Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity
Vol. 27 No. 2 (2026)

Long-term dynamics of fire-affected pine-dipterocarp forest in Northern Thailand

RAPEEPORN KANTASRILA (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization. Mae Rim 50180, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
JANJIRA MUENREW (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization. Mae Rim 50180, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
WORANART THAMMARONG (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization. Mae Rim 50180, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
NATCHA SUTJARITJAI (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization. Mae Rim 50180, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
WIRATA RUJICHAIPIMON (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization. Mae Rim 50180, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
SARAYUT RAKARCHA (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization. Mae Rim 50180, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
WITTAYA PONGAMORNKUL (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization. Mae Rim 50180, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
KRITTAPON MOOLLA (Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University. Mueang Chiang Mai 50200, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
PRATEEP PANYADEE (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization. Mae Rim 50180, Chiang Mai, Thailand)



Article Info

Publish Date
24 Mar 2026

Abstract

Abstract. Kantasrila R, Muenrew J, Thammarong W, Sutjaritjai N, Rujichaipimon W, Rakarcha S, Pongamornkul W, Moolla K, Panyadee P. 2026. Long-term dynamics of fire-affected pine-dipterocarp forest in Northern Thailand. Biodiversitas 27 (2): d270211. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d270211. Fire disturbance is a critical ecological driver in Southeast Asian tropical forests, yet long-term empirical evidence of repeated fire regime remains limited. This study examined 13-year post-fire dynamics in a pine-dipterocarp forest using a 1-ha permanent plot at Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Northern Thailand. Trees with Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) ≥ 4.5 cm were monitored in 2012 and 2025, along with saplings (1.5-4.4 cm DBH) in the latter census. Species richness increased from 40 to 47 species, and basal area rose from 22.52 to 26.06 m² ha-¹, indicating structural recovery. Recruitment (1.63% yr-¹) exceeded mortality (1.15% yr⁻¹), suggesting demographic resilience. While dominant canopy species such as Pentacme siamensis, Quercus kingiana, Dipterocarpus obtusifolius, and Pinus kesiya persisted, the sapling layer was dominated by fast-growing deciduous species (Dalbergia suthepensis, Wendlandia tinctoria, and Lithocarpus sootepensis), indicating contrasting regeneration composition between life stages under repeated fire. Aboveground biomass increased from 135.57-159.21 to 148.05-173.62 t ha-¹ across allometries, with carbon stocks rising from 80.92-95.03 to 88.37-103.63 t C ha-¹. These results reflect net accumulation of biomass and carbon between 2012 and 2025 in the fire-affected forest. The study provides the first long-term evidence of demographic and carbon recovery in a fire-prone forest ecosystem in Thailand, underscoring the importance of permanent plot monitoring for adaptive fire management and climate change mitigation.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

biodiv

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology

Description

The Biodiversitas Journal was first published in 2000 by the Department of Biology, FMNS, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia, then in 2006 it was co-published by the Society for Indonesian Biodiversity and that department; since 2017 it was also hosted by Smujo. From 2003-2012 it was ...