Spatiotemporal changes in biomass after selective logging in a lowland tropical rainforest in peninsular Malaysia

We studied biomass changes in a lowland tropical rain forest in the Pasoh Forest Reserve of Peninsular Malaysia after selective logging in 1958. A tree census was undertaken every 2 years from 1998 to 2012 in a 6-ha logged forest plot. Total aboveground biomass (AGB) was 72 % of that in a primary forest plot within the same reserve in 1998, but reached 87 % in 2012. AGB regrowth was spatially variable within the logged forest plot and was much less in swampy areas than in upland areas. The overall annual growth rate of AGB in the logged forest throughout the study period was 1.5 % and slowed (to 0.6 %) in a dry period (2004-2006). The biomass of large trees (DBH ≥ 50 cm) increased by 56 % during the study period, but amounted to only 58 % of the biomass of the corresponding size class in the primary forest, suggesting that stand structure is still recovering from logging. Spatiotemporal variation in AGB recovery after logging needs to be taken into account for logging and subsequent management of the tropical lowland forest biome

Forest use types of mammals in the Pasoh Forest Reserve and adjacent forest fragments

This study reports the works conducted in Pasoh Forest Reserve for determining how forest mammals use different forest types. Study have focused on the entire forest reserve which includes primary and secondary forest patches, and secondary forest fragments around agricultural fields, pastures, clearcuts, silviculture plantations, and residential areas. Samples were obtained from camera-trappings at selected locations in the forest reserve and adjacent fragment forests to reveal actual species composition of mammals in different forest types. Invasion of domestic animals and poaching are found remains high in the reserve

Cohort profile : Singapore Preconception Study of Long-Term Maternal and Child Outcomes (S-PRESTO)

The Singapore Preconception Study of Long-Term Maternal and Child Outcomes (S-PRESTO) is a preconception, longitudinal cohort study that aims to study the effects of nutrition, lifestyle, and maternal mood prior to and during pregnancy on the epigenome of the offspring and clinically important outcomes including duration of gestation, fetal growth, metabolic and neural phenotypes in the offspring. Between February 2015 and October 2017, the S-PRESTO study recruited 1039 Chinese, Malay or Indian (or any combinations thereof) women aged 18–45 years and who intended to get pregnant and deliver in Singapore, resulting in 1032 unique participants and 373 children born in the cohort. The participants were followed up for 3 visits during the preconception phase and censored at 12 months of follow up if pregnancy was not achieved (N = 557 censored). Women who successfully conceived (N = 475) were characterised at gestational weeks 6–8, 11–13, 18–21, 24–26, 27–28 and 34–36. Follow up of their index offspring (N = 373 singletons) is on-going at birth, 1, 3 and 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months and beyond. Women are also being followed up post-delivery. Data is collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires, metabolic imaging (magnetic resonance imaging), standardized anthropometric measurements and collection of diverse specimens, i.e. blood, urine, buccal smear, stool, skin tapes, epithelial swabs at numerous timepoints. S-PRESTO has extensive repeated data collected which include genetic and epigenetic sampling from preconception which is unique in mother–offspring epidemiological cohorts. This enables prospective assessment of a wide array of potential determinants of future health outcomes in women from preconception to post-delivery and in their offspring across the earliest development from embryonic stages into early childhood. In addition, the S-PRESTO study draws from the three major Asian ethnic groups that represent 50% of the global population, increasing the relevance of its findings to global efforts to address non-communicable diseases