Floristic Composition of Buah Hitam Habitats in Lowland Tropical Mixed Forest of West Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

The biotic factors in tropical lowland forests, especially vegetation, are essential for the sustainable management of forest products. The study aimed to investigate the species richness and diversity of trees in Buah Hitam habitats, and study the tree communities formed by tree species by collecting the data from the habitats of Buah Hitam in Wondama Bay, West Papua, Indonesia viz. primary forest, secondary, and the garden with plots 9, 9, and 8 respectively. The species richness and diversity were higher in the primary forest than that in the secondary and garden. Tree communities indicated that the primary forest differed from the secondary and garden. The habitat types have been shaped as a result of anthropogenic activities for decades. This finding is necessary to set the consensual programs by the government and local people particularly in conservation and sustainable management for the three habitats.