Characteristics Of Mangrove Forest Communities In Xuan Thuy National Park Nam Dinh

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

VIETNAM FORESTRY UNIVERSITY

STUDENT THESIS

Title

CHARACTERISTICS OF MANGROVE FOREST COMMUNITIES

IN XUAN THUY NATIONAL PARK – NAM DINH

Major: Natural Resources Management

Code: D850101

Faculty: Forest Resources and Environmental Management

Student: Vu DucHuy Student ID: 1253090017

Class: K57 Natural Resources Management Course: 2012 - 2016

Advanced Education Program

Developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, USA

Supervisor: Dr.HaQuang Anh

Ha Noi, 10/2016

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

During the process of learning and finishing this thesis, I have received guidance,

valuable help of the teachers and friends. Without their assistances, advice, collaborations

and supports, this thesis would not have been possible.

First and foremost, I would like to thank all teachers in Advanced Program for the

valuable knowledge and your enthusiasm to build strong background, especially my

supervisor - Dr. Anh Quang Ha. I am grateful to him for valuable guidance, supporting and

comments throughout the various stages of this thesis, what help me carry out this thesis.

Many thanks are due to my friends in K57 – Advanced Curriculum. You help me a

lot when I collect and analyze data. Thanks for study time we have been together at

Vietnam National Forestry University. I always appreciate our friendship.

Lastly, I express my gratitude to management board of Xuan Thuy National Park.

Thanks Mr. Nguyen Viet Cach – Head of XTNP and Mr. Pham Xuan Hoi for your help

when I was in XTNP, and Mr. Ngo Xuan Chieu for your directly guidance to help me

collect valuable data.

Hanoi, October 2016

Vu Duc Huy

1

ABSTRACT

Mangrove ecosystems play significant role for protecting coastal areas. However,

the area and quality of mangrove are affected not only by weather patterns, but by human

activities also. Understanding the structure of mangrove community and regeneration are

very important to manage mangrove ecosystem effectively. Field investigation and statistic

are main method that use in this research. Mangrove community in Xuan Thuy National

Park (XTNP) include three main woody species Kandelia candel, Sonneratia caseolaris,

and Aegiceras corniculata that make up five types of forests. Mangrove forests in XTNP

grow and develop well, high density, and in high quality. However, regeneration trees are

in low quality. They distribute unequally, randomly and in low density. Regeneration trees

are mainly damaged by weather condition (storm, sea-level rising) and human activities

(collecting NTFPs, waste water from aquaculture area). In order to enhance quality of

mangrove forests and regeneration in XTNP, some silviculture technique should be applied

such as: plant new species that adapt to the environment conditions in study area

(Sonneratia apetala), selective thinning to reduce competition between individual trees,

control waste water from aquaculture area before release to the environment, raise

awareness for people to protect mangrove forests and limit activities which damage to the

forests, especially in core zone.

Key word: mangrove; regeneration; structure.

2

TABLE OF CONTENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................... 1

TABLE OF CONTENT....................................................................................................... 2

LIST OF TABLE ................................................................................................................. 2

LIST OF FIGURE ............................................................................................................... 4

ABBREVIATION................................................................................................................ 5

1. INTRODUCTION:.......................................................................................................... 6

2. GOALS AND (SPECIFIC) OBJECTIVES:................................................................ 12

2.1. Overall goal:.............................................................................................................. 12

2.2. Specific objectives: ................................................................................................... 12

3. METHODS:.................................................................................................................... 12

3.1. Secondary data .......................................................................................................... 12

3.2. Sample plot establishment......................................................................................... 13

3.3. Data collection .......................................................................................................... 14

3.4. Data analysis ............................................................................................................. 16

4. OVERVIEW OF STUDY SITE.................................................................................... 18

4.1. Natural characteristic ................................................................................................ 18

4.1.1. Geographical location......................................................................................... 18

4.1.2. Topography and hydrology ................................................................................ 19

4.1.3. Climate ............................................................................................................... 20

4.1.4. Soil condition...................................................................................................... 20

4.1.5. Biodiversity ........................................................................................................ 21

4.2. Population ................................................................................................................. 22

4.3. Economic condition .................................................................................................. 22

5. RESULTS ....................................................................................................................... 23

5.1. Structure of mangrove forests................................................................................... 23

5.2. Structure of regeneration........................................................................................... 45

6. DISCUSSION................................................................................................................. 55

7. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 58

REFERENCES: ................................................................................................................... 0

APPENDIX: ......................................................................................................................... 1

3

LIST OF TABLE

Table 5.1: Table of statistic of forest status 1 ...................................................................... 23

Table 5.2: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 1 of forest status 1 ..................... 24

Table 5.3: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 2 of forest status 1 ..................... 24

Table 5.4: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 3 of forest status 1 ..................... 25

Table 5.5: Table of statistic of forest status 2 ...................................................................... 27

Table 5.6: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 1 of forest status 2 ..................... 28

Table 5.7: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 2 of forest status 2 ..................... 28

Table 5.8: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 3 of forest status 2 ..................... 29

Table 5.9: Table of statistic of forest status 3 ...................................................................... 31

Table 5.10: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 1 of forest status 3 ................... 32

Table 5.11: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 2 of forest status 3 ................... 32

Table 5.12: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 3 of forest status 3 ................... 33

Table 5.13: Table of statistic of forest status 4 .................................................................... 35

Table 5.14: Table of species composition in forest status 4 ................................................ 36

Table 5.15: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 1 of forest status 4 ................... 37

Table 5.16: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 2 of forest status 4 ................... 37

Table 5.17: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 3 of forest status 4 ................... 38

Table 5.18: Table of statistic of forest status 5 .................................................................... 39

Table 5.19: Table of species composition in forest status 5 ................................................ 40

Table 5.20: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 1 of forest status 5 ................... 41

Table 5.21: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 2 of forest status 5 ................... 41

Table 5.22: Table of height distribution frequency in plot 3 of forest status 5 ................... 42

Table 5.23: Table of regeneration investigation in forest status 1....................................... 45

Table 5.24: Table of regeneration investigation in forest status 2....................................... 47

Table 5.25: Table of regeneration investigation in forest status 3....................................... 49

Table 5.26: Table of regeneration investigation in forest status 4....................................... 51

Table 5.27: Table of regeneration investigation in forest status 5....................................... 53

4

LIST OF FIGURE

Figure 3. 1: Measurement equipment .................................................................................. 14

Figure 4. 1: Xuan Thuy National Park (Source: Xuan Thuy National Park, 2015)............. 18

Figure 5.1: H-D correlation in forest status 1 ...................................................................... 26

Figure 5.2: H-D correlation in forest status 2 ...................................................................... 30

Figure 5.3: H-D correlation in forest status 3 ...................................................................... 34

Figure 5.4: H-D correlation of Kandelia candel in forest status 5 ...................................... 43

Figure 5.5: Quality of regeneration in forest status 1 .......................................................... 46

Figure 5.6: Quality of regeneration in forest status 2 .......................................................... 48

Figure 5.7: Quality of regeneration in forest status 3 .......................................................... 50

Figure 5.8: Quality of regeneration in forest status 4 .......................................................... 52

Figure 5.9: Quality of regeneration in forest status 5 .......................................................... 54