Husna, Tuheteru FD, Arif A. 2021. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to enhance the growth of tropical endangered species Pterocarpus indicus and Pericopsis mooniana in post gold mine field in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 3844-3853. Gold mining activities contribute to the national economy, but have a serious impact on forest and environmental degradation and pose a threat to tree species in the tropics. Reforestation of post-gold mining with tropical legume tree species is threatened with extinction. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are effective in conservation of endangered plants and restoration of degraded land. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of native AM Fungi inoculation on the growth of Pterocarpus indicus and Pericopsis mooniana in nurseries and post-gold mining fields. P. indicus and P. mooniana seedlings were inoculated with Glomus claroideum Schenk & Smith, Glomus coronatum Giovann., and mixed AMF (G. claroideum, G. coronatum). Uninoculated seedlings were used as control treatment, and they were maintained for 4 months under greenhouse conditions. After 4 months in greenhouse, seedlings were transferred to post-gold mine and planted for 4 months. The percentage of AMF colonization, plant growth, nutrient content and uptake of N, P, K, Fe, Mn were measured after 4 months both in the greenhouse and the field. The percentage of AMF colonization under greenhouse conditions in P. indicus and P. mooniana ranged 5.67-75.3% and 2.2-41.2%. All AMF colonization tended to have higher shoot height, leaf numbers and nodules, plant dry weight and N, P, K content under greenhouse conditions. Shoot height, stem diameter, leaf dry weight, N, P, K, Mn and Fe under field conditions had higher inoculated seedlings than control four months after planting. AMF could be used to conserve endangered tree species in post-gold mining reforestation in the tropics.

Indonesia has around 4000 wood species, and 10% (400) of species are categorized as commercial wood. One species is kayu kuku (Pericopsis mooniana Thwaites), native to Southeast Sulawesi. This species is considered a fancy wood used for sawn timber, veneer, plywood, carving, and furniture. The high demand for wood caused excessive logging and threatened its sustainability. In addition, planting P. mooniana has presented several challenges, including seedling production, viability and germination rate, nursery technology, and silviculture techniques. As a result, the genera of Pericopsis, including P. elata (Europe), P. mooniana (Sri Lanka), and P. angolenses (Africa), have been listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix. Based on The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, P. mooniana is categorized as Vulnerable (A1cd). This conservation status has raised issues regarding its biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability in the near future. This paper aims to review the conservation of potential and endangered species of P. mooniana and highlight some efforts for its species conservation and sustainable use in Indonesia. The method used is a systematic literature review based on P. mooniana’s publication derived from various reputable journal sources and additional literature sources. The results revealed that the future demand for P. mooniana still increases significantly due to its excellent wood characteristics. This high demand should be balanced with both silviculture techniques and conservation efforts. The silviculture of P. mooniana has been improved through seed storage technology, improved viability and germination rates, proper micro and macro propagation, applying hormones, in vitro seed storage, improved nursery technology, and harvesting techniques. P. mooniana conservation can be conducted with both in situ and ex situ conservation efforts. In situ conservation is carried out by protecting its mother trees in natural conditions (i.e., Lamedae Nature Reserve) for producing good quality seeds and seedlings. Ex situ conservation is realized by planting seeds and seedlings to produce more wood through rehabilitating and restoring critical forests and lands due to its ability to adapt to marginal land and mitigate climate change. Other actions required for supporting ex situ conservation are preventing illegal logging, regeneration, conservation education, reforestation, agroforestry system applied in private and community lands, and industrial forest plantations.

Studies related to reclamation on asphalt post-mining land are lacking. This study aimed to analyze the diversity of vegetation on asphalt post-mining sites in Buton, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The study focused on the composition, structure and diversity of plants on asphalt post-mining sites with varying ages (0-20 years) and overburden conditions. In total, this study recorded 105 plant species belonging to 37 families with richness index of 0.33-6.30 (low-high), diversity index of 0.31-2.96 (low-medium), and evenness index of 0.28-0.94 (low-high). The highest number of plant species was observed on the 7-year-old overburden site (46 species), suggesting that post-mining age is not necessarily the determinant factor of vegetation condition. There was arrested succession on the post-mining site with no overburden, implying that management of overburden is essential. Our study recommends that active planting using species from Rubiaceae family can be applied for reclamation of degraded land on asphalt post-mining areas.

Husna, Tuheteru FD, Albasri, Arif A, Basrudin, Nurdin WR, Arman E, Agustin DI, Saribadu J, Rahmat, Dermawansyah A, Daliana, Lody LP, Deri AS, Safitri I. 2022. Diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi of Kalappia celebica.): An endemic and endangered plant species in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 5290-5297. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are a group of fungi belonging to Phylum Glomeromycota. AMF has a symbiotic relationship with higher plants, including endangered species in various climatic regions and land types. Research on AMF diversity related to endemic and endangered tree species in the tropics is still limited. This study aimed to examine the diversity of AMF in the natural habitat of Kalappia celebica Kosterm. (kalapi) in Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Samples of soil and roots of K. celebica were collected from six natural habitat locations, i.e., Konawe District (Anggatoa and Abuki Villages), East Kolaka District (Lalingato and Anggaloosi Villages) and Kolaka District (Lalonaha and Lapao Pao Villages). The AMF spores were isolated by using the pouring method, followed by wet filtration. AMF identification was carried out by observing the morphology of AMF spores. A total of eight AMF species belonging to three genera Viz. Glomus, Funneliformis and Rhizophagus were isolated. Among the species identified, five species belong to genus Glomus, two species belong to the genus Funneliformis and one species belongs to the genus Rhizophagus. Glomus sp.1 and 2 and F. mosseae had the highest spore density, relative density and frequency, and importance index values. The AMF highest spore density was obtained in Anggaloosi Village of East Kolaka District. Soil properties such as organic C, total N and clay were positively correlated with spore density and negatively correlated with AMF colonization. The Simpson’s Index ranged from 0.42 ± 0.117 to 0.86 ± 0.068. The range of Shannon-Wiener Index was 0.12 ± 0.208 to 0.99 ± 0.198, while the Evenness Index ranged from 0.17 ± 0.189 to 0.75 ± 0.106. These findings indicated that K. celebica species are rich in AMF diversity. These symbiont fungi are key components of the ecosystem. Further research is needed to develop their use as promoters of plant establishment in conservation and restoration of those sites.