Dakchung Plateau (16639)
Laos, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Dakchung Plateau
Central coordinates: Latitude: 15.3500, Longitude: 107.1500
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 800 to 1400
Area of KBA (km2): 51.41521
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The natural vegetation on the plateau has been extensively degraded, and the existing vegetation is dominated by pine woodland and grassland (Thewlis et al. 1998). In addition to pine woodland and grassland, there are small pockets of degraded semi-evergreen forest and dry evergreen forest, and patches of marshy land with tall grasses (Showler et al. 1998).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) The site has been reviewed and re-confirmed as a KBA in the process of compiling the revised 2011 CEPF Ecosystem Profile for the Indo-Burma Hotspot.
Additional biodiversity: Bird diversity was moderate (considering the narrow altitudinal range covered), but the virtual absence of large ground-foraging species and relatively low densities of some others appeared to indecate quite high hunting pressure (Showler et al. 1998) Non-bird biodiversity: Showler et al. (1998) recorded two species of other important fauna: Oriental Small-clawed Otter A. cinerea and Tiger P. tigris.Showler et al. (1998) found the remains of Big-headed Turtle Platysternon megacephalum hunted from the IBA site.Local villagers reported two herds totaling more than 20 animals of the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus present at the IBA site and Showler et al. (1998) also counted six piles of droppings.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | rangeland/pastureland
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 25 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 25 | |
| Forest | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: One of the main threats to biodiversity is the IBA is habitat degradation and loss. Clearance of forest for agriculture and selective timber extraction have already resulted in the loss of extensive areas of natural forest and the degradation of other areas. Another factor contributing to habitat degradation is grazing by domestic livestock. Another major threat to biodiversity at the IBA is hunting. Some large-bodied ground-foraging bird species appear to be virtual absent from the IBA, while others seem to occur at very low densities, indicating quite high hunting pressure (Showler et al. 1998). A potential threat to biodiversity at the IBA is infrastructure development, particularly a planned road linking Sekong town with Da Nang city in Vietnam (Timmins and Vongkhamheng 1996). Any road construction could be expected to lead to higher levels of natural resource exploitation and to facilitate human settlement within and adjacent to the IBA.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Duckworth, J. W., Salter, R. E. and Khounboline, K. eds. (1999) Wildlife in Lao P.D.R.: 1999 status report. Vientiane: IUCN, WCS and CPAWM.Showler, D. A., Davidson, P., Vongkhamheng, C. and Salivong, K. (1998) A wildlife and habitat survey of the southern border of Xe Sap National Biodiversity Conservation Area and the Dakchung plateau, Xe Kong province, Lao P.D.R. Vientiane: CPAWM/WCS.Thewlis, R. M., Timmins, R. J., Evans, T. D. and Duckworth, J. W. (1998) The conservation status of birds in Laos: a review of key species. Bird Conserv. Internat. 8(suppl.): 1-159.Timmins, R. J. and Vongkhamheng, C. (1996) A preliminary wildlife and habitat survey of Xe Sap National Biodiversity Conservation Area and mountains to the south, Salavan province, Lao P.D.R. Vientiane: CPAWM/WCS.