Rahmad Zakaria

Publications (5)9.68 Total impact

• Source

  Available from: Asyraf Mansor

  Article: The Flora Composition of Sabang Island, Aceh, Indonesia

  Asyraf M, Rahmad Zakaria, Mashhor Mansor, Musri Musman, Abu Husin Harun
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  ABSTRACT: We provide a checklist of Angiosperms from a rapid flora inventory of Sabang Island, Aceh, Indonesia. This inventory, conducted in April 2010, was carried out to prepare a baseline data of the floral composition in the north-western island archipelago of Aceh. In this exercise, we covered a total of 7 plots (0.2 ha each) and 120 quadrats (1x1 m each) in 7 sampling locations within the island. In total, we recorded 325 species from 211 genera of 68 families. Nine predominant families (i.e. family with ≥ 10 species) are Euphorbiaceae (32 species), Cyperaceae (19 species), Fabaceae (17 species), Moraceae (15 species), Meliaceae (13 species), Lauraceae and Sterculiaceae (12 species, respectively), Rubiaceae (11 species) and Annonaceae (10 species). The volcanic soil of the island could have played a significant role in defining species composition and their abundance. On the non-woody species’ composition and abundance, the increasing magnitude of anthropogenic activities, for example, road and pathways constructions into the forested area, could have enhanced propagule dispersal of non-native plants into the area.
  Check List. 08/2012; 8(4):600-609.
• Source

  Available from: Asyraf Mansor

  Article: The Distribution of Palms and Pandans in Teluk Bahang Permanent Forest Reserve, Penang

  Asyraf Mansor, Rahmad Zakaria
  Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 01/2012; 35(1-35):1511-3701.
• Source

  Available from: Charles H Cannon

  Article: Soils on exposed Sunda shelf shaped biogeographic patterns in the equatorial forests of Southeast Asia.

  J W Ferry Slik, Shin-Ichiro Aiba, Meredith Bastian, Francis Q Brearley, Charles H Cannon, Karl A O Eichhorn, Gabriella Fredriksson, Kuswata Kartawinata, Yves Laumonier, Asyraf Mansor, [......], Carel P van Schaik, Douglas Sheil, Kade Sidiyasa, Eizi Suzuki, Johan L C H van Valkenburg, Campbell O Webb, Serge Wich, Tsuyoshi Yoneda, Rahmad Zakaria, Nicole Zweifel
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  ABSTRACT: The marked biogeographic difference between western (Malay Peninsula and Sumatra) and eastern (Borneo) Sundaland is surprising given the long time that these areas have formed a single landmass. A dispersal barrier in the form of a dry savanna corridor during glacial maxima has been proposed to explain this disparity. However, the short duration of these dry savanna conditions make it an unlikely sole cause for the biogeographic pattern. An additional explanation might be related to the coarse sandy soils of central Sundaland. To test these two nonexclusive hypotheses, we performed a floristic cluster analysis based on 111 tree inventories from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. We then identified the indicator genera for clusters that crossed the central Sundaland biogeographic boundary and those that did not cross and tested whether drought and coarse-soil tolerance of the indicator genera differed between them. We found 11 terminal floristic clusters, 10 occurring in Borneo, 5 in Sumatra, and 3 in Peninsular Malaysia. Indicator taxa of clusters that occurred across Sundaland had significantly higher coarse-soil tolerance than did those from clusters that occurred east or west of central Sundaland. For drought tolerance, no such pattern was detected. These results strongly suggest that exposed sandy sea-bed soils acted as a dispersal barrier in central Sundaland. However, we could not confirm the presence of a savanna corridor. This finding makes it clear that proposed biogeographic explanations for plant and animal distributions within Sundaland, including possible migration routes for early humans, need to be reevaluated.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 07/2011; 108(30):12343-7. · 9.68 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Asyraf Mansor

  Article: Comparison of plant communities at six study plots in Penang forest reserves, Malaysia

  Rahmad Zakaria, Asyraf Mansor, Nik Fadzly, Nik Rosely, Mashhor Mansor
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  ABSTRACT: An analysis of plant communities from six study plots within the Penang forest reserves, Malaysia, revealed 359 plant species with stems ≥ 2.0 cm diameter. More than 70 percent of trees were below 10 cm diameter at breast height (DBH). Total Above Ground Biomass (TAGB) and Basal Area (BA) varied between sites, with the highest value (631.15 t ha -1) at Bukit Panchor Forest Reserve (Land) and the lowest (112.83 t ha -1) at Bukit Panchor Forest Reserve (Swamp). Based on the species list, the study plot could be divided into two groups, the mainland and the island group. In general, intact forest haboured relatively higher number of woody species than the disturbed forest. The species composition was clearly different between island and mainland forests. Resumen: Un análisis de las comunidades vegetales de seis parcelas de estudio en las reservas forestales Penang, Malasia, arrojó la cifra de 359 especies de plantas con tallos ≥ 2.0 cm diámetro. Más de 70 por ciento de los árboles tuvieron diámetros a la altura del pecho (DBH) < 10 cm. La biomasa aérea total (BAT) y el área basal (AB) variaron entre sitios, siendo el valor más alto (631.15 t ha -1) el de la Reserva Forestal de Bukit Panchor (tierra) y el más bajo (112.83 t ha -1) el de la Reserva Forestal de Bukit Panchor (pantano). Con base en la lista de especies, las parcelas de estudio se pueden dividir en dos grupos, el de tierra firme y el insular. En general, el bosque intacto albergó un número relativamente mayor de especies leñosas que el bosque perturbado. La composición de especies fue claramente diferente entre los bosques insulares y los de tierra firme. Resumo: Uma análise das comunidades de plantas em seis parcelas de estudo no interior das reservas florestais de Penang, Malásia, revelou 359 espécies de plantas com troncos ≥ 2,0 cm de diâmetro. Mais de 70% das árvores apresentavam um diâmetro ao nível do DAP abaixo dos 10 cm. A biomassa aérea total (TAGB) e a área basal (BA) variou entre estações, com o valor mais alto (631,15 t ha -1) na Reserva Florestal de Bukit Panchor (terra firme) e a mais baixa na Reserva Florestal de Bukit Panchor (Pântano). Com base na lista de espécies, a parcela estudada foi dividida em dois grupos: a continental e a insular. Em geral, a floresta intacta abrigava um número relativamente mais alto de espécies lenhosas do que a floresta perturbada. A composição das espécies era claramente diferente entre as florestas insulares e as continentais.
• Article: THE DISTRIBUTION OF MACARANGA, GENUS (FAMILY EUPHORBIACEAE) IN PENANG ISLAND, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

  Rahmad Zakaria, Mashhor Mansor, Mohd Yunus Zakaria
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  ABSTRACT: A total of eight species of Macaranga are identified in this study, which were carried out from March to December 2005 in Penang Island. The most common species recorded is Macaranga tanarius which is found in almost every disturbed habitats, except for primary forested area. Unlike M. tanarius, M. javanica (the second most common species) are also well distributed except in highly populated human inhabitation areas. The other six species are scattered without any clear distributing pattern. Land clearings by human activities are likely the main cause that triggers the spread of M. tanarius and M. javanica populations, thus the species are widely distributed and thrive well in these study areas.