Roles of Heterogeneous Habitat for Conservation of Nymphalidae in Sarawak (East Malaysia)

Species diversity characterises an area or a targeted habitat and provides information on the species assemblages, which is a primary reflection of habitat diversity. It incorporates both species richness and abundance and may rely on factors, such as host-plant availability and food resources. Kubah National Park is a lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, and uniquely offers various vegetation types, which includes heath and submontane forests. In the present study, four contrasting forest habitats were selected along forest trails, namely, primary forests, secondary forests, heath forests and forest edges. Forty baited traps were used within a six-months of sampling period. The highest abundance was recorded at the heath forest while the least was at the secondary forest. However, there was no significant difference in terms of species abundance between forest habitats for subfamilies, as well as for the 15 most abundant nymphalid species sampled, except for Mycalesis mnasicles. This satyrine was regarded as being able to differentiate habitat, apart from sensitive to canopy openings. Secondary forest provides a heterogeneous habitat for nymphalids, and thus highest diversity was observed here. This study implies that habitat association of the family is crucial, as it will provide information for both species inventory as well as the fluctuation patterns of the nymphalids diversity. Similar study is suggested to be carried out in the future, which incorporates more than one habitat types and in a more extensive period

Temporal Diversity of the Nymphalids in Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia

Unique microhabitats caused temporal-space separation which also indicates that animals are constrained in their flexibility to adapt to the environment. Arthropods was recorded to be temporally patchy within seasons, and in the tropical region, rainfall fluctuations are somewhat varied although only in a considerable range. These minute variations are still however observed to provide unique microhabitats to the insects and thus knowledge on the effects of the rainfall is still much required. To determine any distribution patterns of the nymphalid butterflies, bait-trapping was conducted from May to November 2009 in Kubah National Park, Sarawak. Even though there was a linear relationship between the total rainfall and numbers of nymphalids, there was no significant correlation between the nymphalids and rainfall distribution (p-value > 0.05). Rainfall in the preceded month could increase the overall nymphalids abundance which coincides with the leaf-flushing peak, suitably for the larval stages. In contrast, heavy rainfall during the data collection could also lead to larval mortality. Rainfall parameter and possibly many more environmental variables are important, as the distribution pattern of the nymphalids are strongly related to the environment

Species Diversity of Fruit-feeding Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Adis Buan, Bau, Sarawak

Species diversity of nymphalid butterflies is one of the most studied topics as the nymphalids are easily sampled and identified. Ten days of field sampling; five continuous days in two sampling periods, were conducted in Adis Buan, Bau. By using 20 baited traps and two aerial nets, 186 individuals representing 36 species of nymphalid butterfly were recorded. The most diverse subfamily was Satyrinae (H’: 2.399) and the most abundant species was Mycalesis anapita fucentia with a total of 48 individuals. Satyrinae was also recorded with the highest species richness between subfamilies comprising 24 species of total butterfly sampled which could probably due to their unique characteristic as the slow flying butterfly and being attracted to the shady areas. Shannon diversity index revealed that the diversity index of nymphalid butterfly collected in November 2018 was significantly higher than that in January 2019. In this study, documentation on nymphalid butterfly in heath forest was conducted but further documentation would be recommended as there is still lack of previous studies especially in heath forest

EFFECTS OF VERTICAL GRADIENT ON THE DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF NYMPHALIDAE IN A BORNEAN RAINFOREST

The forest canopy is known to harbour high insect diversity, yet descriptive studies that simultaneously measure species richness on both ground and canopy strata are not common. The Nymphalidae are abundant in the canopy and their distribution across the vertical dimension contributes to tropical diversity. A comprehensive study of the vertical distribution of nymphalids in four forest habitats in the Kubah lowland mixed-dipterocarp forest: primary, secondary, heath forest and forest edge were conducted. Forty baited traps were installed at both ground and canopy levels and sampled over a six-month period. The preference of the nymphalids for the lower stratum was significant for abundance, diversity, and common species such as Bassarona dunya. Observed pattern could be due to the distribution of available adult resources and larval hostplants. Being practically ‘sun-lovers’, highest diversity of nymphalids at the canopy level was recorded at the forest edge (H’ = 2.525). Meanwhile, more microhabitats are offered at the lower level in secondary forest and thus supporting the most diverse nymphalids here (H’ = 3.020). Vertical study of nymphalids provides knowledge and fluctuation patterns of its diversity and thus more similar study is suggested to be conducted in the futur

Effectiveness of Objective Structured Practical Examination (OSPE) as a Tool for Formative Assessment of Practical and Experimental Skill for Pre-University Students in Biology Course

In many science courses or subjects, lectures (theory) and practical (hands-on) are integrated with the view that theory can be explained in the lecture and then applied and tested in the practical class (Whitworth & Wright, 2015). Similarly, in the Biology course for Centre for Pre- University Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, a lecture on Introduction to Laboratory Instrumentation was conducted. Meanwhile, the practical application and demonstration for this topic were also carried out. The objectives for this practical are to describe the usage and to define the functions of basic laboratory equipment and apparatus as well as to demonstrate the correct way of handling basic laboratory equipment and apparatus

PPPU BULETIN : Special Edition Asasi Eco Ambassador

This publication will both encourage the students to continue spending the commitment of academic production and inspire juniors to follow their example. As in the past years, the write-up has demonstrated the wide variations of biodiversity, ecology, and environment study in various location of national park in Kuching, however, in this issue, you will find the study conducted within the campus area. Nevertheless, the study as far-ranging and divergent as eco-based potential plant for commercial uses, documentation of water quality, rapid wildlife survey, observation of plant-animal interaction, plant-plant interaction, fungi, gymnosperms, angiosperms, pteridophytes, Nepenthes, horticulture plant, palm species, medicinal plants, potential threat to ecosystem, and peat-swamp ecosystem. In a word, there is something for all the students

Composition of fruit-feeding butterflies (lepidoptera:nymphalidae) in a peat swamp Forest, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak

A total of 104 individuals of fruit-feeding butterflies representing 24 species and 13 genera were recorded in a 60 continuous days of sampling (26 July to 23 September 2007), in a peat swamp forest in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak. Four subfamilies of Family: Nymphalidae were listed which includes Charaxinae, Morph inae, Nymphalinae and Satyrinae. Ten fruit baited-traps were utilized in this study, and were set-up in both ground and canopy strata by applying Single-Rope Technique in five different individual trees. An average of two individuals per day was recorded with 33.33% of the total samples are represented by Nymphalinae. Known to be strong and rapid fliers, this group of nymphalids is associated with increased light intensity which was observed with the less pronounced canopy at the study area. All recorded nymphalids were also designated with rank in order to assess the rank-abundance distribution of these butterflies. Overall, nymphalids with wider range of geographical distribution were less abundant and vice versa in the present study. One endemic to Borneo nymphalid species which is Mycalesis amoena was sampled in this study

Composition Of Fruit-Feeding Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) In A Peat Swamp Forest, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak

A total of 104 individuals of fruit-feeding butterflies representing 24 species and 13 genera were recorded in a 60 continuous days of sampling (26 July to 23 September 2007), in a peat swamp forest in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak. Four subfamilies of Family: Nymphalidae were listed which includes Charaxinae, Morphinae, Nymphalinae and Satyrinae. Ten fruit baited-traps were utilized in this study, and were set-up in both ground and canopy strata by applying Single-Rope Technique in five different individual trees. An average of two individuals per day was recorded with 33.33% of the total samples are represented by Nymphalinae. Known to be strong and rapid fliers, this group of nymphalids is associated with increased light intensity which was observed with the less pronounced canopy at the study area. All recorded nymphalids were also designated with rank in order to assess the rank-abundance distribution of these butterflies