Species Composition and Their Roles in Temperature Reduction in Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park

• Main Author: Zulfikar Mukhlis, Bin Zukiman
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) 2017
• Subjects: S Agriculture (General)
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/27856/2/Zulfikar%28fulltext%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/27856/

Urban trees provide multiple benefits for the urban dwellers such as providing aesthetic services, carbon storage and sequestration, noise reduction; reduction of air pollutants, health and physiological services. The species composition of Tabuan Jaya Recreational Park, their physical characteristics, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rates of the trees in the park were measured and evaluated. A total of 254 plants belonging to 29 species were recorded. Syzygium campanulatum and Roystonea regia were the two major species recorded, each with 63 and 47 trees respectively. Trees of Saraca thaipingensis recorded SPAD index below 35, while M. elengi recorded moderate average value of 48.5 respectively. S. polyanthum recorded the highest reading with 55.3 SPAD index. P. pterocarpum recorded the highest temperature reduction of 5.7oC followed by M. atropurpurea with 4.1oC and S. mahogany with 3.2oC. Both S. polyanthum and T. pentaphylla species recorded values 2.6oC. S.campanulatum recorded the lowest rate of photosynthesis with the mean of 2.53 µmol-1 sec-1 as compared to S.thaipingensis and M. elengi with the mean of photosynthesis rate of 5.50 µmol-1 sec-1 and 6.76 µmol-1 sec-1 respectively. Tree species like Samanea saman and Millettia atropurpurea are suitable for shading with wide spreading crowns and can help to reduce the air temperatures. Pithecellobium dulce, Mimusops elengi and Peltophorum pterocarpum were planted too close to each other resulting in poor crown development. Proper and adequate planting space both below and above ground should be practiced with schedule tree maintenance and adequate fertilization.