Morphological variation of Mountain Blackeye (Chlorocharis emiliae) populations in Malaysian Borneo

The mountain blackeye (Chlorocharis emiliae) is one of the few Bornean endemic birds which presents an excellent model species to illustrate evolution and speciation. Here, we use discriminant function analysis to elucidate the morphological variation on 40 specimens of mountain blackeye from four populations namely Mount Kinabalu, Mount Trus Madi, Mount Murud and Mount Mulu. The test successfully distinguished all four populations accordingly by respective nominated subspecies. Tarsus length and bill length were identified as the best predictors from nine character loadings observed which also included bill depth, bill width, head bill, wing length, wing span, tail length and total length. Along with this, the morphological patterns also revealed that solid skeletal characters such as bill length, bill depth, bill width and tarsus are genuine predictors of morphological variation and body size within species as compared to feather-based characters. The evolution of such morphological traits is more pronounced due to different ecological adaptation of the mountain blackeye populations. Several factors such as phenotypic plasticity, foraging behaviours and food availability may have influenced the morphological variation between the subspecies

Buku Panduan APEL.A UNIMAS-Pelajar

Buku Panduan APEL.A bertujuan untuk menjadi rujukan calon-calon APEL.A berkenaan Akreditasi Pembelajaran Berasaskan Pengalaman Terdahulu yang melibatkan identifikasi, dokumentasi dan penilaian terhadap pembelajaran berasaskan pengalaman terdahulu seperti ilmu pengetahuan, kemahiran dan sikap, untuk menentukan tahap seseorang individu mencapai hasil pembelajaran yang diinginkan, bagi mengakses sesuatu program pengajia

Buku Panduan APEL.A UNIMAS-Staff

Buku Panduan APEL.A bertujuan untuk menjadi rujukan staf berkenaan Akreditasi Pembelajaran Berasaskan Pengalaman Terdahulu yang melibatkan identifikasi, dokumentasi dan penilaian terhadap pembelajaran berasaskan pengalaman terdahulu seperti ilmu pengetahuan, kemahiran dan sikap, untuk menentukan tahap seseorang individu mencapai hasil pembelajaran yang diinginkan, bagi mengakses sesuatu program pengajian

The Influence of Perch Height Selection on Vocalization of Pied Triller, Lalage nigra (Aves: Campephagidae) in Suburban Landscapes, Sarawak

Understanding how birds utilised songs and calls to communicate among conspecifics is crucial for their survival, yet it remains an understudied area in bird ecology. We studied the influence of perch height selection on the vocalisation of Pied Triller, a common garden bird, in two suburban landscapes namely Pustaka Negeri Sarawak Recreational Park, Kuching and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak campus, Kota Samarahan from October 2018 to February 2019. Using a Marantz recorder connected to a parabolic reflector, we recorded calls and songs during morning (0630-1030 hr) and late afternoon (1600-1830 hr). Perch object, tree species, roost substrate and perch height from the ground were identified and measured. Clear and good quality spectrograms were used directly to describe song and call types. Photos and video recordings were analysed to describe perch behaviour. The vocal output representatives were then matched to the corresponding behaviour displayed. Our results revealed that Pied Trillers emit four different vocal outputs namely (i) song type, (ii) call type A, (iii) call type B and (iv) call type C. A total of nine behaviours were observed, of which the perch-hop behaviour was observed the most from both male and female Pied Trillers (33.71%), followed by perching (29.21%), foraging (20.22%), preening (7.78%), defecating (2.25%), eating (2.25%), roosting (2.25%), bill wipe (1.12%) and flight (1.12%). They prefer to roost on high perch to emit calls compared to songs. This probably suggest that Pied Triller prioritised vocal transmission and signalling to avoid being masked by surrounding anthropogenic noises and to avoid being conspicuous to potential predators. The most frequently visited perch object was the Weeping fig tree, Ficus benjamina

Distribution and abundance of introduced Common and Javan Mynas in metropolitan and suburban areas of Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo

Counts of the invasive Common Myna Acridotheres tristis and Javan Myna A. javanicus were carried out in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak, Borneo, and in surrounding suburbs, over a period of 30 months from July 2013 to December 2015. Ten areas were sampled each month using 3 km-long line transects. Combining all 30 months, a total of 3,913 mynas were counted, of which 75% were Common Mynas, and 25% Javan Mynas. Population densities were estimated at 0.78 and 0.72 individuals ha-1 for Common and Javan Mynas, respectively. The Common Myna was widely distributed in Kuching and suburbs of Kota Samarahan division, whereas the Javan Myna was confined to metropolitan Kuching. The distribution of these two species was thought to be influenced mostly by food and nest site availability

Patterns of avian diversification in Borneo: The case of the endemic Mountain Black-eye (Chlorocharis emiliae)

The Mountain Black-eye (Chlorocharis emiliae) is an endemic white-eye (Zosteropidae) of Borneo with a unique “sky island” distribution. We compared mitochondrial ND2, ND3, Cytb, and control region DNA sequences (2,194 nucleotides) to study the phylogeographic relationships of five populations of this species that span its range: Mounts Kinabalu, Trus Madi, Murud, Mulu, and Pueh. These comparisons showed that black-eyes are divided into two main clades that correspond generally to subspecific morphological groups: one in Sabah, Malaysia (Kinabalu and Trus Madi), and one in Sarawak, Malaysia (Murud, Mulu, and Pueh). The genetic and morphologic subdivision of black-eyes disputes the expected merging of populations during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), when montane forest presumably expanded and provided the opportunity for currently isolated populations to intermingle. Instead the genetic aging of black-eye populations indicates they diversified long before the LGM, and either did not expand sufficiently in range during the LGM to reach one another, or were reproductively isolated by the time of the LGM and thus prevented from interbreeding. Moreover, the subdivision between black-eyes in Sabah and Sarawak means that this species (and probably several other montane species) has a phylogeographic structure remarkably similar to Borneo's lowland bird populations, which are presumed to have evolved under different paleo-geographic conditions. The similar phylogeographic pattern found in both montane and lowland species requires that we rethink the causes of bird population diversification on the island of Borneo

BIRDS.

Bako National Park is the oldest protected area in Sarawak, being gazetted on 1 May 1957. It has a total size of 2,727 ha and is situated at the tip of the Muara Tebas Peninsula. The Park has a fascinating diversity of habitats, which includes Kerangas forest, beach vegetation, grasslands, mangroves, as well as mixed dipterocarp and peat swamp forests. Several jungle trails (Tanjung Sapi, Telok Paku, Ulu Assam, Telok Delima, Serait, Telok Pandan Kecil, Telok Pandan Besar, Lintang, Tajor, Ulu Serait, Bukit Gendol, Paya Jelutong, Bukit Keruing, Telok Sibur, Telok Limau, and Telok Keruin) traverse these forests and provides excellent opportunity for nature lovers to explore and observe wildlife in a natural setting

Patterns of avian diversification in Borneo: The case of the endemic Mountain Black-eye (Chlorocharis emiliae)

The Mountain Black-eye (Chlorocharis emiliae) is an endemic white-eye (Zosteropidae) of Borneo with a unique ‘‘sky island’’ distribution. We compared mitochondrial ND2, ND3, Cytb, and control region DNA sequences (2,194 nucleotides) to study the phylogeographic relationships of five populations of this species that span its range: Mounts Kinabalu, Trus Madi, Murud, Mulu, and Pueh. These comparisons showed that black-eyes are divided into two main clades that correspond generally to subspecific morphological groups: one in Sabah, Malaysia (Kinabalu and Trus Madi), and one in Sarawak, Malaysia (Murud, Mulu, and Pueh). The genetic and morphologic subdivision of black-eyes disputes the expected merging of populations during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), when montane forest presumably expanded and provided the opportunity for currently isolated populations to intermingle. Instead the genetic aging of black-eye populations indicates they diversified long before the LGM, and either did not expand sufficiently in range during the LGM to reach one another, or were reproductively isolated by the time of the LGM and thus prevented from interbreeding. Moreover, the subdivision between black-eyes in Sabah and Sarawak means that this species (and probably several other montane species) has a phylogeographic structure remarkably similar to Borneo’s lowland bird populations, which are presumed to have evolved under different paleo-geographic conditions. The similar phylogeographic pattern found in both montane and lowland species requires that we rethink the causes of bird population diversification on the island of Borneo

Birds.

Birds are useful bioindicators for monitoring ecological change. They form an interactive community within the ecosystem and are integral for pollination and seed dispersal for many native plants (Gatesire et al., 2014; Stratford et al., 2015). Nonetheless, the destruction of avian habitats, such as lowland forests for timber, human settlements and coastal development in recent decades have resulted in the decline of many avian species (Kihia, 2014; Barlow et al., 2016). Little work has been done on the mangroves and coastal birds in Sarawak, despite increasing threats towards such ecosystems (Wilson, 2002

A Bird Survey of Sungai Kangkawat Research Station, Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, Sabah

A bird survey was conducted at the Sungai Kangkawat Research Station (117°3′34.593″E, 5°4′29.187″N), Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA), Sabah from 5th until 8th October, 2018. The objective of this survey was to produce a preliminary checklist of bird species in the study area. The primary method used was mist-netting with occasional observation from vocal and visual identification. A total of 30 mist-nets were deployed for 11 hours (0630-1730 hr.) for four consecutive days with a final accumulation of 1840 net/hours. Overall, 59 species comprising 23 families were recorded throughout the survey. Of these, 114 individuals were netted representing 41 species from 13 families. The most abundant species caught was the Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra with 26 individuals. Additionally, 18 species from 10 different families were identified via opportunistic sighting and vocalisation. This includes one Critically Endangered (Helmeted Hornbill, Buceros vigil), three Vulnerable (i.e., Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros, Large-billed Blue Flycatcher Cyornis caerulatus and Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii and 20 other Near-threatened species. Four endemic species were recorded namely the Bornean Blue Flycatcher Cyornis superbus, White-crowned Shama Copsychus stricklandi, Black-headed Pitta Pitta ussheri and Blue-headed Pitta Pitta baudii. We expect higher diversity of birds in ICCA because the species accumulation curve did not reach an asymptote until the last day of sampling. This suggests additional trapping effort with point counts along predetermined transects should be considered for future surveys