INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSERVATION SCIENCE ISSN: 2067-533X Volume 10, Issue 2, April-June 2019: 393-402 www.ijcs.uaic.ro CONSERVATION STATUS OF PLANT DIVERSITY AT DONG NA TARD PROVINCIAL PROTECTED AREA, LAO PEOPLE’ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Somphong CHANTHAVONG1*, Inocencio E. BUOT Jr 2 1Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Savannakhet University, Lao PDR 2 Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baňos, Philippines Abstract The conservation status of plant diversity in Dong Na Tard Provincial Protected Area (PPA) is still relatively unknown. This paper aimed to categorize and assess the threatened plants at the local level for effective park management. The current use of plants was documented using Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). There were 70 species in 33 families that were assessed. The conservation status of plant species was perceived by local people as very high importance (14.29%), high importance (62.86%), moderate importance (20%), low importance (1.43%), and very low importance (1.42%). Based on this study, all plant species were categorized as critically endangered (5.71% - CR), endangered (32.86% - EN), vulnerable (44.29% - VU), near threatened (15.71% - NT), and least concern (1.43% - LC). Data suggested an immediate need for conservation planning. Strong support for conservation programs and strict enactment of laws are imperative to address the threats to plant diversity loss. Keywords: Dong Na Tard; Diversity; Utilization; Conservation status; Threatened species. Introduction Plant diversity is fundamental to the functioning of all human societies and to the operation of all ecosystems [1, 2]. Diversity is usually observed in protected areas [3] because they are protected by laws and regulations. Despite several existing conservation policies and regulatory mechanisms, threats to plant diversity loss continue to escalate [4]. The utilization of such resource is becoming increasingly scarce and vulnerable to extinction due to improper conservation practices [5-6] and lack of information on the conservation status of plant species. Dong Na Tard Provincial Protected Area (PPA) is a case where proper documentation of plant species, is nil to be effectively managed by laws and regulations. To date, many plant species are becoming increasingly rare and maybe vulnerable to extinction due to anthropogenic disturbances. Although International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) [3] had assessed the conservation status of threatened plant species in three districts of Savannakhet province (North-Eastern part of the province), the species were categorized at global scale. Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) [7] also listed the species but only at national level. For Dong Na Tard PPA, many threatened plant species have not been assessed and/or included yet in IUCN [3] and MAF [7]. Inclusion of these species is quite important as effective conservation efforts can only be implemented if the information on the threatened plant species is available in particular areas [4, 8, 9]. * Corresponding author: [email protected] S. CHANTHAVONG and I.E. E. BUOT.Jr Knowing the conservation status of the plant diversity is imperative. The spatial distribution of plant species and its utilization by local people, and their conservation status, especially those under imminent threat, is vitally needed for the management. This basic information is important for the development of key forest management plans, policies and strategies. This study attempted to list the uses of plants and then determine their conservation status at the local level. Material and methods Study area Dong Na Tard PPA is located in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR covering a total area of 6,385 ha (Fig. 1). It lies between 16º 35' 20" and 16º 40' 40" N latitude and between 104º 50' 00" and 104º 57' 10" E longitude. It is influenced by the North-East and South-West monsoons causing highly uneven rainfall. The annual average temperature is 27.2℃, while the relative humidity is 74%, and rainfall is 1,445 mm·year-1 [10]. Fig. 1. Map of Dong Na Tard Provincial Protected Area (2014) Determining plant users Participatory field surveys and key informant interviews (KIIs) were done. The criteria in selecting KIIs were based on the knowledge and experiences using plant diversity of local people [11].The guidelines discussed with the KIIs were adapted and modified from Feyssa [6] including name of species, life-form, utilization types, habitat, and conservation status of plant diversity. Secondary data were also taken from the Lao Flora by Inthakoun [12] and A Rapid Participatory Biodiversity Assessment [13]. Categorizing threatened plant species The local conservation status of plant species was arrived at using weighted score method. A scoring system was devised based on global and national threatened plant assessments, perception of plant users, and values of relative frequency (RF) of each species obtained during the field surveys [10]. The criteria were adopted and modified from Sopsop and Buot [4]; Villanueva and Buot [9] and Yonzone [11] using the following: scale 1 (very low importance), scale 2 (low importance), scale 3 (moderate importance), scale 4 (high importance), and scale 5 (very high importance). With respect to IUCN [3], we assigned scales as follows: - Critically Endangered (CR) = 5; 394 INT J CONSERV SCI 10, 2, 2019: 393-402 CONSERVATION STATUS OF PLANT DIVERSITY AT DONG NA TARD PROVINCIAL PROTECTED AREA , LAO - Endangered (EN) = 4; - Vulnerable (VU) = 3; - Near Threatened (NT) = 2 and - Least Concern (LC) = 1. With respect to MAF [7], we assigned scales as follows: - Prohibition (PR) = 5; - Special (SP) = 4; - Management I (MA I) = 3; - Management II (MA II) = 2 and - Management III (MA III) = 1. With respect to perception of plant users, we assigned scales as follows: - Very High Importance (frequent harvesting is always disturbed) = 5; - High Importance = 4; - Moderate Importance = 3; - Low Importance = 2 and - Very Low Importance (least harvesting) = 1. With respect to relative frequency, we assigned scales as follows: - Very Low Frequency (0 – 20%) = 5; - Low Frequency (21 – 40%) = 4; - Moderate Frequency (41 – 60%) = 3; - High Frequency (61 – 80%) = 2 and - Very High Frequency (81 – 100%) = 1. Conservation Status (CR, EN, VU, NT, and LC) = IUCN (2008) + MAF (2012) + perception of plant users + relative frequency. The values were classified into five categories of local threatened species as follows: - Critically Endangered (CR): 17-20; - Endangered (EN): 13-16; - Vulnerable (VU): 9-12; - Near Threatened (NT): 5-8 and - Least Concerned (LC): 1-4. Results and discussion Plant utilization by local people Majority of the 70 plant species (63.5%) identified were used for varied purposes: food, fire wood, rice field and garden fences, feeding of domestic animals, and house roofing materials. Of total number of species 12 or 17% was used for building materials and making furniture. Some 11 or 16% of the species was used for traditional medicines and 2 or 3% were commonly used for charcoal production (Fig. 2a and Table 1), while 1 or 1.5% was used for making traditional light torches (Fig. 2b and Table 1). Considering all plant uses, the local people still perceived that of the 70 plant species identified, 14.29% were very high importance, 62.86% of high importance, 20% of moderate importance, 1.43% of low importance, and 1.42% of very low importance (Table 1). Table 1. Conservation status of plant diversity in Dong Na Tard Provincial Protected Area. Conservation status is the total value of IUCN (2008), MAF (2012, perception by plant users, and relative frequency (RF) of a species Lao Family Local name Plant General Perception Iucn Rf Total This maf Species (laos) Habit Uses By users 2008 Values Study 2012 Anacadiaceae Spondias pinnata E (Koening & L.F.) MakKok Tree Edible fruit 5 2 1 5 13 N Ancistrocladaceae Ancistrocladus tectorius Khu Hang V (Lour.) Merr kouy Herb Medicial plant 4 5 9 U http://www.ijcs.uaic.ro 395 S. CHANTHAVONG and I.E. E. BUOT.Jr Apocynaceae V Alstonia rostrata Fisher Mai Tin pet Tree Timber 4 2 1 5 12 U Wrightia arborea V (Dennstedt) Mabberley Mai Mouk Tree Timber 4 5 9 U Arecaceae V Cocos nucifera L. Ton Makpao Tree Firewood 5 5 10 U Wallichia gracilis V Beccari Ton Tao Tree Fruit 4 5 9 U Bignoniaceae Fernandoa adenophylla V Wall ex. G. Don Ton Kaekhon Tree Firewood 4 5 9 U Oroxylum indicum (L.) V Ventenat. Kok Lin mai Tree Fruit 4 5 9 U Bombacaceae Bombax albidum Timber, decorated E Gagnepain NgieuPaa Tree plant 5 2 1 5 13 N Combretaceae Ton V Terminalia catappa L. Houkouang Tree Timber 4 5 9 U Terminalia corticosa Mai Peuy E Pirre ex Lanessan lard Tree Timber 4 2 3 5 14 N Cucurbitaceae Ton N Lagenaria siceraria Maknamtao Tree Timber 3 5 8 T Dipterocapaceae Good Anisoptera costata Korth Mai Bak Tree timber 5 4 3 5 17 CR Dipterocarpus obtusifolius Good Teijsm.exMiq Mai Sad Tree timber 4 4 3 5 17 CR Dipterocarpus spp Roxburgh Timber, ex G Mai Nhang Tree income 3 4 3 1 11 VU Mai Good Hopea odorata Roxb Khaenhua Tree timber 5 3 4 5 17 CR Building Hopea recopei Pierre Mai La Aen Tree materials 4 4 3 5 16 EN Building Shorea obtusa Wall. ex Blume Mai Chik Tree materials 4 2 3 5 14 EN Vatica odorata (Griff.) Mai Jik Building Symington dong Tree materials 4 2 3 5 14 EN Ebenaceae Diospyros filipendula Pirre ex KokKanthon Lecomte g Tree Food 1 3 4 LC Diospyros malabarica (Desr.) Kok Lang Good Kostel dam Tree timber 4 2 4 4 14 EN Ton Good Diospyros mollis Griffith Makkuoi Tree