DOI: 10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbd3
title: Fern communities in lowland tropical forests of Brunei Darussalam, Borneo: diversity, indicator species, and environmental drivers across forest types

description: Ferns, as a large and biodiverse group, significantly contribute to the
 vascular plant diversity of the lowland tropical forests of Brunei
 Darussalam, Borneo. These forests encompass three main types: Mixed
 Dipterocarp Forest (MDF), Peat Swamp Forest (PSF), and Heath
 Forest (HF). This study aims to describe and compare fern communities in
 these three forest types, focusing on species richness, diversity, and the
 identification of indicator species. Additionally, it investigates the
 environmental factors that shape these communities. We conducted fieldwork
 in 48 plots across Brunei's lowland forests. We identified fern
 species and abundance through a visual census and analyzed environmental
 parameters, including soil pH, organic matter (OM)
 content, nutrient availability, and soil texture. The results
 showed 83 fern species, with MDF having the most (57 species). Peat
 Swamp and HFs had similar fern species richness (33 and 34
 species, respectively). Our environmental analysis indicated that
 specific combinations of fern species and environmental
 parameters significantly correlate and effectively discriminate between
 the three forest types. Finally, we identified a selection of indicator
 species for each forest type. Our findings highlight the heterogeneity of
 Bornean lowland forests and the importance of preserving a diversity of
 habitats to maintain fern biodiversity. The study underscores the
 intricate interplay between environmental factors and fern diversity.This
 dataset accompanies the manuscript “Fern communities in lowland tropical
 forests of Brunei Darussalam, Borneo: diversity, indicator species, and
 environmental drivers across forest types”. It consists of three Excel
 files: 01_Species_abundance_plots.csv – Contains fern species composition
 and abundance data from 48 forest plots. Rows represent species (with
 family and scientific name), and columns represent plots. Cell values
 indicate the number of individuals recorded per species per plot.
 02_Species_Life_Forms.csv – Provides the life form classification
 (epiphytic, climber, or terrestrial) for each fern species included in the
 survey. 03_Environmental_Data.csv – Includes measured environmental
 variables for each of the 48 plots, used to explore environmental drivers
 of fern diversity and distribution. Together, these datasets support
 analyses of fern community composition, species–environment relationships,
 and potential indicator species across different forest types in Brunei.
description: # Dryad dataset Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbd3](10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbd3) ## Description of the
 data and file structure The data were collected as part of a field study
 on fern communities in lowland tropical forests of Brunei Darussalam,
 Borneo. The aim of the study was to assess fern species diversity,
 identify potential indicator species, and investigate how environmental
 factors and forest types influence community composition. Fieldwork was
 conducted across 48 plots representing three different forest types, where
 all fern individuals were recorded, identified, and assigned to life form
 categories. In each plot, a set of environmental variables was also
 measured to evaluate species–environment relationships. ### Files and
 variables #### **File: 01\_Species\_abundance\_plots.csv**
 **Description:**\ This file contains fern species composition and
 abundance data from 48 forest plots. Each row corresponds to a fern
 species, while each column represents a plot. Values indicate the number
 of individuals of that species recorded in the respective plot.
 **Variables:** * **Family**: Taxonomic family of the fern species. *
 **FERN'S scientific name**: Full scientific name of each fern species
 (genus, species, authority). * **1A to 4O**: Plot codes representing 48
 unique sampling plots. The values indicate **individual counts** per
 species per plot. --- ### **File: 02\_Species\_Life\_Forms.csv**
 **Description:**\ This file lists the life form classification for each
 fern species included in the study. **Variables:** * **Family**: Taxonomic
 family of the fern species. * **FERN'S scientific name**: Full
 scientific name of each fern species. * **Life Form**: Growth form
 classification of the species: * **E** = Epiphytic * **T** = Terrestrial *
 **C** = Climber --- ### **File: 03\_Environmental\_Data.csv**
 **Description:**\ This file includes environmental variables measured in
 each of the 48 forest plots to assess their relationship with fern
 community composition. **Variables:** * **site name**: Name of the general
 sampling area. * **plot**: Plot code (e.g., 1A, 2A, ..., 4O) matching
 those in the species abundance file. * **forest type**: Classification of
 forest type for the plot (MDF, HF, PSF). * **GWC (%)**: Gravimetric water
 content of the soil, expressed as a percentage. * **pH**: Soil pH value. *
 **N**: Soil nitrogen content (unit: mg/g). * **P**: Soil phosphorus
 content (unit: mg/g). * **% sand**: Proportion of sand in the soil (as
 percentage of soil composition). * **OM (%)**: Organic matter content in
 the soil, expressed as a percentage. * **Distance from water (m)**:
 Distance from the center of the plot to the nearest water body, in meters.
 ## Code/software The data files are provided in `.csv` format and can be
 viewed using any spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice
 Calc, or Google Sheets.