Das Projekt "Sammlung und Bestimmung von tropischen Wildleguminosen im Bergland Nord-Thailands" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Fakultät III Agrarwissenschaften I, Institut für Pflanzenproduktion und Agrarökologie in den Tropen und Subtropen, Fachgebiet Biodiversität und Landrehabilitation in den Tropen und Subtropen durchgeführt. Wild legumes in the forest habitats of the mountainous regions of Northern Thailand are increasingly in danger of becoming extinct as forest is converted to agricultural land. In the present research project, seeds of wild, native legumes were collected in Northern Thailands hillsides. From the beginning of November 1997 until the end of January 1998, 87 different legume species were collected. Of the 87 species, 82 belong to the family of the Fabaceae and five belong to the family Caesalpiniaceae. Of 87 identified species, a total of 159 seed samples were collected. The gathering of seeds took place at altitudes between the 140 and 1630 meters above sea level. Topsoil samples from each location were analyzed for pH, soil texture, organic carbon and Bray II-phosphorus. Additionally the abundance and growth habit of the collected plants were recorded. Desmodium amethystinum and Crotalaria ferruginea were found merely at altitudes of about 920 meters. Calopogonium mucunoides, Atylosia scarabaeoides, Cassia tora, Flemingia strobilifera and Crotalaria kruzii were predominant in lower altitudes. Red clay and loamy soils were the dominant soil types at most collection sites. Besides the red clay soil, yellow sandy or gray hydromorphic soils were found as well. In extremely sandy soil, Crotalaria species and Desmodium triflorum were dominant. Especially on ruderal sites the highest species diversity was obvious, showing the capability of many legumes to act as pioneers on disturbed soils. On the ruderal sites of the western routes more species were found than on the north-eastern routes. The poorest sites were the border of rice fields where anthropogenetic influence was greatest. The same was found for the mowed roadsides. The mowing and burning (especially in December) along roadsides and rice fields destroyed a lot of locations where legumes normally could be found.