Species Diversity of Merapi Mountain National Park, Java, Indonesia Following 2006 Eruption

Vegetation succession after a volcanic eruption is relatively a rare phenomenon, and the study on the subject matter is rather limited. A study was carried out at the Gunung Merapi National Park (GMNP) with the objectives of determining species diversity and distribution, two years after eruption. Five plots (P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5), each with the size of 50 x 20 m were established. The stand distribution pattern was calculated by use of agglomeration and dispersion index, and growth trend of dominant species was measured by correlation between density, diameter and height. The studies show that the importance value index (IVI) of most species was very low, with only the following species adaptive to the post-eruption environment of GMNP, namely Acacia decurrens, Acacia villosa, Cincona rubecea, Erythrina hypaporus, Euophorbia ciacembus, Ficus kubeba, Psidium guajava, Palotus sp, Pinus merkusii, Schima wallichii and Trema sp. The dominant species in the area are A.decurrens and P.merkusii. The distribution of pattern of A.decurrens can be categorized as clumpy, with the index of dispersion (IE) of >1.27 and R0, whereas P.merkusii is distributed in regular (IE » 1.27 and R >2.15) and random patterns (IE » 1.27, R< 2.15). The relationship between density and diameter of A.derurren are inversely proportional at P1, P2, P3 and P4). Similarly, the relationship between density and height of the species at P1, P2, P3 and P4 are inversely proportional.

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