Location :
Kinabalu Park, Kundasang, Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia
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| Plants inside the park |
Kinabalu Park, in the State of Sabah on the northern end of
the island of Borneo, is dominated by Mount Kinabalu (4,095 m), the
highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea. It has a very
wide range of habitats, from rich tropical lowland and hill rainforest
to tropical mountain forest, sub-alpine forest and scrub on the higher
elevations. It has been designated as a Centre of Plant Diversity for
Southeast Asia and is exceptionally rich in species with examples of
flora from the Himalayas, China, Australia, Malaysia, as well as
pan-tropical flora.
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| At the entrance to the Park |
As the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea, Mount
Kinabalu (4,095 m) holds a distinctive position for the biota of
South-East Asia. Kinabalu is a granite intrusion formed 15 million years
ago by the hardening of a mass of molten rock that rose beneath the
sedimentary rocks of Borneo's Crocker Range. 1 million years ago this
pluton was thrust upward by tectonic movements which continue to this
day. The sandstone and shale that once covered the granite have been
eroded to reveal the underlying rock. During the Pleistocene, glaciers
covered Kinabalu's summit, scouring the granite plateau and sharpening
the jagged peaks above the ice. The ice sheet disappeared 10,000 years
ago. Since then, wind and water have sculpted the summit peaks further
to create pinnacles and deep valleys.
Natural vegetation covers 93% of the park with rich tropical lowland
and hill rainforest (dominated by diptocarps) amounting to 35%. Tropical
montane forest covers another 37% of the park with subalpine forest and
evergreen scrub found at the higher elevations. Of particular
conservation significance are vegetation types developed on ultramafic
(serpentine) rocks. Ultramafic vegetation covers about 16% of the park
and contains many species restricted to this substrate.
Kinabalu has been identified as a Centre of Plant Diversity. Despite
its geological youth, it is exceptionally rich in species with elements
from the Himalayas, China, Australia, Malesia and Pantropical floras.
The park has between 5,000-6,000 vascular plant species, 1,000 of which
are orchids. It is particularly rich in Ficus (78 taxa), ferns (610 species) and Nepenthes (9 species of pitcher plant). Rafflesia,
a rare parasitic plant, is also found. The mountain flora has diverse
'living fossils' such as the celery pine and the trig-oak, the
evolutionary link between oaks and beeches.
The variety of Kinabalu's habitats includes 6 vegetation zones from
lowland rainforest through to alpine scrub at 4,095 m. Faunal diversity
is also high with the majority of Borneo's mammals, birds, amphibians
and invertebrates (many threatened and vulnerable) known to occur in the
park. It is clear that Kinabalu Park contains the important and
significant habitats for the in-situ conservation of biological
diversity.
The high species diversity of Kinabalu results from a number of
factors: the great altitudinal and climatic gradient from tropical
forest to alpine conditions; precipitous topography causing effective
geographical isolation over short distances; the diverse geology with
many localized edaphic conditions, particularly the ultramafic
substrates; the frequent climate oscillations influenced by El Niño
events; and geological history of the Malay archipelago and proximity to
the much older Crocker Range.
The above processes provide ideal conditions for a diverse biota,
high endemism and rapid evolutionary rates. Wildlife is also diverse
with 90 species of lowland mammal and 22 others found in the montane
zone. Four species of primate occur and 326 bird species have been
recorded. Mount Kinabalu is thus both species-rich and an important
centre for endemism. Half of all Borneo's birds, mammals and amphibian
species including many rare and endangered species occur in the park.
Two-thirds of all Bornean reptiles and at least half of its plant
species are represented in the park.
Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC
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| Follow me~ |
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| Almost arrive at the Botanical garden |
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| I found tomato on the way there~~~ |
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| Entrance to the Botanical Garden |
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| End of the trail at Botanical Garden |
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| Botanical Garden Map |
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| Rules need to obey |
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| On the way out.... |
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| Hello there~ how cute~~~ |
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| 'Thank You. Please Come Again' |
Natural vegetation covers 93% of the park with rich tropical lowland
and hill rainforest (dominated by diptocarps) amounting to 35%. Tropical
montane forest covers another 37% of the park with subalpine forest and
evergreen scrub found at the higher elevations. Of particular
conservation significance are vegetation types developed on ultramafic
(serpentine) rocks. Ultramafic vegetation covers about 16% of the park
and contains many species restricted to this substrate.
Kinabalu has been identified as a Centre of Plant Diversity. Despite
its geological youth, it is exceptionally rich in species with elements
from the Himalayas, China, Australia, Malesia and Pantropical floras.
The park has between 5,000-6,000 vascular plant species, 1,000 of which
are orchids. It is particularly rich in Ficus (78 taxa), ferns (610 species) and Nepenthes (9 species of pitcher plant). Rafflesia,
a rare parasitic plant, is also found. The mountain flora has diverse
'living fossils' such as the celery pine and the trig-oak, the
evolutionary link between oaks and beeches.
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