Effect of disturbance on mangrove species diversity in Delta Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia

The aim of this study is to determine the diversity of mangrove trees species and forest content such as number of species, trees height, diameter breast height (DBH) and trees density of mangrove species in disturbed and undisturbed area at delta Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia. The site selection of undisturbed mangrove areas were the area that far from local settlements and free from any development which is located at Layang-layang Island, Bedal Island, Nelayan Island and Tanjung Duff Island. Whereas, Tujuh Island and Kambing Island were selected as disturbed mangrove area as their location was near to the settlements. A total of ten rectangular plots were established randomly at both area and each plot size is set at 20 x 10m. The sampling area was 0.2 hectare (ha). From the findings, there were five mangrove species identified at both disturbed and undisturbed mangrove area which are Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata and Sonneratia caseolaris. The average DBH at undisturbed mangrove area ranges from 3 to12cm, compared to 4 to 8cm in disturbed mangrove area. The range of average height of mangrove species in undisturbed area is 3 to 10m and 1 to 6m for disturbed area. In delta Tumpat, the diversity of mangrove in undisturbed area is higher than in disturbed area calculated using Shannon-Weiner index (H’) with 1.54 and 0.38. Species richness community increase as the Shannon-Weiner index increase.