Vegetation inventory on Ilin Island, SW Mindoro, Philippines

• Main Author: Mandia, Emelina H.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2024
• Subjects: Vegetation surveys > Philippines > Ilin Island; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/12181
• Institution: De La Salle University

Ilin Island, Mindoro's largest satellite island in its southwestern tip, is one of the three identified habitats of the endangered endemic Philippine teak (Tectona philippinensis Benth, & Hook.) and the only habitat in the world of the critically endangered bushy-tailed cloudrat (Crateromys paulos). A vegetation inventory to determine the diversity, location, association, population and economic importance of plant species in the remaining intact forests on the island was carried out in two separate periods (October 2003 and May-June 2004). Twenty-five (25) rectangular plots (10 m x 20 m) were laid following the proposed biophysical survey design for Philippine forest resources. Results showed that the forests on Ilin Island can be classified into non-teak and teak forests. These forests still show high species diversity (289 species in 84 families and 221 genera) though now confined on highly protected private lands and occurring in small and widely separated patches. The species population inventory shows extremely low count and distribution for all economically important and native tree species from regeneration to mature reproductive individuals. A very low population of the Philippine teak (44 individuals [>10 cm DBH] in 6 plots) now occurs on the island. Both ethnobiological accounts and actual surveys corroborate the near or already local extinction of many floral elements due to frequent episodes of anthropogenic fire and rampant cutting of trees for logs, firewood and charcoal. Thus, Ilin Island needs an immediate resources conservation and management attention.