Population and autecology of the endangered Rafflesia meijeri in Batang Gadis National Park, Indonesia

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DOI https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d240360
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Vol. 24 No. 3 (2023)
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Articles
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RIDAHATI RAMBEY ♥
Department of Forestry, Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Jl. Kampus 2 USU Bekala, Pancur Batu, Deli Serdang 20353, North Sumatra, Indonesia
NIRWAN SAPUTRA
Department of Forestry, Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Jl. Kampus 2 USU Bekala, Pancur Batu, Deli Serdang 20353, North Sumatra, Indonesia
IFHAM FUADI RAMBE
Batang Gadis National Park, Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation. Jl. Willem Iskandar, Mandailing Natal 22915, North Sumatra, Indonesia
BOBBY NOPANDRY
Batang Gadis National Park, Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation. Jl. Willem Iskandar, Mandailing Natal 22915, North Sumatra, Indonesia
SYAHDIN ZUNAIDI
Batang Gadis National Park, Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation. Jl. Willem Iskandar, Mandailing Natal 22915, North Sumatra, Indonesia
EVO LORIVA CHRISTY
Batang Gadis National Park, Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation. Jl. Willem Iskandar, Mandailing Natal 22915, North Sumatra, Indonesia
TEGUH SETIAWAN
Batang Gadis National Park, Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation. Jl. Willem Iskandar, Mandailing Natal 22915, North Sumatra, Indonesia
YUNUS AFIFUDDIN
Department of Forestry, Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Jl. Kampus 2 USU Bekala, Pancur Batu, Deli Serdang 20353, North Sumatra, Indonesia
ADRIAN HARTANTO
Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Jl. Bioteknologi, Medan 20155, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Rambey R, Saputra N, Rambe IF, Nopandry B, Zunaidi S, Christy EL, Setiawan T, Afifuddin Y, Hartanto A. 2023. Population and autecology of the endangered Rafflesia meijeri in Batang Gadis National Park, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 1845-1852. Indonesia is renowned for its tropical forests, which harbor high biodiversity. One of the notable flora found in the Indonesian forest is the holoparasitic plant Rafflesia, which attaches to its host, Tetrastigma spp. Among the 30 species of Rafflesia, 11 species have geographical distribution in Indonesia, specifically in Sumatra, Java, and Kalimantan. Rafflesia is listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List, highlighting the conservation importance of this plant group. The objective of this study was to determine the number of individuals, ecological conditions, and structure of plant species composition in the habitat of Rafflesia meijeri Wiriad. & Sari in two localities (i.e. Sopotinjak and Pagar Gunung) in Batang Gadis National Park. Population and autecology data of R. meijeri were collected using the nested plot method and the vegetation community was analyzed in terms of the Importance Value Index (IVI), biodiversity and richness indices. The results of the study indicated that in Sopotinjak there was one individual of R. meijeri in the bract phase, two individuals in the ruptured copule phase, and 13 individuals in the round copule phase. In Pagar Gunung, there were 19 individuals in the late blooming phase, seven individuals were in the bract phase, three individuals were in the copule phase, and two individuals were in the ruptured copule phase. Species with the highest IVI in the vegetation community around the habitat of R. meijeri from seedling, sapling, pole to tree level in Pagar Gunung were Litsea firma (Blume) Hook.fil., Eugenia pyriformis Cambess., Cinnamomum burmanni (Nees & T.Nees) Blume, and Castanopsis javanica (Blume) A.DC., respectively. Species that were significantly associated with R. meijeri in Sopotinjak were Kyllinga brevifolia, Melastoma malabathricum L., Calamus paspalanthus Becc, Calamus rotang L., and Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth. The discovery of nine specimens of the host plant Tetrastigma papillosum (Blume) Planch. in Pagar Gunung and Sopotinjak indicates the importance conservation efforts aimed at conserving R. meijeri, as well as the flora and habitats that are intricately linked to it.

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References
At Sopotinjak found 23 plant species, but only 7 species had IVI above 10%. Eugenia polyantha from the Myrtaceae family. occupies the highest position with an IVI of 18.19%. While the results of the research by Laksana et all (2018) on the habitat of Rafflesia (Rafflesia zollingeriana) in the Krecek Resort Bandealit Block, Meru Betiri National Park, East Java, were found to have the highest IVI seedling rate, namely Polyalthia rumphii from the Annonaceae family of 71.84%. The results of the vegetation analysis at the seedling level can be seen in Table 5. At Pagar Gunung for the seedling level, 21 plant species were found but only 8 species had IVI above 10 %. Litsea firma has the highest IVI that is equal to 33.73%. The results of the vegetation analysis at the seedling level can be seen in Table 5.
At the Sopotinjak location, 27 species of plants were found at the sapling level, but only 5 species had an IVI of above 10%. Eugenia polyantha has the highest IVI of 26.59%. The results of the analysis of vegetation at the sapling level can be seen in Table 6. At the Pagar Gunung location, 19 plant species were found at the sapling level, but only 7 species had an IVI of above 10%. Eugenia pyriformis has the highest IVI of 39.99%. The results of the analysis of vegetation at the sapling level can be seen in Table 6.
At the Sopotinjak location, 27 species of pole-level plants were found, but only 6 species had IVI above 10%. Castanopsis javanica had the highest IVI of 59.95. Compared to the results of research by Erlinda et al (2018) Habitat characteristics of Rafflesia (Rafflesia tuan-mudae) in Mount Poteng, Raya Pasi Nature Reserve, West Kalimantan, at the pole level, the highest IVI was found, namely Blumeodendron sp of 14.90%. The results of the analysis of vegetation at the pole level can be seen in table 7. At the pole level, 13 plant species were found. Cinnamomum burmanii had the highest IVI of 54.41%. Meanwhile, the lowest IVI was Artocarpus elasticus of 2.35%. The results of the analysis of vegetation at the pole level can be seen in Table 7.
At the Sopotinjak location, 32 plant species were found at the tree level, but only 7 plant species had IVI above 10%. Castanopsis javanica has the highest IVI of 42.56%. These figures show that Castanopsis javanica dominates the rafflesia habitat in Sopotinjak. At the Pagar Gunung location, 16 plant species were found at the tree level. Castanopsis javanica has the highest IVI of 61.40%. The IVI of a species reflects the level of mastery of a plant species, the higher the importance value, the higher the level of dominance. Rahma (2017) reported the habitat of R. gadutensis at Taman Hutan Raya with the highest IVI at tree level from Litsea sp (18.37%). The results of the analysis of vegetation at the tree level can be seen in Table 8.
Species diversity, richness index of Rafflesia meijerii habitat in Batang Gadis National Park
The species diversity index at all growth stages in the Sopotinjak and Pagar Gunung Batang Gadis National Parks can be seen in Table 9.
Tabel 9. Shannon’s diversity index, Margalef’s species richness of the habitat R. meijerii in the Batang Gadis National Park
Structure Shannon’s Diversity Index (H’) Category Margalef’s species richness (Dmg) Category
Sopotinjak
Shrub 2.93 Moderate 32.85 High
Seedling 3.02 High 22.81 High
Sapling 3.08 High 26.81 High
Pole 3.10 High 26.80 High
Tree 3.12 High 31.81 High
Pagar Gunung
Shrub 2.05 Moderate 19.85 High
Seedling 2.52 Moderate 18.85 High
Sapling 2.36 Moderate 18.80 High
Pole 2.27 Moderate 12.77 High
Tree 2.43 Moderate 15.81 High
Species index values at the Sopotinjak location ranged from moderate to high with a value of 2.93-3.12 (Table 9). The high diversity of species in the Sopotinjak area of the Batang Gadis National Park illustrates the complexity of the community and the variety of plant species in the forest. The type index value at the Pagar Gunung location is moderately absorbed with a value of 2.05-2.52 (Table 9). Based on the Margalef species richness index (Dmg) for the Sopotinjak location with values ranging from 22.81-32.85 it is included in the high category, as well as for the Pagar Gunung location the Margalef species richness index (Dmg) ranges from 12.77-19.85 including the high category. In situ conservation is carried out by protecting its natural habitat, one of which is the Batang Gadis National Park. A successful vegetative propagation method is by grafting the host using Tetrastigma impregnated with Rafflesia onto normal Tetrastigma plant stems (Wicaksono et al. 2016). One form of Rafflesia meijerii conservation is with in-situ and exitu conservation techniques. In-situ conservation is carried out by protecting and maintaining its natural habitat. While exitu conservation is by making a technique of grafting tetrastigma infected with Rafflesia and then planting it in botanical gardens, arboretums and others. Inventory and observation of hosts grown by rafflesia is very necessary for the framework of conservation activities.
Acknowledgments: The authors are thankful to the officials of Batang Gadis National Park for the permit and provision of research material for completion of this research project. Thankful to Universitas Sumatera Utara through funding scheme of TALENTA-USU under contract number: 435/UN5.2.3.1/PPM/SPP-TALENTA USU/2021 on June 18, 2021.
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