ALTERNATIF LOKASI PENGEMBANGAN KEBUN RAYA DAN EKSPLORASI TUMBUHAN HUTAN MONSUN MERANGGAS BERBASIS PETA DISTRIBUSI TIPE HUTAN DI NUSA TENGGARA

A study of alternative locality of botanic garden developments and flora explorations in deciduous monsoon forests based on forest type distribution in Nusa Tenggara has been carried out. The forest type distribution was allegedly obtained through overlay process of vegetation formation and satellite image of forest covering using software Arc-GIS versi 10.3. in Nusa Tenggara. A total of five forest types succeeded in mapping of Nusa Tenggara forests namely, evergreen rain forests (1008.77 km2), semi-evergreen rain forests (2944.98 km2), moist deciduous forests (6120.36 km2), dry deciduous forests (7955.18 km2) and thorn forests (93.07 km2). The existing forests in Nusa Tenggara reached 18122.36 km2 or 27.30%, in total. All of regencies/cities in Nusa Tenggara seemed appropriate to botanic garden developments, themed deciduous monsoon forests, based on habitat compatibility. At least each botanic garden developments covering an area of 10 ha consist of 500 species of potential trees collection. There are 58 coordinate point sites in which scattered in13 sub types of deciduous monsoon forests as a guide for exploration sites are recommended. It is about 487 species (trees, shrubs and woody plants) are potentially collected. Several large families are found such as Leguminosae (49 species), Malvaceae (28 species), Meliaceae (26 species), Moraceae (25 species), Rubiaceae and Rutaceae (23 species on each). A total of 59 species are listed in the IUCN red list, particularly four endangered species and 12 vulnerable species as put priority when conducting plant explorations.