Diversity of fern plants (Pteridophyta) in the oil palm plantation area of Gontara Village, Central Sulawesi

Ferns are a kind of plant that exhibits a high degree of adaptability and may be cultivated with relative ease in the Gontara Village Region, located in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The decline in the variety of this particular plant species can be attributed to the extensive conversion of land for oil palm plantations. So far, no empirical investigations or datasets have been conducted or published that provide insights on the extent of fern species diversity subsequent to the conversion of the region into an oil palm plantation. Hence, the present study was undertaken with the objective of ascertaining the various classifications of ferns and assessing the extent of fern variety. The present study employs the route approach in conjunction with a purposive sampling strategy. The present study was done in the oil palm plantation region of Gontara Village, Mori Atas District, Central Sulawesi. A total of 21 fern species were identified, belonging to 5 distinct classes, 5 orders, and 9 families. The Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index yields a value of 2.82, indicating the extent of diversity.