Management of Forest Resources and Environment THE STATUS OF CONIFEROUS PLANTS OF NAM NUNG NATURE RESERVE IN DAK NONG PROVINCE Nguyen Thi Thu1, Pham Thanh Trang2, Phung Thi Tuyen3, Tran Thi Tu Duoc4, Hoang Thanh Luong5 1,2,3,4Vietnam National University of Forestry 5Daknong Department of Forest Protection SUMMARY In this study, we discovered additionally one species (Cephalotaxus mannii Hook.f.) and one family (Cephalotaxaceae) of coniferous plants for Nam Nung Nature Reserve in Dak Nong province. Therefore, the total of species and family of this area increased to seven and three, respectively (including Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f., Dacrydium elatum (Roxb.) Wall. ex Hook., Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) de Laub., Podocarpus neriifolius D. Don; Keteleeria evelyniana Mast., Pinus massoniana Lamb., and Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vriese. Especially, five species are listed in the IUCN Red as VU (two species) and LC (three species). There is one species listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book (2007) as VU (Keteleeria evelyniana Mast.). In addition, two species are listed in the Decree 32/ND-CP as IIA as Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f. and Keteleeria evelyniana Mast. Therefore, that species distributed in altitude from 800 m to 1,535 m. These findings will significantly provide scientific data for biodiversity management especially for threatened coniferous plant species in Nam Nung Nature Reserve. Furthermore, the result from our research will promote the further study about biodiversity in this area. Keywords: Coniferous, distribution, Nam Nung Nature Reserve, species composition. I. INTRODUCTION conducted necessary research on species Nam Nung Nature Reserve (Dak Nong compositions, conservation status and province) is located in five communes: Nam distribution of coniferous species in Nam Nung Nung, Nam N’Dir and Duc Xuyen (Krong No NR in order to provide sufficient scientific data district); Dac Hoa (Dak Song district) and for management and conservation of this area. Quang Son (Dak Glong district), with 20,156 II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ha. Nam Nung Nature Reserve (Nam Nung 2.1. Content NR) has special climate with four seasons in a Research on species compositions and day. Primary forests distribute from 800 m to distribution of coniferous species over 1,200 m. Nam Nung NR also possesses a Research on natural conservation status of high biodiversity (Dak Nong Department of coniferous species Forest Protection, 2011). There are 881 2.2. Methods vascular plant species, which belong to 541 Secondary data collection genera, 175 families, and six phyla (Dak Nong Desk study method was conducted, the Department of Forest Protection, 2011). Many secondary data of coniferous plant diversity in species have a scientific value, especially in Nam Nung Nature were collected carefully conifer such as Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f., from the previous studies. Dacrydium elatum (Roxb.) Wall. ex Hook. Field work However, by supporting economic We used the current vegetation types map to development, especially due to disaster and identify the distribution of all the vegetation human activities like over-exploitation, the types in this area and then decide the transect coniferous species have been damaged locations. Three transects were established seriously in recent years. Therefore, this study from the base to the top of the hills so that the JOURNAL OF FORESTRY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NO. 2 - 2018 141 Management of Forest Resources and Environment samples of all vegetation types on different Besides, interviewing local people, forest slopes and reliefs were recorded and identified. rangers, and local authorities in the research On each transect, there are systematically- site about natural distributed, the current spaced 15 plots of 25 m x 40 m size. All situation as well as existing threats of coniferous species were recorded in the 1000 coniferous in Nam Nung NR was analysed. m2 plots. Also, the specimens were collected as III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION well as took pictures. At each plot, GPS data 3.1. Diversity and distribution of coniferous were recorded for longitude, latitude and species in Nam Nung Nature Reserve altitude. All plants were listed and annotated. a. Diversity of coniferous species Indentification of specimens and A total of seven coniferous species were conservation assessment found in Nam Nung NR belonging to three Identification of plant specimens were made families including Cephalotaxaceae, based on the major literatures of Nguyen, T.H. Podocarpaceae, and Pinaceae. The family et al. (2004), Nghia, N.H. (2004), and other Podocarpaceae has three species such as recent reports. These specimens were Dacrydium elatum (Roxb.) Wall. ex Hook., deposited in herbarium of Vietnam National Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) de Laub., University of Forestry (VNUF). Conservation and Podocarpus neriifolius D. Don. Likewise, assessment of the threatened species were Pinaceae has three species (Keteleeria followed IUCN Red List, the Vietnam Red evelyniana Mast., Pinus massoniana Lamb., Data Book, and the Degree No 32 issued by and Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vriese). By Vietnamese government about list of contrast, Cephalotaxaceae has only one species threatened species need to be conserved. (Cephalotaxus mannii Hook.f.). Table 1. Coniferous species compositions in Nam Nung Nature Reserve Collection No. Scientific name Vietnamese name number/Picture I Cephalotaxaceae Đỉnh tùng 1 Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f. Đỉnh tùng NN160323001 II Podocarpaceae Kim giao 2 Dacrydium elatum (Roxb.) Wall. ex Hook. Hồng tùng NN160323002 3 Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) de Laub. Thông lông gà NN160323003 4 Podocarpus neriifolius D. Don Thông tre NN160323004 III Pinaceae Thông 5 Keteleeria evelyniana Mast. Du sam núi đất Picture 6 Pinus massoniana Lamb. Thông mã vĩ Picture 7 Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vriese Thông ba lá Picture b. Distribution of coniferous species the remaining species are located from 1,200 m Most coniferous species in Nam Nung NR to 1,535 m. Especially, Cephalotaxus mannii are distributed between 800 m to 1,535 m Hook. f. was the first time recorded as above sea level. Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de naturally distribution in Nam Nung NR and its Vriese and Pinus massoniana Lamb. are elevations from 1,200 m to 1,300 m. located at elevations lower than 1,000 m while 142 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NO. 2 - 2018 Management of Forest Resources and Environment Table 2. Distribution of coniferous species Vietnamese Altitude Located No. Scientific names names (m) points I Cephalotaxaceae Đỉnh tùng 421123/ 1 Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f. Đỉnh tùng 1200 - 1300 1354809 II Podocarpaceae Kim giao 420206/ 2 Dacrydium elatum (Roxb.) Wall.ex Hook. Hồng tùng 1535 1355600 420708/ 3 Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) de Laub. Thông lông gà 1200 - 1300 1355313 421156/ 4 Podocarpus neriifolius D. Don Thông tre 1200 - 1300 1355346 III Pinaceae Thông 420993/ 5 Keteleeria evelyniana Mast. Du sam núi đất 1196 1356373 419260/ 6 Pinus massoniana Lamb. Thông mã vĩ 800 1348797 418340/ 7 Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vriese Thông ba lá 887 1350190 Figure 1. Distribution of coniferous plantsin Nam Nung NR Pinus massoniana Lamb. Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vriese Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f.; Dacrydium elatum (Roxb.) Wall. ex Hook.; Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) de Laub.; Podocarpus neriifolius D. Don; and Keteleeria evelyniana Mast. JOURNAL OF FORESTRY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NO. 2 - 2018 143 Management of Forest Resources and Environment 3.2. Natural conservation status of listed in the IUCN Red list (2001), two speices coniferous species in Nam Nung NR are listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book Results from survey investigation indicated (2007) and one species is listed in Decree 32 o that seven coniferous species were found in the Vietnamese government in 2006. Nam Nung NR. Of which five species are Table 3. The natural conservation status of coniferous species in Nam Nung NR Vietnam Red Vietnamese Decree No. Scientific names Data Book IUCN, 2001 names 32/CP/2006 (2007) I Cephalotaxaceae Đỉnh tùng VU A2cd 1 Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f. Đỉnh tùng IIA (ver 3.1) II Podocarpaceae Kim giao Least Dacrydium elatum (Roxb.) 2 Hồng tùng Concern (LC) Wall. ex Hook. (ver 3.1) Least Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) Thông lông 3 Concern (LC) de Laub. gà (ver 3.1) Least 4 Podocarpus neriifolius D. Don Thông tre Concern (LC) (ver 3.1) III Pinaceae Thông VU A2cd; Du sam núi 5 Keteleeria evelyniana Mast. VU A1a, c, d IIA B2ab(iii) đất (ver 3.1) Note: EN: Endangered; VU: Vulnerable; LC: Least concern; IIA: Restricting exploitation and use for commercial purpose. Figure 2. Stem and leaves Figure 3. Seedling of of Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f. Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f. 144 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NO. 2 - 2018 Management of Forest Resources and Environment Table 4. The number of mature coniferous plants in Nam Nung NR Average Average Vietnamese Number No. Scientific names DBH Height Status names of plants (cm) (m) I Cephalotaxaceae Đỉnh tùng Cephalotaxus mannii 1 Đỉnh tùng 3 8.2 9.6 Good Hook. f. II Podocarpaceae Kim giao Dacrydium elatum 2 Hồng tùng 1 33 22 Good (Roxb.) Wall. ex Hook. Dacrycarpus imbricatus 3 Thông lông gà 5 12.6 8.4 Good (Blume) de Laub. Podocarpus neriifolius 4 Thông tre 6 22 13.2 Good D. Don III Pinaceae Thông Keteleeria evelyniana 5 Du sam núi đất 1 180 40 Good Mast. DBH: Diameter at breast height. The number of mature coniferous plants Hook. and Keteleeria evelyniana Mast. have were few (16 plants). Especially, two species only one individual tree. Most trees of all including Dacrydium elatum (Roxb.) Wall. ex species are growing well. Table 5. The number of seedling trees in Nam Nung NR Vietnamese Numbers STT Scientific names Height (m) Growth Origin names of seedling I Cephalotaxaceae Đỉnh tùng Cephalotaxus mannii 1 Đỉnh tùng 1 0.8 Good Seed Hook. f. II Podocarpaceae Kim giao Dacrydium elatum 2 Hồng tùng 0 (Roxb.) Wall. ex Hook. Dacrycarpus imbricatus 3 Thông lông gà 30 1.2 Good Seed (Blume) de Laub.