<em>SHOREA</em> <em>LEPROSULA</em> AS AN INDICATOR SPECIES FOR SITE FERTILITY EVALUATION IN DIPTEROCARP FORESTS OF PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Abstract

Soil chemical properties of Tekam and Pasoh forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia were determined. In addition, foliar from four test species, namely Shorea leprosula, Shorea parvifolia, Shorea ovalis and Koompassia malaccensis were sampled and analysed. All trees of > 10 cm dbh were enumerated and their basal area calculated. Using Simple Regression analysis and Stepwise Regression analysis, the soil and foliar data were correlated against each other and against accumulated basal area. The results indicate that K is the primary limiting nutrient on both sites. The possibility of using the foliar of Shorea leprosula for fertility and growth evaluation under lowland rain forest is discussed.