wald beschränkt war. Die Ergebnisse der Habitatpräferenzanalysen von vier Arten, die direkt erfasst worden waren, waren bei drei Arten mangels ausreichender Daten wenig aussagekräftig. Das Wildschwein Sus scrofa zeigte eine signifikante Präferenz für Wald und Wiesen, es mied Buschland bei der Nahrungssuche. Die Mitglieder der Säugetiergemeinschaft spielen anscheinend eine wichtige Rolle als Samenverbreiter bei der Erholung der Wälder der Dieng Mountains, und wir erhoffen uns, dass diese Studie als Grundlage für die Schaffung eines wirksamen Naturschutzplans zur Verbesserung des Dieng Mountains Ökosystems dient. Betrachtet man den Trend der menschlichen Bevölkerungsexpansion und die Landnutzungsmuster in den Dieng Mountains, mag das Schicksal der Wälder und der Tierwelt in diesem Gebiet vor allem durch die Höhe zukünftiger Störungen durch Menschen bestimmt werden. Günstigenfalls kann sich eine wechselseitige Beziehung zwischen Wald und den Menschen, die ihn nutzen, entwickeln, was ein nachhaltiges Management von Wald und Landschaft zur Folge haben könnte. Weitere Forschung ist notwendig, um die Folgen der landwirtschaftlichen Praktiken in den Dieng Mountains, einschließlich der Auswirkungen von Pestiziden und Düngemitteln auf die Wildbestände, zu untersuchen. Description The pressure from population growth in Indonesia’s Java Island has resulted in grave deforestation and forest degradation, leaving only 8.2 percent of forest cover remaining in 2006-2007. Population pressure continued to shrink Java’s forest cover through land conversion into settlement areas and agricultural fields, leaving small, isolated forest patches situated on mountain tops, like the ones found in the Dieng Mountains. Located in Central Java Province, Indonesia, the Dieng Mountains ecosystem has an important role in providing a wide range of goods and services, especially in supplying freshwater to its adjacent areas and maintaining biodiversity. However, the montane forests in the Dieng Mountains suffer from degradation caused by population pressure. Poor farming practices have resulted in the occurrence of pesticide pollution, a high level of erosion, soil sedimentation in lakes and reservoirs, landslides, and mud floods. Forest fires, illegal logging, forest looting, followed by land encroachment and shifting cultivation, have replaced the mature montane forests with young secondary vegetation. Regrowth forests have become the major vegetation type surrounding the Dieng Plateau, and with current farming practices, the trend of their formation indicates that they will persist into the future. So far, little has been done to deal with regrowth forests in the Dieng Mountains, and their value in terms of ecosystem functioning and biodiversity preservation has been insufficiently studied. Since the Dieng montane forests are known to harbor many endemic and rare wildlife species, it is important to understand how wildlife species in this area cope with habitat change. This research is an attempt to examine the impact of land use change resulting from humaninduced disturbances to the local flora and fauna, specifically to bird and mammal communities. The results of this research will provide an overview of the present condition of the Dieng Mountains ecosystem and help to fill in the information gaps left by previous studies. This research will provide policymakers with knowledge of the current state of the Dieng Mountains, allowing them to develop an effective program with reasonable goals and take appropriate actions in their effort to improve the ecological conditions of the Dieng Mountains. Vegetation data were collected in habitats that represent various ages of second-growth vegetation, namely woodland, shrubland, and grassland. A stratified systematic sampling with a random start was used to collect data on various growthforms of plant species. Vegetation parameters (i.e. species density, dominance, diameter class distribution) were then calculated. Plant species richness and diversity, and stands similarity were analyzed using SPADE. The bird census was carried out in the same locations chosen for vegetation surveys using the point transect distance method, with additional data collections in agricultural land. The results were then analyzed using the programs DISTANCE 6.0 release 2 for estimating the bird densities, and SPADE for estimating bird species richness and diversity. Surveys of mammal signs were also carried out in the same locations chosen for vegetation surveys and bird censuses by using a strip transect of 2-m width, crisscrossing the habitats in a random direction. Mammal species richness and the habitat preference of each species were then analyzed. In addition, interviews with local people were also conducted to gather supplementary information regarding the mammalian community in the Dieng Mountains. Our results show that the development of the secondary vegetation of the Dieng Mountains was highly influenced by its land use history and reforestation programs run by the local government. The vegetation structure of woodland and shrubland of the Dieng Mountains were similar, characterized with the typical simple structure normally found in a tropical secondary forest, an open canopy, and dense undergrowth. Few trees populated the grassland; no sign of tree invasion was found in this habitat, despite its close proximity to natural forest patches. The relatively low tree regenerations in all the habitats may be attributed to harsh environmental conditions caused by the high altitudinal location and the impact of forest clearings in the past, as well as competition with herbs. The effect of human activities in those habitats may also be an important factor slowing down the vegetation recovery. The impact of reforestations in shaping the floristic composition of the secondary vegetation was seen in the domination of tree species planted during the course of the program: the non-native species Acacia decurrens and Cupressus sempervirens, and Indonesian mountain species Schima wallichii. Pioneer shrub species Melastoma affine and grass Imperata cylindrica and Isachne globosa, as well as ruderal species Eupatorium odoratum, Eupatorium riparium, Buddleja asiatica, and Rubus rosaefolius dominated the undergrowth vegetation. Specifically in grassland, the small fern Gleichenia dichotoma’s domination seemed to suppress the growth of coexisting grass species, leading to the domination of a herb species, Conyza javanica, over pioneer grass species. Native Indonesian tree species were discovered as natural regrowth in a relatively small number. Compared with similar studies in other secondary forests, the richness of plant species found in the Dieng Mountains was considerably lower, especially that of woody plants. The contribution of the shrub and herb categories to more than 80 percent of the total species richness indicates the scarcity of tree species in our research area. In general, plant species richness and diversity were found highest in shrubland. The lowest species richness was found in woodland, while the lowest plant species diversity was recorded in grassland. These results may be related to the level of disturbance in each habitat, which shrubland experienced at an intermediate level. The similarity of plant species composition among habitats in each category was very high. This suggests that woodland and shrubland were still in a comparable stage of succession, despite the age difference between both habitats, while grassland may not succeed in developing into a forest. Considering the trend of population expansion in the Dieng Mountains, the fate of the secondary vegetation in this area may be determined by the level of future interference by humans. In various habitats in the Dieng Mountains, birds were found in relatively low densities. Based on previous studies by other authors, the occurrence of birds in low densities is common in a tropical landscape in which farmland and secondary vegetation are mixed into mosaics. The woodland of the Dieng Mountains, which had the most complex vegetation structure compared with the other habitat types, bore the highest bird density and species diversity. As bird assemblages are influenced by their surrounding habitat types, the bird populations in woodland may have been positively affected by woodland’s proximity to the patches of remnant forests on the mountain tops. With a similar, yet less complex vegetation structure and composition than woodland, shrubland had an intermediate level of bird density and species diversity. Despite its lack of mosaic heterogeneity and the presence of only a small number of trees between plots, agricultural land placed second in bird density. Possible causes for this include the proximity of agricultural land to urban areas and its adjacency to shrubland, which provided woody edge habitat; these factors are known to have positive effects on bird abundance and diversity. Grassland had the lowest species richness, species diversity, and bird density. The overall bird species diversity in our study area was low compared with the number of bird species listed in a previous study that also took place in the Dieng Mountains in 2001. However, the bird community was highly heterogeneous, making it likely that the actual species richness was considerably higher than the observed one. Most of the bird species encountered have a low to medium dependency on forest and a broad range of habitat suitability; only six forest-dependent species were recorded. Our results suggest that in its current state, the Dieng Mountains ecosystem can still meet the needs of various bird species populations. This is mainly because of the presence of secondary vegetation, which functions as a substitute habitat for forest-dependent species. However, the persistence of this condition will depend mainly on future agricultural expansion. An expanding agricultural landscape will eventually reduce the abundance and diversity of birds in the Dieng Mountains. Allowing the secondary vegetation to develop into a climax community will increase avian abundance and species diversity. Agroforestry, not yet widely practiced in the study area, also has the potential to have similar positive effects on the avifauna. Nevertheless, the condition of the Dieng Mountains ecosystem still needs to be improved to assure its suitability as a habitat for its native avifauna. Thirteen small to medium-sized mammal species were recorded in our study area through direct surveys and interviews. Two species, the Javan langur Trachypithecus auratus and Javan leopard Panthera pardus melas, were categorized as vulnerable and critically endangered, respectively, under the IUCN Red List. Our results suggest that the second-growth vegetation of the Dieng Mountains still provided a suitable habitat for the mammalian community, with woodland and shrubland each supporting much higher species richness than grassland. The species richness observed in agricultural land was almost as high as that of woodland and shrubland, implying that agricultural land with ist cultivated crops provided food and habitat for most mammal species in the Dieng Mountains. The majority of species listed were habitat generalists and capable of adapting to disturbed environments, except for two primate species, the long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis and Javan langur, whose habitat was confined only to woodland. The results of habitat preference analyses of mammal species recorded directly in the field were mostly inconclusive, owing to the lack of sufficient data. The most meaningful result was with the wild boar Sus scrofa, which showed a significant preference towards woodland and grassland, while avoiding shrubland for foraging. With their function as seed dispersers, the mammalian community’s members play important roles in the Dieng Mountains forest recovery, and therefore we expect this study to serve as a basis for establishing an effective conservation plan towards the improvement of the Dieng Mountains ecosystem. Considering the trend of human population expansion and land use patterns in the Dieng Mountains, the fate of forests and wildlife in this area may mostly be determined by the level of future interference by humans. At best, a mutual relationship can develop between the forest and humans utilizing it, which would give rise to sustainable forest and landscape management. Further research is needed to study the consequences of agricultural practices in the Dieng Mountains, including the effects of pesticides and fertilizers on wildlife populations.
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