DIVERSITY OF RIPARIAN PLANT SPECIES ALONG RACH TRA UNDER WASTEWATER POLLUTION FROM ANTHROPOGENIC ACTIVITIES IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Tóm tắt

Riparian vegetation plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem stability and biodiversity, yet anthropogenic pressures increasingly threaten it. This study assesses the diversity of riparian plant species along Rạch Tra, Ho Chi Minh City, under the influence of wastewater inputs from various human activities. Vegetation surveys using quadrat sampling (1 m × 1 m), transects, and taxonomic identification recorded 162 species belonging to 137 genera and 58 families. Herbaceous plants accounted for the highest proportion (37.7%), followed by trees (19.8%), shrubs (17.9%), climbers (16.7%), helophytes (6.8%), and aquatic plants (0.6%). Twelve species were common to all three surveyed zones, with Colocasia esculenta, Hanguana malayana, and Ottochloa nodosa being the most dominant. Two vulnerable (VU) species requiring conservation were recorded: Elaeocarpus hygrophilus Kurz and Oryza rufipogon Griff., along with four invasive alien species and five potentially invasive alien species. Notably, Mikania cordata exhibited high density, posing a risk of displacing native flora. Community indices indicated a decline in the lower reach due to combined industrial, agricultural, and residential impacts. These findings provide essential baseline data to guide conservation planning, support riparian ecosystem restoration, and inform the selection of plant species for effective pollution control through phytoremediation technologies.