Non-Indigenous Plants in Cameron Highlands and the Impact to the Environment

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Non-indigenous plants in Cameron Highlands and the impact to the environment 1

NON-INDIGENOUS PLANTS IN CAMERON

HIGHLANDS AND THE IMPACT TO THE

ENVIRONMENT

PREPARED BY ; SITI HAJAR BINTI AHMAD

MATRIC NO. ; A102528

DATE ; 30th

JUNE 2006

SUPERVISOR ; DR. LIAU TAI LEONG

UNIVERSUTY ; UNIVERSITY KEBANGSAAN

MALAYSIA (UKM)


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CONTENT

1.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 32.0 ORGANISATION REVIEW 33.0 INTRODUCTION

3.1BACKGROUND OF CAMERON HIGHLANDS 43.2BACKGROUND OF STUDY 4

4.0 OBJECTIVES 45.0 METHODOLOGY 56.0 RESULT 57.0 DISCUSSION

7.1INTRODUCE PLANTS IN CAMERON HIGHLANDS 57.2 IMPACT OF THE INTRODUCE PLANTS IN 6

CAMERON HIGHLANDS

8.0 CONCLUSION 109.0 REFERRENCES 1110.0 APPENDICES


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1.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTThe study is a part of the assignment project of Industrial Training and R.E.A.C.H

organization is where I was attached to for the training. This training is an essential part of the

course in University Kebangsaan Malaysia. I thank to my lecturer Prof Madya Dr. Kamaruddin

Md Salleh, for introduce the organization to me and help me a lot with the procedure. Theproject; Non-indigenous plants in Cameron Highlands and the impact to the Environmentis only possible with the help, cooperation and encouragement of large number of people and I

would like to thank all these people.

I wish to extend my grateful thanks to the R.E.A.C.H committee, Mr. RamakrishnanRamasamy A.M.N the president, to Dr. Liau Tai Leong the Vice President and also my

supervisor who is always concerned about the project, Mr.Zulkifli, Mr.Amran, Mr.George, Dr.Vijendra and Dr. Cheam who made nice yam cake; thank you for making the training so

enjoyable in this family-like atmosphere. I also thank Mr. Kaliyannan for all the good briefingsabout invasive plants in Cameron Highlands, Mr. Francis, Mr. Kumar, Mr. Sathiya and Mr.

Morgan; a group of great nature guide who help me in my treks and made them so interesting.

My great appreciation to Mr. Balu Perumal who help me with all the information andbooks. Thank you Mr. Balu for making the study of Botany so interesting and enjoyable. To Mr.

Yazid, an officer of MARDI Cameron Highlands thanks for all the help in identification of theplants. Not to forget Mr. Zuhairo from Agricultural Department who help me a lot with the

weed.

To my faithful friends; Azeyla, Zarina and Dilip, thanks for your encouragement andhelp.I wonder how my life would be without all you guys. Not to forget Koi and Peng my friends

from Thailand and Renata from Holland who accompany me during my training. Last, but nomeans least, my grateful thanks to my family who always my biggest supporter and everybody

who has helped me in this project directly or indirectly by providing me with information,assistance and pleasant company during the field trip.

The project was done in less than 2 months and I think there is certain part that is

uncompleted. I hope the study will be continued because this is a very good project for theorganization and the community. I more than willing to recommended my junior to do their

training here as they can gain a lot of experience just like me.

2.0 ORGANISATION REVIEWR.E.A.C.H stands for Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands. This is anon-profit organization, set up by the resident of Cameron Highlands who are willing to take

action in the conservation of Cameron Highlands as it has a deep impact to the quality of the

environment. As the aims of the organization is to conserve Cameron Highlands as an area ofnatural resources, as a natural heritage, a highland resort surrounded by permanent forest reserve

and sustainable agriculture with quality drinking water. The organization is officially registeredon 6

thSeptember 2001.


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5.2 Identification of speciesThe plants are identified at the nurseries, parks and the wayside. Pictures of these species are

taken and identification are based from the labels on the plants, and confirmed by an expert.Besides that, the information is gathered from books and the Internet.

5.3 Comparison of invasive plants done in other countries through books and the Internet.These previous studies are very helpful as a guide to the impact of non-indigenous plants onthe environment.

6.0 RESULTRefer to the table 9.1

7.0 DISCUSSION7.1 NON-INDIGENOUS PLANTS IN CAMERON HIGHLANDS

Cameron Highlands has an area 670 square kilometers (260 square miles) and is famousfor its cool climate. The place is different from the lowland by temperature, humidity and

amount of ultra violet light. This happens as with increasing elevation, the temperature fall 1 Cper 100 meter. As a result condition become cooler and moister as the cloud line is at 1200m

above sea level.

Since the weather is almost like the temperate region and the hilly terrain makes it perfectfor many of the plants brought here. In fact at more than 1000m above sea level many plants

from the lowlands produce better-coloured flower and the colour appear much brighter. Thehibiscus and the morning glory remain open the whole day whereas in the lowlands they close at

noon or earlier

The history of these introduced plants start during the colonial era. In 1920an the

Camellia sinensis (tea) was introduce when John Archibald Russell, a British administrative

officers son started a tea plantation which is now known as the Boh Tea Plantation. Besides teathe colonialist also introduced many garden plants such as roses and gerbera and these plants

grow luxuriantly.

With the development of the agricultural sector in Cameron Highlands more species areintroduce for landscaping, as garden plants, windbreaker, as vegetables, cut flowers and to

prevent the soil erosion. The turf grass was introduced when the golf site was built in CameronHighlands together with the pain tree (Pinus sp.) as the windbreaker The ornamental species

especially annuals like Cleome hassleriana andthe perennial such as Impatients walleriana areplanted extensively as the garden plants. With the thriving tourist industry more nurseries are

opened and these leads to more introduce plants being brought in. A lot of them are sold as cutflower such as chrysanthemum, lilies (Lilium sp.) and Anthirrium sp. As an example the

Chrysanthemum that is the most popular temperate flower grown in here since 1986nowadayshas become a big commodity and Cameron Highlands is the world largest producer of cut

chrysanthemums.


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There a lot of introduce vegetables in this area such as capsicum ( Capsicum sp.) and thetomato (Solanum sp.) and they are planted extensively by the farmer in the Cameron Highlands.

The Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides), is introduce by the government to prevent the soilerosion. The plants which is natives in India have do some special characteristic like strong root,

fast growing, deep penetrating rootand do tolerant to adverse growing condition such as extremesol pH, temperature and heavy metal toxicities.

7.2 THE IMPACT OF NON-INDIGENUS PLANTS TO THE ENVIRONMENTThese non-indigenous plants have blended very well into the local gardens and people do

not know that they are introduced. Species such as Lantana camara, the morning glory (Ipomeaepurpurea), Cobaea scandens andAgeratum houstonianum are often confused by people as they

assume these plants are local. In fact they may be shock to know that the Lantana camara isactually from Africa and the morning glory are natives to Mexico and Central America.

Once these plants are introduced they do give many impact to the environment. Some of

them give a good impact as they play their role. Plants like vetiver grass make good jobs withpreventing the soil erosion along the highway in the Cameron Highlands. Some introduce plantsalso can lives tolerant with other natives plants as we can see along the roadside many of pines

tree (Pinus sp.) is introduce as landscaping.

These invasive plants are superior competitor to the natives plants and they have some

special characteristic which make them are so successful.

The characteristic that make these invasive plants so successful are:-

Early maturation Profuse reproduction by seeds and/or vegetative structures Long life in the soil Seed dormancy ensures periodic germination and prevents seedling from sprouting

during unfavorable condition

Adaptation for spread with crop seeds by natural agents, and by humans Production of biological toxins that suppress the growth of other plants Prickles, spines, or thorn that can cause physical injury and repel animals The ability to parasitize other plants Seeds that are the same size and shape as crop seed, which makes make cleaning

difficult.

Roots or rhizomes with large food reserves Survival and seed production under adverse environmental conditions High photosynthetic rates(*from Westbrooks, R..1998. Invasive Plants, Changing the Landscape of America: Fact book,

Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (FICMNEW

),Washington, D.C.109 pp)


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These plants turn to be invasive plants since their natural enemies are not here to limit theirproduction and spread together with better adaptation to the habitat. As a consequence they may

monopolize resources such as light, nutrient, water, and space to the detriment of other species.Further more some species do inhibit the nearby plants by producing toxin and act as a vector to

other pest. The effect on the eco-system can be severe and change the composition, structure, or

even the ecosystem function.

In Cameron Highlands these invasive plants can easily be spotted along the main road where

the morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea) is growing over the trees. As a consequence many of thetrees are already died, as they cannot receive enough sunlight. The situation is worst along the

Moonlight Cottage when the Cobaea scandens covered most of the trees there.

Ipomoea purpurea (morningglory) such a beautiful plants

natives at Mexico and CentralAmerica, spot growing over the

tree at the Arcadia Cottage. Theplants used for lanscaping the

garden and covering the fencenowadays grows wild in the

forest

.

Morning glory which can be

easily spot along the road side.


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The Cobaea scandens, natives toMexico, cause serious problems

in the forest as it overtaking thetree and block the sunshine.

Picture is taken along the road to

Moonlight Cottage

Datura suaveolens the night-scentedflower that is natives at Southeast

Brazil nowadays can be spotted atthe entrance of the forest of Mount

Brinchang.

The leguminosae plants which

also an invasive plants growswild along the road side. This

plant is also can be also can bespotted at the peak of Mount

Brinchang!

Close up the flower of the legumiosaeplants


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These ivy (Hedera helix) nativesin England have a lot of potential

to be an invasive plants if theyare not controlled.

This unidentify grass grows wildly in its new habitat and colonized the area.

These grass is not native in Cameron Highlands. The picture is taken at ParitWaterfall.

Some of these non-indigenous plants are also considered as weed since

they germinate and become pest that takes water, nutrient, sunlight and space ofgarden plants. The gardener has to spend their time and money to controlled them.

As example of these weeds you may consider mile-a-minute (Mikania micrantha)and the Chick weed ( Ageratum conyzoides), touch-me-not ( Mimosa pudica),

Dandelion sp., and Lantana camara. Moreover absence of some natives plantsmay indicate certain soil problems such as deficiencies, pH changes and soil

compaction. This leads to bigger problems in the garden and in the farms.

On the other hand some of them are beneficial as they are good sourceof nitrogenous compounds especially the nitrogen fixing leguminous plants when

such plants are pulled and turn into compost they become a rich source offertilizer. Moreover they are beneficial to the organic farming. This weed provide

the habitat to the predator of pest that cause a problems in the farm.

In fact some species can be invasive, they are here with the severaluses like as a herb like Ocimum basilum (basil), Rosmarinus officinalis

(rosemary), Tropaelum majus (Nasturtium) which is very good for medicalproperties. However some of the non-indigenous plants are very dangerous as

they are very poisonous. Species such as Brugmansi suaveolens, Hedera helix,Lantana camara and tegetes sp.are very toxic.They can cause severe discomfort

and people must be very carefull in dealing with these plants. So in addition to the


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new species people must be alert and knowledgeable in order they dealing withthe plants everyday.

8.0 CONCLUSIONFrom the study it is obvious that are a lot of non-indigenous plants in

Cameron Highlands and they are introduce for many reasons. These plants spreadwidely and become accepted as people assumed that they are natives while they

are not.

Some of them have turn to be invasive plants and they slowly replace ournatives plants. If we are not careful and take this for granted, one day they may

replace the native plants. By that time we may regret as once they gain a footholdthey are costly and time consuming to control. These invasive plants pose a

serious threat to the natives species in the natural area. In the long term, theypose a threat to the ecosystem stability and the balance of nature on which all

species depends on.

The government together with private organization should start to look at

the situation since it will potentially become a serious environmental problem asshown by the road leading to the Moonlight Cottage. It has become a serious

invader. One of the way to overcome the problem is to increase the protection ofthe area of natural biodiversity and make them more resistant to invasion by

introduce plants Any potentially invasive plants introduce to Cameron Highlandsshould be monitored and early detection of the plants spread should be controlled.

If they are already a major problem we must restrict the size and spread, andprevent them from establishing new populations. Finally people must be

responsible in returning our natives vegetation to area where the invasive plantshave been eradicated. In addition to support the idea people should consider

landscaping their garden with natives plants and informs others of the problems.

9.0 REFERRENCES9.1 Christopher Brickell, Encyclopedia A-Z of garden plants, The Royal

Horticultural Society9.2 Randy G. Westbrooks. 1998. Invasive Plants: Changing the Landscape of

America, Fact book, Federal Interagency Committee for the Managementof Noxious and Exotic Weeds.

9.3 R.E. Holttum, Ivan Enoch. 1991. Gardening in the Tropics, Times Edition.9.4 Richard Rosenfeld. Conservatory and Houseplants, DK.9.5 Francesco Bianchini, Azzura Carossa Pantano. Simon and Schusters

Guide to plants and flower, Simon and Schuster Inc.

9.6 Species, Landscape and Islands; Perspectives in Tropical Botany, Vol 55part 1 & 2 June 2001, Malaysian Nature Society.


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Non-Indigenous Plants in Cameron Highlands and the Impact to the Environment

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