Mammal survey at a ranch of the Brazilian Cerrado

The wildlife of the Brazilian Cerrado is threatened by large-scale habitat loss, in particular due to conversion to agricultural land. It is essential to study how the mammal fauna copes with the highly fragmented, human-influenced, non-protected landscape. The paper presents the results of a survey of the large to medium-sized mammals of a typical cattle ranch with a mixture of human-created and natural vegetation types. We recorded 18 species. Surprisingly, several species were found to still thrive in the area, however, many species are rare or have become extinct. We conclude the paper with comments relevant for the conservation of mammals in the Cerrado as a whole.     

Mammal survey in the southeastern Pantanal, Brazil

The Pantanal floodplain of southwestern Brazil, with its mosaic of marshes,seasonally flooded savannas, woodlands and forests, is known as one of thewildlife hotspots of South America. The region harbors a rich mammal fauna andis a stronghold for a number of mammal species; however, still very few thoroughmammal surveys have been conducted in the Pantanal. This is the first mammalsurvey from the southeastern part of the region. An intensive,three-month study of the medium to large, non-volant species wasconducted at a location in the upper Rio Negro Basin, Aquidauana region, MatoGrosso do Sul. Thirty species of mammals were recorded, including 5 xenarthrans,1 primate, 10 carnivores, 7 ungulates and 5 caviomorph rodents. It was possibleto analyze the field biology of many of the species to a level not previouslypublished for the Pantanal. Recommendations are given for camera trapping in thePantanal and the Amazon. Finally, the effects of intensive cattle ranching onconservation in the Pantanal are discussed.     

The possibility of independent foraging in the rain forest of Peninsular Malaysia

This paper examines the question of whether hunter-gatherers could live in the tropical rain forest of Peninsular Malaysia without access to cultivated foods. It considers the wild food sources used by the Batek De', a contemporary foraging-trading group of Kelantan state, historical and ethnohistorical evidence concerning the Batek economy in the past, and archeological evidence for independent foraging in the Pleistocene and early Holocene. The conclusion reached is that small nomadic groups of foragers can live off wild resources alone in that environment and have done so in the past, although trade for agricultural produce makes life much easier. This suggests that nonseasonal tropical rain forests vary in their potential for supporting human foraging, depending upon the particular species of plants and animals present.     

Hyper‐abundance of Native Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) in a Lowland Dipterocarp Rain Forest of Peninsular Malaysia1

This study reports extraordinarily high density estimates for the wild pig (Sus scrofa) from an aseasonal tropical forest site within the species'native range. At Pasoh Forest Reserve, a 2500 ha area of lowland dipterocarp rain forest in Peninsular Malaysia, line transects were used to estimate pig density from May to October in 1996 and 1998. In 1996, 44 sightings of S. scrofa consisting of 166 individuals were recorded along 81 km of transects. In 1998, 39 sightings documented 129 individuals along 79.9 km of transects. Estimated population density was 47.0 pigs/km² in 1996 and 27.0 pigs/km²‐ in 1998. Sus scrofa biomass in this forest was estimated at 1837 kg/km² and 1346 kg/ km² in 1996 and 1998, respectively. Differences between years were attributed to changes in the density of young pigs, coincident with a mast‐seeding year of dipterocarp trees in 1996. Pig densities at Pasoh Forest Reserve were much higher than at other forest locations within the species' native range in Europe and Asia. Because Pasoh Forest Reserve is a forest fragment, two factors likely account for the extremely high pig densities: (1) local extinction of natural predators (mainly tigers and leopards) and (2) an abundant year‐round food supply of African oil palm fruits from extensive plantations bordering the reserve.     

Diversity and conservation of blackwater fishes in Peninsular Malaysia,particularly in the North Selangor peat swamp forest

One of the most extreme freshwater habitats in Peninsular Malaysia is the peat swamp forest, with dark-coloured and highly acidic waters. Surprisingly, little is known about blackwater fishes in Peninsular Malaysia. Until 1968, only 26 fish species were known from blackwaters throughout Peninsular Malaysia, of which only one can be regarded as stenotopic. A recent intensive survey of part of the North Selangor peat swamp forest yielded 47 species, of which 14 are probably stenotopic taxa. These include four undescribed species and several new records for western Peninsular Malaysia. These discoveries are significant in that they include the family Chaudhuriidae which until 1985, was not reported from Sundaic Southeast Asia, and the rare genus Encheloclarias which had not been encountered for over 50 years. The rapid rate of destruction of the peat swamp forest owing to development, forestry and agricultural activities must be halted or slowed significantly to enable the proper zoological surveys and studies to be conducted. Conservation plans and environmental impact assessments based on inadequate sampling and knowledge of species present is acutely dangerous. There are no longer substantial undisturbed blackwater peat swamp forests left in most of Peninsular Malaysia. Conservation of the remaining blackwater biotopes is critically important if extinction of many species, here regarded as economically valuable renewable resources, is to be prevented.     

Leaf litter decomposition in a tropical peat swamp forest in Peninsular Malaysia

It has long been assumed that the peat underlying tropical peat swamp forests accumulates because the extreme conditions (water logged, nutrient poor, anaerobic and acidic—pH 2.9–3.5) impede microbial activity. Litterbag studies in a tropical Malaysian peat swamp (North Selangor peat swamp forest) showed that although the sclerophyllous, toxic leaves of endemic peat forest plants (Macaranga pruinosa, Campnosperma coriaceum, Pandanus atrocarpus, Stenochlaena palustris) were barely decomposed by bacteria and fungi (decay rates of only 0.0006–0.0016 k day⁻¹), leaves of M. tanarius, a secondary forest species were almost completely decomposed (decay rates of 0.0047–0.005 k day⁻¹) after 1 year. Thus it is intrinsic properties of the leaves (that are adaptations to deter herbivory in the nutrient poor environment) that impede microbial breakdown. The water of the peat swamp was very high in dissolved organic carbon (70–84 mg l⁻¹ DOC). Laboratory studies revealed initial rapid leaching of DOC from leaves (up to 1,720 mg l⁻¹ from 4 g of leaves in 7 days), but the DOC levels then fell rapidly. The leaching of DOC resulted in weight loss but the physical structure of the leaves remained intact. It is suggested that the DOC is used as a substrate for microbial growth hence lowering the concentration of DOC in the water and transferring energy from the leaves to other trophic levels. This would explain how nutrient poor tropical peatswamps support diverse, abundant flora and fauna despite low nutrient levels and lack of rapid litter cycling such as occurs in other types of tropical rainforests.     

凉水原始阔叶红松林与白桦次生林植物多样性的比较研究

采用典型抽样法和生态群落学调查法对黑龙江凉水国家级自然保护区紫椴（Tilia amurensis）红松（Pinus koraiensis）林、蒙古栎（Quercus mongolica）红松林及白桦（Betula platyphylla）次生林的植物群落结构特征和物种多样性进行了研究。结果表明,紫椴红松林有维管束植物31种,隶属21科,25属;蒙古栎红松林有维管束植物32种,隶属25科,28属;白桦次生林有维管束植物31种,隶属20科,28属。白桦次生林乔木层和草本层的物种丰富度S指数显著高于2种阔叶红松林,而其灌木层的物种丰富度S指数最低;3种林型乔木层的Simpson物种多样性指数无显著差异,紫椴红松林的灌木层Simpson指数显著高于其他2种林型,3种林型草本层之间的Simpson指数差异显著;紫椴红松林乔木层的Shannon-Wiener物种多样性指数显著低于其他2种林型,白桦次生林灌木层的Shannon-Wiener指数显著低于2种阔叶红松林,蒙古栎红松林草本层的Shannon-Wiener指数最高;此外,蒙古栎红松林乔木层的Pielou均匀度指数显著高于其他林型,而3种林型灌木层的Pielou指数无显著差异,紫椴红松林草本层的Pielou指数最低。     

Factors Affecting the Distribution and Abundance of Asplenium nidus L. in a Tropical Lowland Rain Forest in Peninsular Malaysia

Asplenium nidus is an abundant epiphytic fern of tropical rain forests in the Old World, where it plays an important ecological role in the forest canopy as host to diverse arthropod communities. We investigated the factors that determine the distribution and abundance of A. nidus in the canopy of an aseasonal lowland dipterocarp forest at Pasoh Forest Reserve, Malaysia. We found that A. nidus was more abundant in the understory, and on hosts with smooth bark and relatively flat branch angles. Ferns were found on a wide diversity and size range of host taxa. However, both host taxa and host diameter at breast height had a significant effect on A. nidus occupancy. Asplenium nidus had an aggregated spatial distribution at all scales within the study area. Spatial aggregation at larger scales appears to be driven by habitat preference, as A. nidus abundance was positively associated with swampy areas and negatively associated with hilly areas. At smaller scales, limited dispersal of their wind-dispersed spores most likely explains the aggregated distribution. Larger individuals occurred higher in the canopy and were more common in the hilly area. Thus, the distribution of A. nidus may represent a trade-off between the availability of suitable microsites for establishment in the understory and better growth conditions higher in the canopy. However, A. nidus is known to comprise a complex of cryptic species, and future studies should incorporate molecular techniques to elucidate the potential role of speciation in explaining these patterns.     

Decline of Mammal Species Diversity Along the Yungas Forest of Argentina

The southernmost extension of tropical Andean–Amazonian forests protrudes into the arid to semiarid habitats in northwestern Argentina. We analyzed the decline of species richness of forest mammals along these Yungas forests. In particular, we tested whether species decline is due to a general latitudinal effect and whether the drop of species from the assemblages was independent from species' traits and environmental variables. For these tests, we estimated the geographic range edges of 39 species of forest mammal and estimated the species richness with bands of 30'. First, we compared the slope of the decline of species richness from north to south (5.8 species/degree) with the decline expected from the latitudinal species gradient (1–3 species/degree). The decline in species richness of forest mammals along the Yungas was significantly steeper than expected. Second, with a null model assuming a random drop of mammal species we derived confidence limits for the expected species richness and number of range edges within the bands. None of the forest mammals reached the tip of the forest, in marked contrast to nonforest mammals. More range edges than expected from the null model fell within the bands 23°30'–24°00' S and a band near the tip of the Yungas indicating a nonrandom drop of species. The correlation between vulnerability traits and range edges suggests that processes associated with the availability of resources influence the drop of species. We propose that a suite of macroecological attributes interacting with a decrease in habitat quality determines the pattern of species richness in the Yungas forest.     

Swamp-riverine tropical fish population: a comparative study of two spatially isolated freshwater ecosystems in Peninsular Malaysia

Twenty-four fish species were collected during a study from October 1996 of the swamp-riverine fish populations of two spatially isolated Malaysian freshwater swamp ecosystems. Twenty one species were collected from the Beriah Kanan River, which is located in northern Peninsular Malaysia, compared to only 10 species obtained from the Ulu Sedili River in the south. At both sites, the species Rasbora einthovenii and Hemirhamphodon pogognathu appeared to be the most dominant species, whereas Rasbora pauciperforata and Nemacheilus selangoricus were very rarely caught and Beriah Kanan and Ulu Sedili River, respectively. An analysis of the physico-chemical data showed that although pH, conductivity and ammonium levels were fairly similar at both sites, orthophosphate, hardness and total suspended solids were relatively higher for Ulu Sedili River.     

Effects of peat swamp logging and agricultural expansion on species richness of native mammals in Peninsular Malaysia

The biodiversity inhabiting tropical peat swamp forests in Southeast Asia is currently threatened by commercial logging and agricultural expansion. The occurrence of mammals in such forests is often poorly known and the factors influencing their occurrence in these ecosystems have rarely been quantified. We aim to determine the key habitat and landscape drivers of mammal species richness in fragmented peat swamp reserves. We conducted camera trap surveys in the North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest (NSPSF), the last remaining area of peat swamp forest on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. We also measured vegetation structure and landscape metrics to investigate the relationship between these factors and mammal richness. We recorded a total of 16 mammal species from 45 sampling sites using camera traps located in peat swamp forest reserves. Mammal species richness increased with the abundance of large trees and distance away from roads. Species richness decreased significantly with canopy cover and height, the abundance of fallen trees, the abundance of forest palms and saplings, distance away from rivers, and a measure of landscape compositional heterogeneity. Our findings underscore the high conservation value of logged peat swamp forests and the urgent need to halt further deforestation. We recommend: (1) protecting riparian habitat; (2) avoiding further forest conversion particularly areas supporting large trees into oil palm plantations; and (3) limiting road development within and around the NSPSF.     

Status survey of the critically endangered Iberian lynx <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lynx pardinus</Emphasis> in Portugal

A survey of the Iberian lynx was conducted in Portugal between January 2002 and November 2003 in order to define lynx status and distribution baselines. Intensive search for lynx scats, scat DNA analysis, and camera trapping were used in areas of potential lynx presence. Over 4,200 km were investigated during a global searching effort of 1,975 man-hours. DNA obtained from 168 scats was analyzed, producing no positive lynx amplifications. Camera trapping represented a total effort of 5,647 camera-days in three potential lynx areas, producing no positive detections. Although results cannot confirm the species’ extinction, the scenario is rather pessimistic and the Iberian lynx is probably no longer present in Portugal. Presently, considering the Portuguese lynx’s historical range, the only significantly suitable areas for the species are located in the southeastern part of the country bordering Andalusia where no recent evidence of lynx presence was recorded.     

云南哀牢山栎类次生林树种多样性特征研究

在哀牢山徐家坝地区,采用样方调查的方法对中山湿性常绿阔叶林受到人为破坏后形成的栎类次生林的树种多样性特征进行了研究。结果表明,恢复约40a的栎类次生林的乔木树种组成主要以云南越桔(Vacciniumduclouxii)为主。树种的萌生现象非常突出,超过2/3的树种具有萌生现象,在DBH≥3cm的植株中有72.7%是由无性系萌株产生的。栎类次生林乔木的密度随高度级、径级的增加而递减,但树种丰富度却不随树木的密度增加而增加。以Shannon-Wiener指数H、Simpson指数D和Fisher指数α计算了栎类次生林的树种多样性(H=1.42±0.27;D=0.65±0.09;α=2.59±1.16),并与中山湿性常绿阔叶林的树种多样性进行了比较,结果显示处于演替顶级阶段的中山湿性常绿阔叶林具有更高的树种多样性。     

Efficiency and focus of blowpipe hunting among Semaq Beri Hunter-Gatherers of Peninsular Malaysia

This paper presents quantitative data on blowpipe hunting among the Semaq Beri, a group of the aboriginal peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, with special reference to daily activity rhythms, space use, efforts, and efficiency of hunting. The role of hunting is examined in the diet of the population studied, which is in transition from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle. The special hunting focus on a few species (the leaf monkeys, Presbytis spp.) is examined in relation to ecology of prey items and using the optimal diet breadth model. Technological efficiencies of the Semaq Beri blowpipe and dart are compared with the Waorani of Ecuador.     

Vocal individuality of large-tailed nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) in Peninsular Malaysia

All four nightjar species resident in Peninsular Malaysia are vocally distinct, yet they remain little studied. Conventional field methods based on visual cues to study diurnal species may be impractical for nightjars. Alternatively, aural survey can potentially be applied on nightjars provided that individuality in their vocalisations can be proven. Our study aimed to determine the vocal individuality of the common, large-tailed nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) in oil palm smallholdings and an isolated forest patch located in Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. From the call recordings obtained from 22 individuals, results of the Kruskal-Wallis analysis revealed significant differences in all the nine vocal parameters (call length, interquartile range bandwidth, low, high, average, centre and peak frequencies as well as first and third quartile frequencies) measured among individual nightjars (p < 0.001) regardless of study sites. Discriminant Function Analysis showed that more than 94.5% of original grouped cases were correctly classified. This implied that the majority of vocalizations can be assigned to individual birds based on the parameters measured. This study demonstrated the occurrence of vocal individuality in the large-tailed nightjar and such a finding pertaining to distinct vocalisations at the individual level will compensate for the limited access to visual cues in field surveys, as with the case for all nocturnal birds.     

Novel microsatellite markers for Begonia maxwelliana and transferability to 23 Begonia species of Peninsular Malaysia

Begonias are hyper-diverse and important horticultural plants. Six polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed from CT- and GT-enriched libraries of Begonia maxwelliana. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 12 and the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.036 to 0.813. Null alleles were detected in one locus (Bma161) after Bonferroni correction. All the six markers were amplifiable in 23 selected Begonia species with the success rates of 17–100%. On average, species of the same section as B. maxwelliana (i.e. sect. Platycentrum) yielded higher transferability (91%). These markers will be useful for population genetic studies of the genus Begonia.     

Identification of larval fish in mangrove areas of Peninsular Malaysia using morphology and DNA barcoding methods

The identification of larval fish has been an important morphological issue in marine biology due to the dramatic transformations that most species undergo from early larval stages to adulthood. Insufficient morphological diagnostic characters in larval fishes made it easy to misidentify them and a difficult process to key to genus and species level. The experiment aims to find out, by applying DNA barcoding, how consistent the morphological identifications can be among larval fish. Larval fish were mainly collected using plankton nets around mangrove areas in Pendas (Johor), Setiu (Terengganu), Pekan (Pahang) and Matang (Perak) Malaysia between April 2015 and October 2015. A total of 354 samples were morphologically identified, mostly to the family level and a few to the genus level. Larval fish ranged from 1.5 mm to 31 mm of total length, with the most abundant individuals being <3 mm. Among them, a total of 177 individuals were selected for DNA barcoding analyses. Molecular works involved polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase I (COI) gene fragment (655 base pairs) methods. DNA barcoding enabled all samples to be identified down to species level. The overall genetic identities ranged from 91% to 100%. Morphological identification classified the specimens into 19 families and 11 genera while DNA barcoding identified them into 19 families 33 genera and 40 species. A comparison between the two methods showed a mismatched identification of 42.6% where the accuracy percentage for morphological identification was moderate for the family level (67.8%) but was low for genus level identification (30%). The DNA barcoding method also managed to successfully identify 86.4% of the samples up to their species level where morphological method has failed to do so. The most misidentified families in the study were Blenniidae, Sparidae, Apogonidae Ambassidae and Monachantidae while almost all samples from the family Gobiidae and Engraulidae were correctly identified to family level because of their distinct morphology. In conclusion, taxonomic studies of larval fish should continue using combination of both morphology and DNA barcoding methods. Morphological identification should be more conservative i.e., when in doubt, it is better to key only to family and not to the genus and species level. DNA barcoding is a better method for deeper taxonomic levels identification with the existence of robust sequence reference libraries and should be able to validate the accuracy of traditional larval fish identification.     

杉木天然次生林金龟子多样性及季节动态变化

1　引　言杉木 (Ｃｕｎｎｉｎｇｈａｍｉａｌａｎｃｅｏｌａｔａ(Ｌａｍｂ .)Ｈｏｏｋ .)在我国南方各省有着悠久的栽培历史 ,它生长快 ,材质好 ,在我国林业生产和国民经济建设中占有重要地位。但长期生产实践表明 ,杉木人工林重复连栽会引起地力衰退及生产力下降。影响杉木人工林稳定性的因素很多 ,其中包括地下害虫蛴螬。但有关方面的研究很少 ,只保留在个体生物学和生态学水平上 ,并且许多是室内工作 ,并未把金龟子种群在杉木天然次生林生态系统中分布、发生及季节动态作为一个整体加以研究。本研究工作通过对杉木天然次生林生态系统中金…     

Vascular Plant Species Inventory of a Philippine Lowland Rain Forest and its Conservation Value

The Philippines are one of the most important biodiveristy hotspots on earth. Due to the extraordinary rate of environmental destruction, leaving only 3% of the land with primary forest, this biodiversity is at high risk. Despite that situation information on Philippine forest vegetation is fragmentary and focused on trees. This study aimed at analysing forest remnants in the Leyte Cordillera on the Island of Leyte, and at evaluating their role as refuge to the largely destroyed lowland forest vegetation. A total of 49 plots (100 m² each) between 55 and 520 m a.s.l. were studied. All vascular plant species except epiphytes were included. Records include 685 taxa from 289 genera and 111 families, representing nearly 8% of the known Philippine vascular plant species. More than half (52%) of the species are Philippine endemics. A number of 41 tree species, or 6% of all taxa recorded, are included in the IUCN red list, either as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. Life form composition was dominated by phanerophytes (65.3%), followed by lianas and chamaephytes (17.1 and 16.9%, respectively). The most common families were the Rubiaceae with 35 and the Euphorbiaceae with 32 species. All five Philippine dipterocarp forest types as well as the molave forest type were represented by typical tree species. The area provides an important gene bank of the highly threatened Philippine lowland forest vegetation and is of high value for biodiversity conservation. Additionally, it can play an important role as seed source of valuable tree species for the increasing initiatives to rehabilitate and reforest degraded land with native species.     

鹰咀界天然次生林自然保护区林地土壤特性研究

鹰咀界自然保护区位于沅水上游 ,是湘西南保存较好的一片天然次生林。它的存在对研究该区域天然林的培育、生物多样性保护具有重要意义。同时 ,也为森林类型涵水功能的研究提供了场地。为了摸清该保护区次生林的自然特性 ,为保护和研究积累技术资料 ,我们利用保护区自然科学资助基金对其林地土壤特性进行了调查与研究 ,将其结果报道如下。1　保护区自然概况鹰咀界自然保护区位于湖南省会同县东南部雪峰山山脉的西支南段。地理位置为北纬 2 6°46′～ 2 6°5 9′ ,东经 1 0 9°5 1′～ 1 0 9°5 8′。海拔最高 938ｍ ,最低 2 4 6ｍ ,一般在 3…