Environments and People of Sumatran Peat Swamp Forests I : Distribution and Typology of Vegetation

Abstract

We reconsidered the typology of Sumatran peat swamp forests according to the three zones of lowland plains proposed by Furukawa. Flood zones, occurring edges of lowland plains, are covered mainly by freshwater swamp forests. Central zones feature the sequential zonation of mixed peat swamp forests, méranti paya forests, and padang suntai forests. Tidal zones are covered by mangrove forests and mixed peat swamp forests. Sequential zonation was also reported in peat swamp forests of Sarawak and Brunei, but the flora of these two areas is unique within the western Malay Archipelago. By virtue of the distribution and composition of flora, the patterns of vegetation zoning are thought to be similar among the lowland plains of the Malay Peninsula, Kalimantan and Sumatra, although zonation was sometimes simpler than this because of climatological and geomorphological conditions.