Sakaerat Environmental Research Station - Thailand

The SERS is situated in the Korat Plateau between latitude 14°25′-14°33′ N and longitude 100°48′-100°56′ E (Fig. 1). The SERS covers an area of approximately 82 km2 (Trisurat et al. 2006) in seven sub-districts of Nakhon Ratchasima Province in northeast Thailand, namely Ta Khob, Lam Nang Kaew, Phu Luang, Udomsap, Wang Mee and Wang Ngam Khiew. Its altitude ranges from 250-762 m above mean sea level and approximately 35% of the research station is situated in altitudes between 300-400 m. The SERS is surrounded by extensive agricultural areas and human settlements. Based on visual image interpretation of Landsat-TM images, nine land-use/land-cover classes were classified, namely, dry evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest, dry dipterocarp forest, secondary growth, plantation, grassland, old clearing, agriculture & settlement, and water body.