18 research outputs found
Assessment of Non-Volant Small Mammals at Lenggor Forest Reserve and Mersing Forest Reserve in Johor, Malaysia
No full textSurveys of non-volant small mammals were conducted in two fragmented forest reserves within Johor, namely Mersing Forest Reserve (MFR) and Lenggor Forest Reserve (LFR), which are part of the J-PL1 ecological corridor under the Central Forest Spine (CFS) initiative. The surveys were conducted from June to October 2024 to document the diversity of non-volant small mammals at the MFR and LFR. In each forest reserve, six transect lines measuring 100m in length were established at distances of 300m, 500m, and 1000m from the forest edge. Ten collapsible cage traps were set along each transect line and operated for five consecutive nights per session. A total of four sampling sessions were conducted at each site. Apart from this, observation was made to document arboreal species. Overall, 15 species are recorded from both forest reserves. MFR recorded 15 species (six families), while LFR recorded 11 species (four families). Species diversity (Shannon-Wiener Index) is comparable between MFR (H′ = 1.658) and LFR (H′ = 1.635). Notably, two Vulnerable species, namely Maxomys whiteheadi and Maxomys rajah, were also documented at both forest reserves. These findings portray the ecological significance of LFR and MFR as vital habitats that support a diverse community of non-volant small mammals. Hence, maintaining and enhancing habitat connectivity within the J-PL1 corridor is crucial for preserving ecological integrity and ensuring the long-term survival of non-volant small mammal populations in this ecological corridor and its adjacent areas
Reptile species composition at three forest reserves in the Central Forest Spine ecological corridor B-SL1, Selangor, Malaysia
No full textCentral Forest Spine (CFS) is an important initiative to reconnect fragmented forest areas in the Peninsular Malaysia. According to the master plan (PIRECFS 2022), 39 ecological corridors have been identified, including CFS B-SL1, which connects Raja Musa Forest Reserve, Bukit Tarek Forest Reserve, and Gading Forest Reserve in Selangor. A review of existing research on reptilian diversity in these reserves revealed a lack of studies, with some focusing on the Bukit Tarek Forest Reserve. This study aims to document the reptile species present in CFS B-SL1. Fieldwork was conducted in May, June, August, September, and October 2022, with two sampling sessions in each forest reserve. A total of 25 pitfall traps were used for five consecutive nights, and active searches were done for two nights per session. The study identified 18 species from nine families, with Calotes emma being the most frequently captured species (n=31). Gading Forest Reserve constitutes the highest number of species (12 sp). The Agamidae family accounted for the highest families in B-SL1, which is 65.08%. Jaccard’s similarity dendrogram indicated Gading Forest Reserve and Raja Musa Forest Reserve clustered together, although the similarity was below 0.4. Kruskal-Wallis test indicated no significant difference in reptile diversity across three forest reservesThe rarefaction curve indicates that more species could be discovered if the sampling effort were increased. Recommendation includes proposing buffer zones at the corridor and monitoring the usage of herbicides at the plantations within the corridor. The study suggests that more time and effort are needed to uncover additional reptilian species in these forest reserves
Avifauna at Padang Chong Forest Reserve, Perak
No full textAvifauna are widely visible and can be found in a variety of habitats, including primary forests up to the urban gardens. Surveys on avifauna using the mist-netting technique were carried out at Padang Chong Forest Reserve (PCFR) in Perak for five sessions starting from June 2022 until November 2022. From these, a total of 176 individuals from 49 species were recorded. The main objective of these surveys was to document and update the avifauna diversity at this forest reserve. Grey-throated Babbler (Stachyris nigriceps) was the most abundant with 27 individuals captured throughout the surveys followed by Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) and Oriental-dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca) with 14 individuals and 11 individuals captured respectively. From the surveys, it is shown that a diverse array of avifauna, with the remaining individuals representing a variety of species, each with fewer than 10 individuals recorded. Out of 49 species of avifauna, only Brown-chested Jungle-flycatcher (Cyornis brunneatus) is listed as Vulnerable, and the remaining species are listed as Near Threatened and Least Concern. These brings the checklist of avifauna in PCFR a total of 85 species from 19 families. Understanding the species richness of avifauna in Padang Chong Forest Reserve (PCFR) is crucial for effective conservation management strategies since this forest reserve is identified as one of the ecological corridors in Central Forest Spine (CFS) initiative known as A-PL2
Herpetofauna surveys at CFS ecological corridor (J-PL2: Panti Forest Reserve-Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve), Johor, Malaysia
No full textHerpetological surveys were conducted at Panti Forest Reserve and Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve of Johor in March and April 2019. These forest reserves are identified as one of the designated primary linkages under the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Masterplan, named as J-PL2 or previously known as CFSII PL3. The objective of the study is to document updated list of herpetofauna species recorded at the J-PL2. During this study, onehectare study plot was established at Panti Forest Reserve and Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve, respectively. Each study plot was equipped with 10 transect lines. A total of 25 pitfall traps were deployed at each study plot. These traps were set for five consecutive nights per session, with a total of two sampling sessions per site. In addition, active search was also conducted for a minimum of two hours at each site during every sampling session. As a result, a total of 30 individuals comprising of 13 species of herpetofauna were recorded at J-PL2. Panti Forest Reserve harbour highest number of herpetofauna with nine species (five families) followed by Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve with six species (five families). Amphibians was the most species captured in Panti Forest Reserve with six species, whilst the number of species recorded for both amphibians and reptiles at Ulu Sedili was similar with three species. Furthermore, five species of the herpetofauna representing by one amphibian and four reptiles are new additional recorded herpetofauna species when compared to a compilation of previously listed species at both forest reserves. Pelobatrachus nasutus, Draco haematopogon and Naja sumatrana are among the latest species recorded through this study. Referring to this information, hopefully the significance of J-PL2 as an important shelter for various herpetofauna species could be reflected and proper conservation actions must be undertaken to protect and sustain their population
Herpetofauna surveys at CFS ecological corridor (J-PL2: Panti Forest Reserve-Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve), Johor, Malaysia
No full textHerpetological surveys were conducted at Panti Forest Reserve and Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve of Johor in March and April 2019. These forest reserves are identified as one of the designated primary linkages under the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Masterplan, named as J-PL2 or previously known as CFSII PL3. The objective of the study is to document updated list of herpetofauna species recorded at the J-PL2. During this study, onehectare study plot was established at Panti Forest Reserve and Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve, respectively. Each study plot was equipped with 10 transect lines. A total of 25 pitfall traps were deployed at each study plot. These traps were set for five consecutive nights per session, with a total of two sampling sessions per site. In addition, active search was also conducted for a minimum of two hours at each site during every sampling session. As a result, a total of 30 individuals comprising of 13 species of herpetofauna were recorded at J-PL2. Panti Forest Reserve harbour highest number of herpetofauna with nine species (five families) followed by Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve with six species (five families). Amphibians was the most species captured in Panti Forest Reserve with six species, whilst the number of species recorded for both amphibians and reptiles at Ulu Sedili was similar with three species. Furthermore, five species of the herpetofauna representing by one amphibian and four reptiles are new additional recorded herpetofauna species when compared to a compilation of previously listed species at both forest reserves. Pelobatrachus nasutus, Draco haematopogon and Naja sumatrana are among the latest species recorded through this study. Referring to this information, hopefully the significance of J-PL2 as an important shelter for various herpetofauna species could be reflected and proper conservation actions must be undertaken to protect and sustain their population
Preliminary Study of Chiroptera at Padang Chong Forest Reserve, Hulu Perak, Peninsular Malaysia
No full textThe Padang Chong Forest Reserve (PCFR) is a significant part of the Central Forest Spine (CFS) initiative, specifically A-PL2. However, the information regarding chiropterans in PCFR is not extensively documented. To address this gap, our study aims to comprehensively document the occurrence of bats at PCFR. Surveys on bats were conducted in PCFR for five sampling sessions between June and November 2022. Two study plots were established at a distance of 500 m (Plot 1, P1) and 1000 m (Plot 2, P2) from the forest edge. A total of 10 mist nets and three harp traps were deployed in each study plot to capture the bats. Overall, 102 individuals and 24 species from four families of bats were recorded in PCFR. The Papillose Woolly Bat (Kerivoula papillosa) was the most abundant species recorded in this study, followed by the Forest Short- nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus cf. brachyotis ‘Forest’), with 15 and 13 individuals, respectively. P1 recorded more bat species than P2, with 19 and 16 species, respectively. The detection of bats in the forest reserve might be influenced by the availability of roosting sites, food resources, and foraging areas. These findings provide a strong basis for developing conservation strategies, and management plans to protect bat habitats in Perak
Surveys of Avifauna at Gunung Inas Forest Reserve in Kedah, Malaysia
No full textSurveys of avifauna were conducted at Gunung Inas Forest Reserve in Kedah, which constitutes under the Central Forest Spine (CFS) ecological corridor named K-PL1: Ulu Muda Forest Reserve – Gunung Inas Forest Reserve. The surveys were carried out in September and October 2023. The objective of the study is to update the checklist of avifauna recorded at the Gunung Inas Forest Reserve. In this study, two study plots of one-hectare each were established and referred to as Gunung Inas Forest Reserve I (Gunung Inas FR I) and Gunung Inas Forest Reserve II (Gunung Inas FR II). The one-hectare size plot consists of 10 transect lines. A total of 10 mist nets were deployed at each site. The mist-nets were set for five consecutive nights per session, with two sampling sessions per site. In additions, direct observations were also conducted especially for nocturnal and canopy-dwelling species. A total of 47 individuals, comprising 31 species of avifauna (18 families) were documented. In this study, Gunung Inas FR I obtained a higher number of recorded avifauna species with a total of 22 species (15 families), whilst Gunung Inas FR II harbor least records with 16 species (12 families). There is an additional of 28 species recorded during these surveys in comparison to the previous studies, thus, giving the overall cumulative avifauna species recorded is 84 species. Through these results, it is shown that this fragmented forest under K-PL1 still resides by a vast array of avifauna species. Hence, it is hoped that the significance of Gunung Inas FR as a vital habitat for these flying vertebrates can be further emphasized, and appropriate conservation measures must be taken to safeguard their population
Species Composition of Rodents at Padang Chong Forest Reserve, Perak
No full textThere are at least four families of rodents identified in Peninsular Malaysia namely Muridae, Sciuridae, Hystricidae, and Rhyzomidae. Although rodents are widespread throughout Peninsular Malaysia, information on rodents at Padang Chong Forest Reserve (PCFR) is scarce. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to identify and document the species composition of rodents at PCFR. Samplings were carried out at two plots along the gradient from the border of PCFR namely Plot 1 (500m) and Plot 2 (1km). The size of the respective plot is 1ha with 10 transect lines (AJ), 100m in length separately. These plots were sampled for five times from June to November 2022. Based on this study, a total of 65 individuals from nine species of rodent were documented. These nine species were identified from two families namely, Muridae (5 spp) and Sciuridae (4 spp). Of these, Leopoldamys sabanus was recorded as the highest captured species (25 individuals), followed by Maxomys whiteheadi (19 individuals) and Callosciurus notatus (7 individuals). There is no significant difference in terms of species composition between these plots, Plot 1 (n=33) and Plot 2 (n=32), which further supported by t-test value result (t-test=0.928; p(value)> 0.05). However, there is a single representative of Sundamys muelleri captured in Plot 1 which prefers the riverine area (around 10m). Callosciurus notatus were captured most in Plot 2 (6 individuals) compared to Plot 1 (1 individual). Certain areas nearby to Plot 2 were opened for agricultural purposes which explained the existence of this species at Plot 2. From this information, it is hoped that further actions can be taken to conserve the area to ensure the small mammal communities are preserved
Species Composition of Rodents at Padang Chong Forest Reserve, Perak
No full textThere are at least four families of rodents identified in Peninsular Malaysia namely Muridae, Sciuridae, Hystricidae, and Rhyzomidae. Although rodents are widespread throughout Peninsular Malaysia, information on rodents at Padang Chong Forest Reserve (PCFR) is scarce. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to identify and document the species composition of rodents at PCFR. Samplings were carried out at two plots along the gradient from the border of PCFR namely Plot 1 (500m) and Plot 2 (1km). The size of the respective plot is 1ha with 10 transect lines (AJ), 100m in length separately. These plots were sampled for five times from June to November 2022. Based on this study, a total of 65 individuals from nine species of rodent were documented. These nine species were identified from two families namely, Muridae (5 spp) and Sciuridae (4 spp). Of these, Leopoldamys sabanus was recorded as the highest captured species (25 individuals), followed by Maxomys whiteheadi (19 individuals) and Callosciurus notatus (7 individuals). There is no significant difference in terms of species composition between these plots, Plot 1 (n=33) and Plot 2 (n=32), which further supported by t-test value result (t-test=0.928; p(value)> 0.05). However, there is a single representative of Sundamys muelleri captured in Plot 1 which prefers the riverine area (around 10m). Callosciurus notatus were captured most in Plot 2 (6 individuals) compared to Plot 1 (1 individual). Certain areas nearby to Plot 2 were opened for agricultural purposes which explained the existence of this species at Plot 2. From this information, it is hoped that further actions can be taken to conserve the area to ensure the small mammal communities are preserved
Genetic identification and gut content of Gerong fish Osteochilus waandersii from Larai River
No full textGerong fish, or Osteochilus waandersii, is a popular freshwater fish among the Jakun tribe in Kampung Peta, Johor National Park of Endau-Rompin, particularly for its use in traditional medicine to alleviate dizziness by consuming its raw gut. Despite its cultural significance, the genetic and feeding behavior of Gerong fish remains unclear. This study aimed to amplify the mitochondrial DNA barcode region of Gerong fish for genetic identification and to identify its gut content. The DNA barcodes were produced using polymerase chain reaction and single-pass DNA sequencing of partial COI gene, and the gut content was observed using stereo microscope. Several five partial COI gene sequences were successfully obtained after DNA sequencing. In addition, the results of BLAST analysis with percent identities of 96.24% to 97.20% along with the phylogenetic inference of maximum likelihood analyses suggested the Gerong fish as Osteochilus waandersii or the Waanders's hard-lipped barb. The sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession numbers MN223396-MN223400). Microscopic observation of the fish guts revealed undigested worms and digested aquatic mosses, known as lumut batuk. These findings mark a significant step forward in understanding the genetics and feeding behavior of the Gerong fis
