Biodiversity of Plants and Birds in Reclamation Area of PT Bukit Asam, Muara Enim, South Sumatera

Mining activities will reduce species diversity, whereas forest reclamation would restore the species diversity, which\udwas previously a forested area. This research was conducted in PT Bukit Asam area, in 6 locations, and in natural\udforest, as a comparison. The objective of this research was identifying biodiversity of plants and birds in a\udreclamation area which had different planting years through an approach of diversity indices of vegetation and birds\ud(H'), index of species similarity of plants and birds, and leaf area index (LAI). Research results showed that\udsecondary succession occurred in the reclamation area. The value of plant diversity index in reclamation area of\ud1995 planting year exhibited diversity values which approached that of natural forest, except for undergrowth\udvegetation. Index of plant species similarity between reclamation area and natural forest did not show any presence\udof similar communities, but the reclamation area of 1995 planting year exhibited values of plant species similarity\udindices at all strata, ranging from undergrowth vegetation, seedlings, saplings, poles, and trees. Index of bird\uddiversity in reclamation area of planting the year 1998 possessed the highest value and approached that of natural\udforest, namely 2.43. Reclamation area of 1998 planting year possessed the highest similarity index of bird species,\udnamely 50%. Reclamation area of the planting year 1995 possessed LAI which approached natural forest, namely\ud1.89. The older the planting year, the larger was the value of LAI, except for the disturbed reclamation area, namely\udreclamation area of 1996 planting year and reclamation area of 2001 planting yea