Abstract
The development of a hydroelectric dam in Tembat and Petuang Forest Reserve, Hulu Terengganu has changed the natural habitat of elephants into a modified landscape. This study assesses the land-use and land-cover changes in the forest reserve from 2006 to 2016 to detect the changes that have occurred over that period and identify the habitats used by elephants therein. An unsupervised classification was conducted to identify logged-over forests, degraded forests and water bodies. The classified image from 2006 showed only 117.56 km2 of the logged-over forest, however, in 2013, an area increases of 43.41% of the logged-over forest was detected. In 2006, the degraded forest and water body areas were around 2.14 km2 and 3.22 km2 respectively, but an increase from 2006 to 2013 for degraded forests amounted to 33.94 km2 water bodies decreased to 2.46 km2. Due to the impoundment of the new dams in 2016, a decrease in the size of unlogged forests, logged forests and degraded forests were 2.37%, 24.35% and 41.72% respectively. The development of a hydroelectric dam has contributed to the expansion of the logged and degraded forests. Forest openings in the study area promoted the growth of palatable plants for elephants to consume. Thus, the preferred habitats of elephants were observed to be heavily influenced by the availability of resources in the logged area.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 23-33 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Malaysian Applied Biology |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2017 |
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Keywords
- Elephant
- Habitat use and land cover change
- Hydroelectric development
- Inundation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
Cite this
The impact of hydroelectric development on elephant habitats in Hulu Terengganu. / Magintan, David; Lihan, Tukimat; Mohamed, Khairul Amirin; Campos-Arceiz, Ahimsa; Saaban, Salman; Husin, Shahril Mod; Md. Nor, Shukor.
In: Malaysian Applied Biology, Vol. 46, No. 4, 01.12.2017, p. 23-33.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of hydroelectric development on elephant habitats in Hulu Terengganu
AU - Magintan, David
AU - Lihan, Tukimat
AU - Mohamed, Khairul Amirin
AU - Campos-Arceiz, Ahimsa
AU - Saaban, Salman
AU - Husin, Shahril Mod
AU - Md. Nor, Shukor
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - The development of a hydroelectric dam in Tembat and Petuang Forest Reserve, Hulu Terengganu has changed the natural habitat of elephants into a modified landscape. This study assesses the land-use and land-cover changes in the forest reserve from 2006 to 2016 to detect the changes that have occurred over that period and identify the habitats used by elephants therein. An unsupervised classification was conducted to identify logged-over forests, degraded forests and water bodies. The classified image from 2006 showed only 117.56 km2 of the logged-over forest, however, in 2013, an area increases of 43.41% of the logged-over forest was detected. In 2006, the degraded forest and water body areas were around 2.14 km2 and 3.22 km2 respectively, but an increase from 2006 to 2013 for degraded forests amounted to 33.94 km2 water bodies decreased to 2.46 km2. Due to the impoundment of the new dams in 2016, a decrease in the size of unlogged forests, logged forests and degraded forests were 2.37%, 24.35% and 41.72% respectively. The development of a hydroelectric dam has contributed to the expansion of the logged and degraded forests. Forest openings in the study area promoted the growth of palatable plants for elephants to consume. Thus, the preferred habitats of elephants were observed to be heavily influenced by the availability of resources in the logged area.
AB - The development of a hydroelectric dam in Tembat and Petuang Forest Reserve, Hulu Terengganu has changed the natural habitat of elephants into a modified landscape. This study assesses the land-use and land-cover changes in the forest reserve from 2006 to 2016 to detect the changes that have occurred over that period and identify the habitats used by elephants therein. An unsupervised classification was conducted to identify logged-over forests, degraded forests and water bodies. The classified image from 2006 showed only 117.56 km2 of the logged-over forest, however, in 2013, an area increases of 43.41% of the logged-over forest was detected. In 2006, the degraded forest and water body areas were around 2.14 km2 and 3.22 km2 respectively, but an increase from 2006 to 2013 for degraded forests amounted to 33.94 km2 water bodies decreased to 2.46 km2. Due to the impoundment of the new dams in 2016, a decrease in the size of unlogged forests, logged forests and degraded forests were 2.37%, 24.35% and 41.72% respectively. The development of a hydroelectric dam has contributed to the expansion of the logged and degraded forests. Forest openings in the study area promoted the growth of palatable plants for elephants to consume. Thus, the preferred habitats of elephants were observed to be heavily influenced by the availability of resources in the logged area.
KW - Elephant
KW - Habitat use and land cover change
KW - Hydroelectric development
KW - Inundation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85039843034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85039843034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
VL - 46
SP - 23
EP - 33
JO - Malaysian Applied Biology
JF - Malaysian Applied Biology
SN - 0126-8643
IS - 4
ER -