Inventory and Habitat Preference of Pteridophytes in and around gold‐mined areas in Gango, Libona, Bukidnon, Philippines

Abstract

Gold mining brings several benefits to developing countries like the Philippines. Although the industry results in economic gains and provides employment, it often destroys the environment through deforestation, vegetation removal, and biodiversity loss. This study considered the distribution, abundance, status, and uses of pteridophytes in and around the gold-mined areas of a village in Gango, Libona Bukidnon, Philippines. Collection and identification of pteridophytes were done in the fixed sampling points outside and inside the mining area. Results of the study revealed that the diversity of pteridophytes inside the mining area is higher than outside the mining area. Seventy-five percent of the pteridophytes in the area have economic importance; Aglaomorpha heraclea (Kze.) Copel, a vulnerable species, was recorded inside the mining environs. High pteridophyte diversity of 1.965 Shannon's index within the mining area implied that the underground-small-scale gold mining had little impact on pterydophytes in the study area.