Current Status of the Vegetation of Two Mounds of Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol

Abstract

The Chocolate Hills, one of the major tourist in spots the country, is being threatened by recurrent quarrying activities. This study was intended to determine the impact of quarrying on the vegetation of the hills, specifically on diversity and productivity. A vegetation analysis was done in the vicinity of Barangay La Paz, Carmen, Bohol from October to November 2002. Two hills were established as study area and labeled, Chocolate Hill#] (CH1) as the quarried hill and Chocolate Hill#2 (CH2) as the relatively undisturbed hill. The climatic and edaphic factors were also noted and their possible relationships to the vegetation were correlated. With prevailing climatic and soil conditions considered, two species were noted at CHI, namely, Themeda gigantea and Chromolaena odorata. CH2, on the other hand, was inhabited by 15 species, namely, T. gigantea, C. odorata, Paspalum conjugatum, Saccharum spontaneum, Ludwigia adscendens Stachytarpheta Jamaicensis, Mimosa pudica, Vernonia cenerea, Cyperus rotundus, Euphorbia hirta, Uraria lagopodioides, Sidax rhombifolia, Athyrium esculentum, Imperata cylindrica and Tridax procumbens. T. gigantea had the highest importance percentage (47.63%) and covered the greatest area. CH2 had higher diversity values (Simpson’s index=0.0968: Shannon-Weaver index= 1.7587) and productivity (556.3 g/m’/wk) than that of CHI. This study showed that quarrying may have possible negative impacts on the vegetation.