Sunda clouded leopard conservation requires understanding key species traits. Using photo-identification, we estimated lifespans from minimum residence times, documenting the oldest wild individual known to date-a 6.51-year-old female. We discuss methodological limitations in female detectability and transient individuals in the population and propose recommendations to improve future monitoring.

Although masting in Southeast Asia is characterized by the interspecific synchronization of reproduction, little is known about the variation in regeneration strategies among sympatric tree species during major masting events. Herein, we examined the hypothesis that non-abundant species achieve greater seed survival per seed production at the pre- and post-dispersal stages by synchronizing reproduction with abundant species. During the masting event from May to September 2010, we installed seed traps in a primary forest plot of the Deramakot Forest Reserve, Borneo. To identify the possible causes of post-dispersal seed mortality, we conducted a seed-sowing experiment from September 2010 to July 2011 in a primary forest plot with high community-level dipterocarp seed density and two surrounding secondary forests with low seed densities. An abundant species (Shorea multiflora) produced more seeds than other species and exhibited a lower survival rate during the pre-dispersal stage. The ratio of aborted seeds was greater in species with greater seed production, while the ratio of seeds predated by insects was not, suggesting that resource limitations and/or greater inbreeding frequency may explain inefficient seed production. Interspecific variation was rarely observed for post-dispersal seed survival rates. Our study highlights the density-dependent variation in reproductive success between abundant and non-abundant dipterocarp species at the pre-dispersal stage. Non-abundant species achieved greater reproductive success by synchronizing reproduction with the masting of abundant species, which might be an important mechanism for sustainability of rare species populations.

AbstractTropical peatlands have increasingly been targeted for logging or conversion to plantations in recent years. Tropical peatlands are unique ecosystems rich in biodiversity, but they have not attracted as much researcher attention as tropical forests, for example. There is still limited understanding of the ecological significance of peatland disturbance, or of the ecological resilience of peatland ecosystems. This study focuses on birds as indicator species in peatland ecologies. It compares bird communities in peatlands and non-peat lowlands in terms of: (1) species richness; (2) feeding guilds; and (3) responses to disturbance. Our research team analyzed bird communities in peatlands under several different land uses in Riau in comparison to those living in non-peat lowlands in Sumatra Island. We found that species richness in natural forests was lower in peatlands than in non-peat lowlands. The Jackknife estimator of species richness was 77.2 in natural forests on peatland, whereas on non-peat lowland, it was 114.8 and 241. Compared to non-peat lowland forests, the number of terrestrial insectivore and woodpeckers was lower in peatlands. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showed that the bird community composition in peatland forests is unique compared to non-peat lowland forests, as they showed completely different lines of avifauna. Nevertheless, avifauna in disturbed sites on peatland were close to avifauna in disturbed non-peat lowland sites, which indicates that the disturbance of peatland would lead to homogenization of avifauna and loss of uniqueness, which in turn, leads to loss of biodiversity. Bird community composition in peatlands was very sensitive to land use change. Shifts in the community composition along the disturbance, as measured by Euclidean distances in the NMDS plot between each disturbed habitat and natural forest, were greater in peatland than in non-peat lowland. Although our knowledge and data of peatland ecologies are limited, it seems likely that certain peatland avifauna can only survive in natural peat swamp forest.

AbstractPeat swamp forests are one of the unique ecosystems of Southeast Asia. These forests are not only a large carbon stock, but also a refuge for rich biodiversity. To understand the faunal composition and the effect of land-use changes in peat swamp forests, we investigated ground-dwelling mammals and birds using camera traps in a natural peat swamp forest and acacia forests planted in two industrial tree plantations in the Giam Siak Kecil-Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve, Riau, Indonesia, in the Island of Sumatra.We obtained a total of 1856 records, comprising 23 species and including 11 vulnerable or endangered species, in ten plots. The range of mean trapping rates (number of records per 100 camera working days) of all animals in each plot in natural peat swamp forests were 9.22–51.85 (mean: 29.16) and 8.75–31.76 (16.42) in the wildlife reserve and protected area of the plantations respectively. The range in planted acacia forest was 2.29–6.38 (4.02). Few species were recorded in the planted acacia forests, and the species composition was different from that in the natural peat swamp forests. These differences indicate that conversion from natural peat swamp forests to planted acacia forest through development of industrial tree plantations resulting in decreased density and species richness of ground-dwelling mammals and birds. Because the ground-dwelling mammal and bird community in natural peat swamp forest is vulnerable to land use change, conservation of the remnant natural peat swamp forests and appropriate landscape design of industrial tree plantations are considered important to maintain the ecosystem.

It is important to understand carbon (C) dynamics in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems in order to develop a strategy to control carbon dioxide effluxes. However, the factors determining concentrations of riverine carbon are still largely unknown, especially in Southeast Asia. We investigated the spatial distribution of dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC and POC, respectively) and suspended sediment (SS) concentrations in the Kemena and Tatau rivers of Sarawak, Malaysia, in 2011, 2012 and 2013. There are large variations in DOC and POC concentrations in both rivers and their spatial patterns also differ. DOC concentrations did not vary over the sampling years and mainly depended on the distribution of tropical peatland within the watershed. Excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor analysis showed that DOC supplied from peatland is distinctive though the fluorescence characteristics do not change with the creation of plantations. SS and POC concentrations were slightly higher in logged forests and plantations and significantly higher in main rivers than in intact forests. The results suggest that DOC concentrations are geographically controlled by peatland distribution, while intensive plantation development and the resultant soil disturbance can cause an increase in terrestrial POC discharges to the ocean.

In the traditional agricultural land-use pattern of the indigenous peoples of inland Sarawak, there are small areas of primary forests, referred to as a pulau or communally reserved forests (CRFs), which are customarily reserved by local communities. Here, we investigate the current condition and geographic distribution of CRFs in the human-modified landscape of the Kemena and Tatau areas of Bintulu, Sarawak. We conducted a field survey of CRFs in the region by visiting villages and interviewing local people regarding the existence and number of CRFs within each village. We also assessed the social background, main use, disturbance condition and current management system of the CRFs, all of which may be affected by development. Then we investigated whether the current development pressure statistically affects the existence of CRFs. We visited 27 villages in the Kemena and Tatau areas and found that 11 out of 27 villages had no CRFs and approximately 40% of villages have only one CRF. Statistical analysis revealed that accessibility of the village affects the numbers of CRFs; that is, less accessible villages tended to contain more CRFs. As expected, the concepts or perceptions regarding CRFs have changed from conventional ideas. This is probably due to socioeconomic reasons as developmental pressure has been increasing in this region. The connectivity to the urban area of Bintulu promotes social and economic development that affects the traditional land-use patterns in rural areas, as well as people’s lifestyles, livelihoods and perceptions. This may reduce the number of CRFs and their level of preservation.

The biodiversity of stream-dwelling fish and the effects of oil palm and acacia plantations on this biodiversity were evaluated by field research conducted in the Bintulu region of central Sarawak, Malaysia. A quantitative survey was conducted at 61 locations by electrofishing. These 61 locations included 16 sites in oil palm plantations, five sites in acacia plantations, four sites in local community-protected forests (called pulau or pulau galau by local communities) and 36 sites in natural forests. The protected forests had the highest species richness (average +/- standard deviation: 9.3 +/- 2.6) followed by natural forests (7.4 +/- 3.1). The species richness of oil palm (3.3 +/- 1.9) and acacia (4.0 +/- 1.9) plantations was approximately half that of protected and secondary forests. Cluster analysis suggests that the fish fauna was largely divided into two main groups: the plantation group and the forest group. Statistical analysis by a generalised linear model also suggests that plantations have a negative impact on fish diversity as species-richness, the number of individuals and Shannon's diversity index were all negatively affected by both oil palm and acacia plantations. The models included topographical parameters, such as slope and altitude, but the effect of plantations was much stronger than the effects of these parameters, indicating that there was no spurious relationship between plantations and fish communities. In this chapter, we evaluate the negative effect of plantations on fish biodiversity. The mechanisms by which plantations affect fish biodiversity need to be investigated in the future.

Southeast Asian countries have been important suppliers of tropical timber to Japan since the early twentieth century. This chapter begins with a comparative examination of the history of the timber trade in the Philippines, Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, for whom Japan has historically been the major market for round logs and plywood. Three common characteristics stand out: the significant role of the Japanese market in shaping the dynamics of forest resource exploitation and export; the use made of timber revenues by political actors to further their power; and the vast scale and subsequent depletion of natural forests, although logging operations themselves targeted only large commercial trees. The analysis then turns to the current features of the timber trade from Malaysia and Indonesia to Japan, with the most important sector being plywood. Japanese trading companies have established cross-cutting and flexible relationships with Malaysian and Indonesian plywood-producing companies. The timber trade has been closely shaped by both domestic and international policies and regulations. The growing perception of the negative impact of degradation and deforestation has spurred the emergence of critical anti-logging movements and the use of voluntary and mandatory instruments-notably forest certification and legality verification-with mixed results. The establishment of sustainable management of natural forests and the regulation of forest conversion to industrial tree plantations are urgent priorities.

The drastic transformation in land use from natural forest to acacia and oil palm plantations in tropical regions is an issue of some controversy. The influence of land-use change on nutrient cycling is not fully understood. In this case, stream water chemistry is one of the most useful indexes of the nutrient status of an ecosystem. We investigated stream water chemistry in different land uses: lowland forests, acacia plantations and oil palm plantations. There were significant differences in the distribution and composition of stream water chemistry among the various land uses. Ion concentrations in stream water were the lowest in lowland forests, while the highest concentrations were found in oil palm plantations, especially Cl- and K+. This seems to originate from anthropogenic sources like herbicides and fertilisers. Our results suggest that land use and its management have a large influence not only on nutrient cycling but also on the sustainability of forest ecosystems.

While Borneo is a global biodiversity hotspot, its species-rich natural rainforests have been degraded and deforested in the past few decades by unsustainable shifting agriculture, commercial logging and the rapid development of industrial tree and oil palm plantations. Populations of some wildlife species have decreased drastically due to landscape changes, while other species may be adapting to the new mosaic landscape. To understand the current condition of biodiversity distribution in a heterogeneous landscape, it is necessary to develop a sustainable plan for various land uses in order to maintain the rich biodiversity and preserve ecosystem services for local communities. Camera trap surveys for medium- to large-sized ground-dwelling mammals and terrestrial birds were conducted in lowland areas of Sarawak that were under different management regimes: logging concessions, land used for shifting agriculture and oil palm plantations. Using the mean trapping rate as an abundance index, the wildlife population in logging concessions seems to have recovered 4 years after harvesting. The composition of endangered or medium-sized species in secondary forests around villages in lowland areas is low, but this habitat still remains favourable for major game species for local communities.

Rapid development in Bintulu has resulted in large-scale changes in land use, especially the conversion of forests into oil palm plantations and industrial tree plantations. Using high-resolution satellite imagery, we analysed land-cover types in the Kemena-Tubau-Lower Jelalong region of Sebauh subdistrict and classified them into nine major land uses. Forest covered most (55.33%) of the 62,133.8 ha project area, followed by swidden agricultural practice (temuda) (21.85%), oil palm plantations (15.92%) and industrial tree plantations (1.35%). The large extent of degraded forest implies that logging has been a main economic activity in this region. Areas planted with oil palm have increased, especially along the roads. These results suggest there will be an increase in the areas covered by oil palm plantations in the future and may surpass the extent of land currently covered by temuda.

The island of Borneo is regarded as one of the most biologically rich regions in the world, containing some of the oldest remaining tropical rainforests. However, it also suffers high levels of deforestation and degradation to meet the demands for timber extraction and agricultural activities. In Sarawak, areas designated as permanent forests account for 35.2% of the total land area, much of which have already been opened up for timber extraction. In contrast, protected areas constitute less than 7% of the land area and are mostly sparsely distributed. Forests outside these protected areas are crucial for the conservation of wildlife. For long-term wildlife conservation to be effective, attention must be focused on how logging activities are carried out and how habitats for wildlife within these logging concessions are managed. This study was carried out in a logging concession in central Sarawak where sustainable forest management is practised. The objectives were to document the composition of wildlife, their use of key habitat sites and the effects of forest disturbance. Camera trapping exercises were carried out from August 2010 to November 2011. Preliminary results indicate that older logged-over areas contained higher diversity of animal species. Overall, 32 species of terrestrial mammals and ground-dwelling birds were recorded, of which 19 species were recorded to have visited salt licks. Ungulates were recorded visiting salt licks with the highest abundance. In forests that were logged 7 years ago and left to recover, the Borneo bay cat (Catopuma badia), a globally significant species, was recorded. This result indicates the importance of sustainable forest management and suggests some of the methods logging companies can undertake to conserve wildlife in a production forest environment.

This article examines the REDD + engagement types preferred by Japanese private firms at the project level including their motivation and rationale for the engagement and explores the challenges and opportunities in relation to their participation. We analyzed 148 responses to a survey questionnaire mailed to participants across Japan and the responses from in-depth face-to-face interviews with representatives from 11 selected firms. 42 firms (28%) stated that they are interested in engaging in REDD + -related activities in the future. Of these, 33 firms aim to enhance their corporate values, while the other nine aim to increase profits. The most popular engagement types were providing support, as a form of corporate social responsibility (CSR), to third parties such as NGOs that are engaged in REDD + projects (21 firms) and purchasing REDD + carbon credits derived from REDD + projects to offset the greenhouse gases emitted by the firm (or carbon-neutral CSR) (18 firms). The firms would be willing to participate in REDD + in some form in the future if some of the current challenges are addressed. These challenges included: few opportunities for firms seeking attractive "stories" in forest conservation to pair with local partners that can help to realize the firms' "stories" or desires; difficulties in gaining understanding and trust from host countries' governments/communities; and the lack of a consortium to implement REDD + -related activities by bundling firms that find it difficult to work alone. It was also confirmed that some firms seeking profits from REDD + carbon credit development and trading activities continue to face barriers commonly identified in earlier studies such as market uncertainty, unclear regulatory frameworks, and the costs of measuring, reporting, and verifying the carbon credits. However, the present study did not support the findings of earlier studies that the cost of CSR activities is considered to be relatively high because CSR budgeting is often based on time horizons of less than 5 years. We propose some policy initiatives designed to increase private sector participation in REDD + that will contribute to achieving the host countries' mitigation targets in relation to both REDD + and nationally determined contributions.