Threatened plants in Kaptai National Park in Rangamati, Bangladesh

(Poster)

Md. Rishad Abdullah
rishad.abdullah@gmail.com

PhD Felllow Dept. of Crop Botany Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh, Bangladesh
,
Md. Mustafizur Rahman
Professor Dept. of Crop Botany Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh, Bangladesh
,
AKM Golam Sarwar
Professor Dept. of Crop Botany Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh, Bangladesh

DOI: 10.17011/conference/eccb2018/108150

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A survey was conducted during the periods of 2015-2017 with an objective to study present status of some threatened species in Kaptai National Park, a protected area of Rangamati district, Bangladesh. A total of 38 plants were listed under various threat categories recorded from different areas of Kaptai National Park based on Red Data Book of Vascular Plants of Bangladesh (Vol- I& II) and Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh. A combination of transect with centered quadrats methods were used for sampling. Out of 38 targets plants 25 plant species were recorded from the study area occupying six major plant communities. The communities are Garjan bagan (dominant sp. Dipterocarpus), Jarul bagan (dominant sp. Lagerstroemia), Jam bagan (dominant sp. Sygyzium), Segun bagan (dominant sp. Tectona), Mehogony bagan (dominant sp. Swietenia) and Mixed plant community. Mixed plant community is the harbor of highest number of threatened plant species (16 species), followed by Jam bagan (15 species) and Jarul bagan (13 species), whereas 11 species recorded each from Garjan bagan and Mehogony bagan. The lowest number of species was reported from Segun bagan (9 species). It was also found that Scaphium scaphigerum and Symplocos macrophylla have only single individual having very small population distribution which mentioned immediate conservation attention. Special care should take to maintain habitat of these small scale population for further studies on population demography and ecological requirements of these threatened species.

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INTRO:
The study aims to present a discussion of the status, distribution and threats of plant species under various threat categories in the Red Data Book of Vascular Plants of Bangladesh, and the conservation implications of a protected area in Bangladesh for the conservation of these plant species. They discussion is based on a survey of plant species, conducted in Karnaphuli Forest Range (Bangladesh), during 2015-2017.
MERITS:
The study contributes with valuable field data about the presence of plant species, included in the Red Data Book of Vascular Plants of Bangladesh, in a protected area. The study brings not only presence-absence data in the reserve, but it also related it to different kinds of habitat. The authors used this information as an input to discuss about conservation of these plant species in the protected area.
CRITIQUE:
The manuscript organization and wording should be improved. I think it could be improved incorporating some information that can help to understand better the impact of the study.

Here I give some suggestions:

I suggest to incorporate a briefly introduction of the study site for an audience that might not be familiar with the protected area (e.g. Karnaphuli Forest Range is part of Rangamati?; Rangamati is a public or private protected area?).

The manuscript will be also improved if the authors add the area where they field survey was done.

I also think that the manuscript would improve if the authors include information about the approach they used to discuss the status, distribution and threats and the conservation implications of the threatened plants at the protected area. It would be interesting to know if this discussion was made only inside the research group or if it integrates the community or the decision makers.
DISCUSSION:
The study is a valuable contribution to the knowledge of threatened plant species included in the Red Data Book of Vascular Plants of Bangladesh. It gives information that has the potential to be incorporated in the management and planning process of the Rangamati protected area. I suggest checking the writing so the importance of the study could be easily understood.

It would be interesting to know how the authors think this information could inform conservation planning and management.