Community structure and diversity of tree species in a lowland dipterocarp forest of Sungai Lalang Forest Reserve, Selangor, Malaysia

Lowland dipterocarp forests, vital for carbon storage and biodiversity, face growing threats from logging and land conversion. A study in Sungai Lalang Forest Reserve (SLFR), Selangor, Malaysia, reveals significant carbon storage potential—304.86 t/ha—while highlighting uneven species distribution and the presence of seven threatened tree species, including critically endangered Hopea auriculata and Palaquium burckii. The research, using ten 3-hectare plots to enumerate trees with diameters ≥5 cm, found Fabaceae as the most diverse family and Elateriospermum tapos (Euphorbiaceae) as dominant. Moderate diversity and low evenness suggest conservation challenges, but SLFR emerges as a critical refuge for endangered taxa. Urgent management strategies—such as stricter recreational activity regulation, enrichment planting, and threatened species protection—are recommended to balance biodiversity conservation with climate mitigation, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 15.

PARDI, F., RAMBEY, R., & RUZIMAN, H. H. (2026). Community structure and diversity of tree species in a lowland dipterocarp forest of Sungai Lalang Forest Reserve, Selangor, Malaysia. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d270107