10/07/2025

THURSDAY | JULY 10, 2025

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New tree species found in N. Sembilan

with research institutions locally and abroad, such as the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO), National Institute for Environmental Studies, Hiroshima University, Kyoto University as well as the Forestry and Forest Product Research Institute of Japan. “As a result of the collaborations, several long-term study plots have been established and the research focus has expanded from ecology to other aspects such as hydrology, climate and zoology.” He said other than tree ecology, fauna monitoring studies were also conducted through a tropical ecology assessment and monitoring research project, and 60 camera traps were installed to capture images of fauna. “Since 2011, various species have been (documented), including species categorised as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.” A carbon research project is carried out to determine the amount of carbon in the forest, Bernama reported. Another study conducted at the research station is the Seed and Seedling Monitoring Project led by researchers from the National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan since 2001, which is a joint venture between FRIM, ForestGEO and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Ismail added that a new project under ForestGEO integrates physiological and demographic data to improve predictions of tropical forest dynamics in an earth system model that studies the effects of environmental changes on plant physiology. “Ecological studies are gaining importance due to the environmental challenges facing humanity, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and resource management.

KUALA LUMPUR: A new tree species, “Timonious pasohensis” has been discovered at the Pasoh Forest Reserve in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Parlan said the species was collected during the first re-census of the 50ha plot in Pasoh in 1985 and was recently published as a new species in 2024. “The establishment of permanent ecological plots allow researchers to study the demographics and dynamics of forests over a long period of time. The Pasoh site is the second-oldest dynamic plot among 78 around the world. “All trees with a ‘diameter at breast height’ of 1cm and above are measured, mapped, tagged and identified. The tree census is carried out once every five years,” he said in his opening speech at the Pasoh Seminar 2025 on Tuesday. He also said the research at the forest reserve started in 1964 and in 1970, the FRIM Pasoh research station was established to study the ecology of tropical lowland forests. He added that an area of 1,840ha of Pasoh Forest Reserve was gazetted as a research forest by the Forestry Department of Negeri Sembilan in 1977. Ismail said the number of research activities conducted has increased as FRIM collaborates o ‘Timonious pasohensis’ discovered at Pasoh Forest Reserve during census of 50ha plot

Ismail (right) briefing a FRIM team after the discovery was announced. – BERNAMAPIC

construction designed to support workspace activities, including offices, meeting rooms, laboratories and a herbarium. FRIM Forestry and Environment Division director Dr Mohd Zaki Abdullah said the seminar was to highlight the range of research conducted at the Pasoh Forest Reserve. He said 108 participants registered for the event, representing 12 agencies, both local and international.

“A 52m aluminium tower was built to instal research equipment used to record data such as temperature, wind, rain and sunlight.” Publications from the research have exceeded 400, which include journals, books, proceedings and other technical and semi technical papers. In line with the increase of research, the infrastructure and facilities have also been improved, with a new building under

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