Comparison of macrofungal diversity between peat swamp forest and oil palm smallholding in Peninsular Malaysia

Authors:
Siti Noor Shuhada Rajihan, Sabiha Salim, Frisco Nobilly and Badrul Azhar

Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Kuching

Keywords:
ecology, macrofungal, peat-swamp-forest, smallholding

Documentfile:
ipc16p219-223a448rajihansalim.etal_.pdf

Summary:

SUMMARY

The North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest is the second largest peat swamp forest ecosystem in Peninsular Malaysia. Changes in land use of peat swamp forest to oil palm agriculture can alter the macrofungal diversity. This study aimed to quantify the macrofungal diversity at three different landscapes; peat swamp forest, monoculture oil palm smallholding and polyculture oil palm smallholding. Five microclimate characteristics were studied, namely, air temperature, humidity, soil pH, soil moisture and wind speed. Substrates availability and vegetation structure such as canopy closure and canopy cover were also measured. A total of 45 plots were established using 9 transect lines in the study area. In January 2016 during rainfall season, a total of 608 macrofungal cluster recorded belongs to 56 families and 81 genera. The number of morphospecies and macrofungal cluster collection were higher (P≤0.001) at…