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.
