Download characteristics of vegetation types in the coc san hydropower plant

3 D rendering of Coc San Hydropower Plant Projiect
CHARACTERISTICS OF VEGETATION TYPES
IN THE COC SAN HYDROPOWER PLANT PROJECT
LAO CAI PROVINCE
Nguyen ThuyLanChi 1, Nguyen LuuPhuong 2, Grace Yang 3, Pham AnhDuc 1*
1 Faculty of Environment and Labor Safety – Ton DucThang University
2 Department of Botany – Southern Institute of Ecology
3 Hong Kong Environment Resources Management
* Corresponding author:[email protected]
ABSTRACT
The Coc San Hydropower Plant Project area is located in
Trung Chai Commune, Sapa District, Lao Cai Province.
This project will add 33 MW of capacity to the region’s
stressed power grid. There are the Dum River and small
streams in this particular area. This study arms to armed
to suggest approaches for the terrestrial ecosystem
protection.
Based on flora surveys and habitat mapping, the
characteristics of vegetation types were considered.
These results showed that the natural habitats in the Coc
San Hydropower Plant Project area have influenced by
the impacts of socio-economic activities.
1. INTRODUCTION
The Coc San Hydropower Plant Project area is located in
Trung Chai Commune, Sapa District, Lao Cai Province.
There are Dum River and small streams in this particular
area (Fig. 1). This project will add 33 MW of capacity
to the region’s stressed power grid. The run-of-river
project’s potential to generate peaking power will further
add to the stability of the grid in this part of the country
[1]. Besides these benefits, the impacts of the Coc San
Hydropower Plant Project on aquatic ecosystems cannot
be avoided.
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The biodiversity of flora in the Studied Area was not high
because of narrow terrain, developed area, cultivated
land, village...
However, there were two species these found in the
Vietnam Red Data Book (2007): Cunninghamia lanceolata
(VU); the IUCNRedlist of Threatened Species (IUCN, 2010):
Cedrela odorata(VU).The finding could be a scientific
reference for the selection of effective approaches to
minimize the impacts of the Coc San Hydropower Plant
Project on the terrestrial ecosystems.
Keywords: Coc San Hydropower Plant Project, habitat
mapping, vegetation types, terrestrial ecosystems
Flora surveys and habitat mapping have been applied
to evaluate the status of vegetation types in the Studied
Area. Additionally, the finding could be a scientific
reference for the selection of effective approaches to
minimize the impacts of the Coc San Hydropower Plant
Project on the terrestrial ecosystems.The objectiveof
the research was to describe the vegetation status inThe
Coc San Hydropower Plant Project areaby (i) surveying
the vegetationtypes of the Study Area, (ii) building the
habitat map, and (iii) determining the important economic
and dangerous species of the flora.
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2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1. Study area
The Coc San Hydropower Plant Project arealocated
around of Lao Cai Province, the mountainous region
of Vietnam, as shown in Fig 1.The study area is located
in Trung Chai Commune, Sa Pa District, Lao Cai
Province, covering aquatic habitats. The project site is
approximately 99.6 km2. Field surveys of the Study Area
were carried out in January 2013 and included flora
surveys and habitat mapping.
Coc San/
Lao Cai
Sapa
Proposed Habitat
Map boundary
Figure 1.Study area.
2.2. Habitat mapping
Habitats identified within the Study Area were mapped
based on aerial photos (Google Earth) and updated during
the field surveys to identify and delineate the distribution
of different ecological habitats found within the Study
Area. Colour photographs were taken of all habitat types
surveyed as well as other features or species of ecological
importance or conservation value or conservation value
encountered [2], [3]. conservation value encountered [2],
[3].
2.3. Vegetation survey
Surveys were undertaken to identify the common and
dominant plant species in each habitat type found within
the Study Area, as well as to identify the presence of any
protected or rare plant species. Representative areas of
identified habitats within the Study Area were surveyed
on foot. All plant species encountered were identified and
their relative abundance recorded in five nominal scales,
namely; very common, common, frequent, uncommon,
and sparse. The location of plant species of conservation
interest was also recorded [4], [5], [6], [7].The assessment
of specie relative abundance was presented in Table 1 [2],
[3].
Table 1.Specie relative abundance assessment.
Code
Specie abundance
Absense
R
Rare
O
Occasional
C
Common
A
Abundant
D
Dominant
2.4. Laboratory Analysis
The identification of some plant samples had not been completed in the field, were done in the lab to complete the
plant list. And, the habitat mapping was implemented [2], [3].
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3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. Habitat mapping
A habitat map illustrating the distribution of habitats with the Study Area was shown in Fig. 2.
3.2. Vegetation types
3.2.1. General characteristics
192 species of plant species were found in the habitats identified within the Study Area, comprised of over 78 families
from 4 divisions (Table 2). The Shrubland and Stream habitats had the most diverse flora (120 and 87 different species
respectively). (Table 3)
Table 2.Flora taxon in the Study Area.
Taxon
No. of families
No. of species
LYCOPODIOPHYTA
2
2
POLYPODIOPHYTA
12
19
PINOPHYTA
1
1
Dicotyledonae
53
134
Monocotyledon
10
36
TOTAL
78
192
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
Table 3.Abundance of flora in each habitat in the Study Area
NUMBER OF SPECIES PER HABITAT
Abundance
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Forest plantation Shrublands
Agricultrual
lands
Rivers and
streams
Rare
8
28
18
38
Occasional
40
60
37
43
Common
21
29
13
6
Abundant
-
3
3
-
Dominant
1
-
3
-
TOTAL
70
120
74
87
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3.2.2. Agricutural lands (No.1 on the Habitat Map)
Agricultural lands includedterrace fields, milpas, banana
plantations. Terrace fields in the Study Area were located
on mounts and hills. Most rice crops were grown on
terraced fields-level strips of land cut out of the hillsides
in the rainy season, using the rainfall. Rainfall was kept for
planting rice. Some wild grasses associated with terrace
fields were recorded such as Centella asiatica, Marsile
aminuta, Oxalis corniculata, Hedyotis corymbosa,
Commelina diffusa, Lindernia antipoda, Lindernia
crustacea…
Milpa agriculture lands in the Study Area were located
on mounts and hills, milpa agriculture, weresmall fields,
produces maize, beans. They were cleared from the
forests and shrublands, cropped for a few seasons,
and then abandoned for a fresh clearing. Some wild
grasses associated with milpas were recorded, including
Eupatorium adenophorum, Osbecki astellata, Melastoma
imbricatum, Ageratum conyzoides, Bidens pilosa,
Borreria latifolia, Emila sonchifolia, Buddleja asiatica,
Solanum incanum, Eupatorium odoratum, Hedychium
forrestii…
3.2.3. Forest plantations of Manglietia glauca (No.2 on the Habitat Map)
Manglietia plantations were mainly located on mounts and hills
in the Study Area, dominated by Manglietiatrees (Manglieti
aglauca). This specieswas the main species used for supplying
wood chip materials for pulp-plants. It was also used by local
households, and a small amount of the wood from these trees
was used for woodwork in famers’ houses (such as columns of
house, furniture) and firewood. It was used for replanting forest
on bare mounts and hills to protect watershed.
Planting density of trees in these areas was approximately
2,000 – 2,500 trees per hectare, and the average survival rate
of stands was 50 – 75%. The average DBH was approximately
10 – 17 cm (Dmin = 7 cm; Dmax = 20 cm) and the average
height of stands was approximately 10.0 – 12.0 m (Hmin = 5.0
m; Hmax = 15 m).
Youngtrees and seedlings of wood tree species also within
this habitat included Litsea cubeba, Mallotus tetracoccus,
Alnus nepalensis...
A layer of wild ferns, grasses, and shrubs were recorded
under the canopy. A dominant fern in this layer was
Dicranopteris linearis, Pteridium aquilinu, Cyathera
gigantea. Some dominant shrubs included Buddleja
asiatica, Musa acuminata,Osbeckia stellata, Oxyspora
paniculata. Dominant grasses included Thysanolaena
maxima, Eupatorium adenophorum, Eupatorium odoratum,
Arundinella nepalensis, Miscanthus floridulus. Dominant
climbers included Rubus alcaefolius, Pothos. Other species
also recorded under the canopy such as Schefflera petelotii,
Alangium chinensis, Euodia l epta...
3.2.4. Shrublands(No.3 on the Habitat Map)
There were many patches of shrublands in the study
area, almost of them located on hillsides in Southern
East of the study area. They formed after harvesting the
previous forests. They included a layer of shrub trees and
some wood trees of the previous forests.
Wood trees included Litsea cubeba,Mallotus
tetracoccus, Macaranga indica, Dunbanga grandiflora,
Alnus nepalensis, Alangium chinense, Broussonetia
papyrifera,Trema angustifolia, Ficus hispida.
Shrub trees included: Buddleja asiatica, Psidium
gujava,Musa acuminata,Osbeckia stellata, Melastoma
imbricatum, Oxyspora paniculata, Aralia chinensis,
Callicarpa macrophylla, Solanum incanum, Bambusa
sp…
Grasses and ferns included Thysanolaena maxima,
Eupatorium adenophorum, Eupatorium odoratum,
Arundinella nepalensis, Miscanthus floridulus,
Dicranopteris linearis, Pteridium aquilinu, Cyathera
gigantea. And, liana included Rubus alcaefolius,
Dioscorea…
3.2.5. River and streams (No.4 on the Habitat Map)
Dum River runs from Southern West to Northern East
through the Study Area. Along these streamswere
vegetativecorridors. Flora included species of previous
forests such as Bambusa arundinacea, Erianthus
arundinaceus, Ficus subpyriformis, Ficushispida,
Polygonum barbatum, Pyrrosia lanceolata, Diplazium
sp., Musa acuminata, Thysanolaena maxima,
Arundinella nepalensis, Miscanthus floridulus…
Additionally, the other habitats did not show on the
habitat map such as settlements (several local houses,
almost were located along the National Highway 4D)
and traffic corridors (shading trees, planted along the
National Highway 4D.
3.3. Important economic species
Several plants located within the Study Area had important economic uses, either as wood to chip for paper pulp, burn
or build with, or as food sources and medicinal uses. Table 4listed some of the plant species found in the Study Area
that had important economic uses.
For wood
For medicine
For fruit
For food and Vegetable
Manglietia conifer
Piper lolot
Musa nana
Oryza sativa
Cedrela odorata
Artemisia vulgaris
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Zea mays
Cunninghamia lanceolata
Hedychium forrestii
Citrus grandis
Musa acuminata
Choerospondias axillaris
Cinnamomum camphora
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3.4. Endemic, rare, protected and dangerous species
In the Study Area, there was one speciesthat listed in the Vietnam Red Book (RDBVN,2007): Cunninghamia lanceolata
(VU); it was planted much along the nation highway 4D for shading (Fig. 3a) [8]. And, there was one species that
recorded in the IUCNRedlist of Threatened Species (IUCN, 2012): Cedrela odorata(VU),it was also planted much
along the nation highway 4D and in the forest plantations (Fig. 3b) [9].
Figure 3.Dangerous species.(a) Cunninghamia lanceolata; (b) Cedrela odorata
CONCLUSION
Based on the ecological baseline surveys in the Study
Area, 192 species of plant species were found in the
habitats identified within the Study Area, comprised
of over 78 families from 4 divisions. The Shrubland and
Stream habitats had the most diverse flora (120 and 87
different species respectively). In the Study Area, there
was one speciesthat listed in the Vietnam Red Data
Book (RDBVN,2007): Cunninghamia lanceolata (VU);
it was planted much along the nation highway 4D for
shading. And there was one species that recorded in
the IUCNRedlist of Threatened Species (IUCN, 2010):
Cedrela odorata (VU),it was also planted much along
the nation highway 4D and in the forest plantations. The
finding could be a scientific reference for the selection
of effective approaches to minimize the impacts of the
Coc San Hydropower Plant Project on the terrestrial
ecosystems.
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