Waterplants in the Tropical Wetlands

Chavalit VidthayanonWWF Thailand

• Introduction• Major vegetation in

wetlands• Zonations• Diversity of waterplants• Economic and ecological

value

Introduction

Kwan Payao

Chantaburi

Boung Khonglong

Bueng Borapet

Khaoyai NP

Petchaburi

Samroiyad NP.

Ranong

Thale Noi NHA

Koh Libong NHA

Tohdaeng Peat WS

Waterplant hotspots in SEA.

Type of waterplants

• Submerged• Emerged• Floating• Marginal• Flood dependent• Flood tolerance

• Streams and riparian forests

• Flooded forests• Floodplains and

marshlands• Peatlands• Sandy Beach forests• Mangroves• Seagrass beds

Tropical Wetland Vegetation Types

Habitat and Landscape Diversity

Lowland Dry forest

Marshlands

Streams

Floating mats vegetation

Lowland evergreen

Dry Dipterocarps

General Zonation

Deep and shallow marsh

Wet meadow

Open water

Shrub wetland

Forested wetland

Upland buffer

Riparian forests

Marginal zones

Submerged-emerged zones

General zonation

Kut Ting

Vegetation zones in marshland

Kut Ting

Bueng Kong Long

Vegetation profiles in different area

Streams and riparian forests

Riparian waterplants

Mekong Riparian forests

Flooded forests

Flooded forest trees

By SEARIN

Floodplains and marshlands

Marshy grasslands

Floating and emerged plants

Floating and emerged plants

Submerged plants

Submerged plants

Marginal plants

Mangroves

Mangrove zonation

Root adaptation diversity

Phenology of water plants

mangrove

seagrass

Seedling zonation

Intermediet type of habitats

Mangroves and peat forests

•Peat swamp forests

•Sandy Beach forests

The most threatened wetland habitat in tropical areas

Beach forest flora

•Seagrass beds

Identification parts of Seagrasses

Seagrass flora Up to 60 species globally

20 spp. in S/SEA.

Threats to water plant diversity

• Deforestation• Wetland claim and alteration• Invasive alien species; plants and animal

• Pollution• Climate change and drought• Overexploitation• Overfishing and grazing

Invasive Alien Water plants

•Economic and ecological value

• Food อาหาร :

• Fodder อาหารสัตว

• Ornamental and aquarium plants พรรณไมน้ําสวยงาม

• Fertilizer ปุย

• Fish habitats ถิ่นอาศัยสัตวน้ํา

• Pharmaceutical uses สมุนไพร

• Accessories, handicraft, household uses

• Timbers

Important of aquatic plants

ความสําคัญ

Economic

waterplants

Edible waterplants >50 species

Aquarium water plants Exported > 300m ฿ annually

Water plant communities as fishes and wildlife habitats

Waterplant Monitoring methods

•Direct sampling•Visual census•Participatory survey and local knowledge•Photo records•Plot sampling and mapping

Tools and database

• Herbarium• Botanical garden• Field guide• Water plant aquarium

See you next sessions