Expert system for terrestrial vegetation distribution, potential impact and mitigation abatement measures

The tropical rainforest of Malaysia holds one of the richest flora in the w orld. The favourable climate has produced flora of amazing richness and var iety. Terrestrial vegetation of tropical rainforests is an important featur e of the environment. Plants play a major role in the environment and conse rvation of a particular environment depends fundamentally on the maintenanc e of existing plants and their communities and hierarchies. Interference in the balance of the ecosystem may produce radical changes that lead to prog ressive deviations from the original situation. Therefore, the application of a computer technology in the form of an expert system (ES) will be able to help in the analysis and management of the EIA information. The ES is na med VEGEVIC. Application of the system will lead to greater consistency in the application of EIA through implementation of a standard approach.