Assessment and future projection of the impact of tropical forest fragmentation on phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic community structure

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15175
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: National Institute for Environmental Studies (2019-2022); University of the Ryukyus (2017-2018)
• Principal Investigator: Toyama Hironori 国立研究開発法人国立環境研究所, 生物多様性領域, 特別研究員 (00571837)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: マレーシア / 植生調査 / 種同定 / 誤同定 / 多様性評価

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Specimens of plot trees, established in small protected forests called "plau" (meaning 'island') in Borneo, Malaysia, were collected for species identification using DNA barcoding (rbcL + matK) and to assess species richness and phylogenetic diversity. A total of 1259 plot trees were checked the identification, and a diversity assessment was conducted in the Limau area (3 plots, 542 individuals), where specimens could be imported. The species richness was recorded as 82, 80, and 77, while the phylogenetic diversity was calculated as 2913, 3058, and 2741 (in million years), respectively. Although these findings are preliminary, a comparison of species richness before and after species identification based on the specimens collected in this study, indicated no significant changes. However, there were differences of approximately 10% at the family level, 30% at the genus level, and 60% at the species level.

Free Research Field

植物生態学、植物分類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

落ち葉標本や幹の形質を利用した種同定では、科レベルで誤同定が生じてしまっていた。特に熱帯では高木になる種が多いため、この問題は顕著であることが予想される。多様性評価のためには、きちんと標本を採集し、それに基づいた種同定を行う必要性がある。