Abstract. Wiryono, Wanandi Y, Ilahi AK, Deselina, Senoaji G, Siswahyono. 2019. The local knowledge of the plant names and uses by Semende tribe people in Kaur District, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 754-761. Local botanical knowledge is essential for the survival of local communities, but there is a global trend of the loss of local botanical knowledge among young generation, which causes serious concern among ethnobotanists. The objectives of this study were: (i) to document the diversity of plant species locally utilized by the people of Semende tribe in Bengkulu, Indonesia, (ii) to know the correlation between botanical knowledge and age of those people, and (iii) to test whether their knowledge was affected by gender. Data were gathered through field observations and interviews with key informants and general respondents consisting of males and females, ranging from 16 to 60 years old. The data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using regression analysis and t-test. The results showed that 106 species of plants were utilized by the people of Semende tribe for 14 types of uses. The knowledge of plant species and uses was positively correlated with age, implying that the young generation lost local botanical knowledge. Men had better botanical knowledge than women. Interaction with plants was presumably the determining factor affecting botanical knowledge. Young people spent less time in gardens than the elders, and so did the women than the men. Conversely, young people spent more time enjoying electronic entertainment than the elders, and so did the women than the men. Deliberate efforts must be done to maintain botanical knowledge among young people.

Conversion of natural forest into agricultural land uses has decreased soil organic carbon (SOC) and increased carbon emission into the atmosphere, but proper management of agricultural land can sequester carbon from the atmosphere and increase the SOC. This study was conducted to estimate the SOC content and storage in a forest, agroforestry land, oil palm plantation, and agricultural experimental field and to analyze the correlation between the SOC and other soil characteristics at Bengkulu City, Indonesia. Soil were sampled from the following depths: 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm. The biomass of litter and ground cover was also sampled. This study found that the forest had the highest average SOC content from the three depths, and 0–30 cm depth SOC storage, while the agroforestry system had the lowest of both SOC content and storage. The 0–10 cm depth had the highest SOC content and storage, while the 20–30 cm depth had the lowest of both variables. The SOC was positively correlated with litter biomass, field capacity, exchangeable potassium, cation exchange capacity, and negatively correlated with bulk density and exchangeable calcium, but not correlated with total nitrogen and available phosphorus. High litter biomass input is the key to the maintenance of high SOC.

No abstract

One factor affecting the survival of a species in a tropical ecosystem is its ability to respond to environmental conditions, which depend on their ecophysiological performances. Plants ability to transport water as a major environmental factor would determine their survival. The anatomy of xylem inside leaves and stem as water conductive tissue will dictate the rate of water transport through the plant stem and leaves. Leaf vein, which contains xylem vessels, dictates water transport through leaves and plant’s ability to control water loss through stomata. This research found that tree saplings composing a lower canopy of tropical forests have different ecophysiological attributes. Pioneer species, such as Cinnamomum sp., Diospyros macrophylla, Castanopsis costata, Elateriospermum tapos, and Ziziphus sp., have higher leaf vein density than primary species, such as a member of genus Garcinia, Shorea, Dipterocarpus, and Syzigium. It implies that pioneer species might have higher rates of water transport and consequently, higher rates of photosynthesis. If forest vegetation was more opened, then pioneer species may dominate the area as they are more tolerant of light. The Composition of forest vegetation with different ecophysiological characteristics may affect the forest dynamics and hydrological cycle.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui respon semai bambang lanang terhadap pemberian asap cair Variabel yang diamati adalah tinggi, diameter, luas daun panjang akar, berat berangkasan basah, berat berangkasan kering dan indeks mutu semai. Data dianalisis menggunakan uji t dua variabel yaitu : perlakuan dan kontrol, konsentrasi dan kontrol dan antara konsentrasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pengaruh penggunaan asap cair tidak berbeda nyata terhadap pertumbuhan bibit bambang lanang, namun memberikan rata-rata yang lebih besar dari pada kontrol  . Antara konsentrasi asap cair terdapat perbedaan nyata terhadap tinggi, jumlah daun, panjang akar, berat basah total dan berat kering total. Penggunaan asap cair 2% adalah yang paling optimal untuk meningkatkan rata-rata beberapa variabel pertumbuhan bibit bambang lanang dubandingkan dengan konsentrasi 1%, 3% dan 4%. Kata Kunci : asap cair, semai Bambang Lanang