Potential Framework Species in Mt. Musuan, Bukidnon, Philippines

The Philippines is among the severely deforested countries in the tropics and in Southeast Asia. Deforestation resulted to the massive loss of species including aggravated environmental-related disasters and calamities. Recent government program aimed to reforest degraded lands had been initiated through the “National Greening Program†thus the need to identify potential indigenous and endemic species to be used for forest restoration and/or reforestation was recognized. Using the “framework species approach†(FSA), this study was conducted to determine potential candidate species. Sampling method involves rapid assessment thru a 1000 m transect walk and random establishment of six sampling plots measuring 10 x 10 m² within the successional forest and grassland community of Mt. Musuan. Potential candidate species was assessed mainly via quantitative measures (i.e. relative frequency and density) as this suggest the species’ ability to colonize, inhabit and survive on degraded areas. A total of twenty-one tree species were identified to include: Wikstroemia lanceolata Merr., Ficus ampeles Burm.f., Wendlandia luzoniensis DC., Glochidion lutescens Blume, Glochidion album (=Phyllanthus albus (Blanco.) Muell.Arg.), Myrsine mindanaensis (Elmer) Pipoly,  Cratoxylum sumatranum Jack (Blume), Cratoxylum formosum (Jacq.) Benth.& Hook.f.ex Dyer, Rhus taitensis Guill., Neonauclea formicaria (Elmer) Merr., Neonauclea media (Havil.) Merr., Antidesma ghaesembilla Gaertn., Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng., Polyscias nodosa (Blume) Seem., Gmelina elliptica Sm., Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume, Lepisanthes fruticosa (Roxb.) Leenh., Ficus pseudopalma Blanco, Crypteronia paniculata Blume, Vitex parviflora A. Juss. and Leucosyke capitellata Wedd.

 

Keywords: framework species, forest restoration, Mt. Musuan, successional forest