article-featured – The Habitat Foundation

Diversity of Dragonflies and Damselflies on Penang Island

Rong — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 10:06:00 +0000

The Habitat Foundation is pleased to support a research on the diversity of dragonflies and damselflies through our 2021 Research Grant. Dragonflies and damselflies are categorized under the order of Odonata and they are one of the least known species of Penang Island. This study aims to document the diversity of Odonata within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve and to produce an Odonata species list for the Biosphere Reserve.

Dragonflies and damselflies are charismatic representatives of insect diversity. They may look similar from afar with their slender bodies, big compound eyes and membranous wings, but each group has its own unique features that can easily tell them apart. Their iridescent wings and body that come in all shades of colour is what attracted Dr Choong Chee Yen in the first place to learn more about them.

Dr Choong Chee Yen, who is the Associate Professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and also one of the leading experts on Odonata in Malaysia started studying dragonflies and damselflies since 2005. As a macrophotographer, he was drawn into the details of the Odonata and is mesmerized by their colours. His growing love for dragonflies and damselflies has driven his passion as a scientist to document the species diversity and he has since then dedicated himself to this field.

Dr Choong Chee Yen, whose love for dragonflies and damselflies, has driven him to be a researcher on Odonata.

For this study, Dr Choong has made a few visits to several freshwater habitats within the study area to collect his samples. In determining the field sites, he takes into consideration different water bodies environments such as clean flowing water, brackish water, stagnant water and elevation. Thus far, he has collected about 40 species of dragonflies and damselflies and 7 new Odonata species were identified after cross-referencing with previously published records on Penang Island. These 7 species include:

Scientific Name	Common Name	Location
i) Acrogomphus malayanus	Malayan Hooktail	The Habitat Penang Hill
ii) Leptogomphus risi	Ris’ Clubtail	Titi Kerawang
iii) Orthetrum luzonicum	Marsh Skimmer/ Slender Blue Skimmer	Tiger Hill
iv) Nepogomphus walli		Titi Kerawang
v) Zygonyx iris malayana		Titi Kerawang
vi) Coeliccia erici		Penang Botanic Garden
vii) Echo modesta	White-faced Clearwing	Titi Kerawang, Moniot, Penang Botanic Garden

New records of Odonata species on Penang Island found within the Penang Hil Biosphere Reserve.

Ris’ Clubtail (Leptogomphus risi)

Coeliccia erici

White-faced clearwing (Echo modesta)

Dragonflies and damselflies play an important part in our ecosystem. As some species depend on clean freshwater bodies for their life cycle, their presence has become synonymous with healthy ecosystems. Certain species only occur in clean flowing water while some can tolerate polluted water. Thus based on the species found, the water quality of that habitat can be determined. According to Dr Choong, the common green metalwing (Neurobasis chinensis) and common flashwing (Vestalis amethystina) are two examples of Odonata species for clean water bioindicators found on Penang Island.

Common flashwing (Vestalis amethystina)

By nature, dragonflies and damselflies are also good biocontrol for pests. Long existed since millions of years ago, the Odonata has evolved to be carnivorous. The flying adults eat mosquitoes and other insects while their larvae or nymphs also feed on mosquito larvae, tadpoles and even small fishes.

Through this study, we hope to gain more insights into the health of aquatic ecosystems on Penang Island and to further showcase dragonfly watching as a new area of specialty ecotourism in Malaysia.

Ecosystem Services Provided by Bats in Ricefields

Rong — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 02:02:00 +0000

The study to be undertaken Dr Nurul ‘Ain of the School of Biological Sciences, USM focusses on the insectivorous bats of the Gunung Keriang area of Kedah.

It aims to ascertain whether the insectivorous bats which roost in the nearby limestones caves are consuming species that are known to be pests in rice fields.

The research methodology involves documenting seasonal insect abundance and pest availability at different phases of paddy growth. Faecal samples of bats will be analysed to understand resource partitioning among the bats of Gunung Keriang.

Equipment for measuring the seasonal insect abundance in the paddy fields.

The view of Gunung Keriang changes with the different stages of paddy growth.

The research is expected to provide conclusive scientific evidence that bats do provide essential ecosystem services in Malaysian rice agriculture. Consequently, maintaining bat roosts would demonstrate an ecologically-friendly method for controlling pests that helps increase crop production by lowering the impact of pests. The findings would also be economically important. Reducing the use of chemical pesticides in ricefields can slow down pesticide resistance among pests and helps MADA and other relevant authorities from spending money for pest control. This would also reduce the harmful impacts of pesticides on the environment.

In addition, the study also has a social component. It will document the awareness level of the local farming community on bats. The findings of this study will provide information to indicate the need for future educational programmes in this area.

Dr Nurul ‘Ain plans to undertake this research with her students over a period of 1.5 years.

This study fits the Habitat’s theme of understanding the ecosystem services provided by wildlife wherein the presence of the bats will help to reduce the amount of pest in the rice field without using any chemical pesticides. This study could also lead to the reduction of harmful chemical pesticides in the environment.

Different species of insectivorous bats that are known to roost in Gunung Keriang

Microplastic Loads in Fish and Invertebrates in Malaysian Rivers

Rong — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:40:00 +0000

This research grant will support researchers from University of Nottingham, Malaysia to evaluate the presence and impact of microplastics in our river ecosystems.

The lead researcher is Dr Christopher Gibbins, a Professor of Hydro-ecology and sustainable river management at the School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia. His work focusses on understanding the links between physical habitat conditions and biota in freshwater ecosystems. The study will be implemented with colleagues from Nottingham as well as undergraduate students and one PhD student.

The School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences at Nottingham University has been conducting ongoing sampling of water quality and sediment-levels of the Langat River.

This study examines the impact of microplastics on living creatures, ecosystems and human health. Despite concerns about the impact of microplastics, to date there are hardly any studies on this topic from Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The findings of this study would increase our understanding of the dangers posed by microplastics in our rivers.

The research will involve the collection of mussels, invertebrates and fish from sites along Sungai Langat that are known to have a range of contamination levels. Students will conduct gut flushing and acid digestion of sample organisms to isolate microplastic particles. They will then assess microplastic loads in organisms. These findings will be contrasted with those in published literature to assess risk to ecosystems, species, and public health.

Hornbills and Orang Asli Communities – Farmers of the Forest

webadmin — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 01:59:00 +0000

The Habitat Foundation is proud to provide a grant to the Malaysian Nature Society towards implementing a pilot initiative under its longstanding Hornbill Conservation Project to develop a community nursery that stocks hornbill (and other wildlife) resource plants and trees. The nurseries will be developed with Orang Asli from Kampung Chuweh in the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex.

Developing Native Tree Nurseries With Local Jahai in Royal Belum State Park

ahmadamir — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:23:00 +0000

The Habitat Foundation, together with the Tropical Rainforest Conservation Research Centre (TRCRC) and the Perak State Parks Corporation (PSPC), are piloting an innovative project engaging Jahai Orang Asli within Royal Belum State Park to establish native tree nurseries.

Participating Jahai villagers from Kg. Sg, Klewang will collect the seeds of wild fruit trees, dipterocarps, and other target species from the forests adjacent to their village.

Seedlings from rainforest species that have been germinated at TRCRC’s nursery.

TRCRC to conduct ongoing training and mentoring for Jahai collectors from Kampung Sg. Klewang, who will lead the programme in their village. It will also go towards establishing the native tree nurseries, monitoring and caring for the seedlings as they germinate, and the initial purchase of saplings from the Jahai. The project will secure long-term sponsors to purchase saplings from the nurseries and plant them at sites identified as being important for restoring connectivity in the Central Forest Spine.

In the past year, PSPC has made strong strides in integrating indigenous people into the operations of the park. A successful pilot project in Kg. Sg. Klewang could lead to the expansion of the native tree nurseries to other villages within the park if there is interest. Importantly, it could also present a dynamic model for local community participation elsewhere in Malaysia where Orang Asli live in the vicinity of key protected areas and wildlife corridors. This initiative could well demonstrate a framework for greater involvement of traditional peoples associated with protected areas while providing a viable option for improving local livelihoods.

Jahai communities residing in Royal Belum State Park face many challenges in improving their livelihoods. The aim of the project is to provide a sustainable basis to earn supplementary income.

THF and TRCRC team members on a site visit to ascertain local interest in participating in the project.

Recently, to take advantage of the masting event occurring every five to seven years in dipterocarp forest, TRCRC organized several sessions to collect endangered/rare/threatened (ERT) dipterocarp seeds. These were purchased from the Orang Asli participating in this programme and will be germinated in their dedicated nursery within the Amanjaya Forest Reserve.

Some of the seeds that were gathered by Jahai collectors during the masting event in October 2019.

Conserving the Migratory Shorebirds and Wetlands of Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda Coast

Rong — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:17:00 +0000

A Great Knot seen foraging on the Teluk Ayer Tawar mudflats bears a tag – a reminder that shorebird conservation is, by necessity, a global effort.

THF Conservation Grant

Spanning an area of around 500 hectares, in the northern region of Seberang Perai, lies one of the few remaining intact wetlands in Penang. The Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda (TAT-KM) Coast is an internationally recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) and part of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Its mangroves and mudflats annually attract shorebirds migrating from Siberia to Australia, providing a vital stopover along this epic journey—scientists and nature lovers having recorded flocks of 10,000 to 12,000 at a single site during the peak of migration.

Shorebirds congregating at the edge of the Teluk Ayer Tawar mangroves during the peak of the migration around January

This location, however, is also targeted for jetty construction and conversion to aquaculture farms, activities that may severely compromise the health of the mangroves and mudflats and the vital roles they play in enhancing fisheries, protecting coasts and sequestering carbon.

The Shorebirds Project of Peninsular Malaysia led by Dr Nur Munira will use its Conservation Grant to continue monitoring and documenting the abundance and diversity of birds visiting the TAT-KM Coast. This data will communicate this to shorebird researchers worldwide. Using an integrated approach combining research, community engagement, and education and outreach to engage with key agencies and stakeholders in support of the protection of the remaining mangroves of the coastline and socialize the potential value of this area for nature tourism with benefits to local livelihoods.

Follow Shorebirds Project of Peninsular Malaysia‘s conservation journey by following updates on their FB page.

Taking inspiration from Hong Kong’s Mai Po Nature Reserve, a model of successful wetland conservation, this project will bring new perspectives to managing the TAT-KM Coast. It is hoped that this will contribute to important decisions to protect these important ecosystems and safeguard fisheries resources.

Watch her video here: