Implications of patch size and landscape matrix towards native-forest bird species in fragmented forests

Forest fragmentation has been one of the major issues in urban landscape due to anthropogenic activities. It produces remnants of forest patches, which were originally large and continuous forest. Forest fragmentation will adversely impact on forest fauna diversity. However, the impacts are dependent on the type and characteristic of the forest remnants itself. This study therefore investigated species composition of birds within fragmented forest in the state of Selangor. Six remnants of forest reserves located in the midst of urban landscape that vary in size and landscape matrix were chosen. Methods used were mist-netting and direct observation. A total of 83 species of birds have been recorded in all sites. Native-forest species are species that depends solely on forest for their livelihood. Larger percentage of native-forest species were found in the larger forest compared to smaller forest suggesting that smaller forest are more vulnerable towards invasion of non-forest species. This however is highly supported by the landscape matrix that surrounds the forest. In conclusion, landscape matrix other than forest size were found to be the major factor that influenced the capacity of the forest to maintain more native-forest species. However,further studies need to be carried out at a larger experimental scale to test this theory

Depulping of fruits and soaking the seeds enhances the seed germination and initial growth performance of Terminalia beleria Roxb. seedlings

The study describes the effects of depulping the fruits and soaking the seeds of Terminalia belerica Roxb. on seed germination and seedling growth in nursery condition. Around half of the freshly collected fruits of T. belerica were depulped by rotting the fleshy pulp in water. Depulped seeds or intact fruits were dried in sun following storage in airtight container. Effects pre-sowing treatments were explored by soaking the dry intact fruits or depulped seeds in cold water for 0, 24, 48 and 72 h and sowed in polybags filled with soil mixed with decomposed cow dung. The study revealed that depulping of fruits and soaking the seeds significantly enhanced the seed germination and seedling growth performance in nursery condition. The fastest seed germination was observed in depulped seeds soaked in cold water for 72 h (DT3) and slowest germination was in intact fruits without treatment (IT0). The highest germination percentage (93) was observed in depulped seeds soaked in cold water for 48 h (DT2) followed by 85.6% in depulped seeds soaked in water for 24 h (DT1), which was significantly higher than the other treatments including the control (36.7). Although growth parameters such as shoot length, root length, total height, leaf number, leaf area and collar diameter of the seedlings were maximum in the seedlings developed through DT3, the vigor index was maximum in DT2 and minimum in IT0. Total dry mass per seedling was also maximum in the seedlings developed from the treatment DT3. Considered the imbibition period, germination percentage, growth performance including vigor index and total biomass produced per seedling, depulping the fruits and soaking the dry seeds in cold water for 48 h was recommended for obtaining maximum seed germination and seedling growth performance

Evaluation of selected physical and mechanical properties of multiple leader Acacia crassicarpa A. Cunn. Ex. Benth. genotypes

A study on the evaluation of the selected physical and mechanical properties of multiple leadered Acacia crassicarpa A. Cunn. Ex. Benth, genotype was carried out to maximize its utilization. The study involved two classes of multiple leaders (ML), namely; ML2 (two leadered stems) and ML3 more than two leadered stems and 4 provenances: Claudie River, and Chillie Beach from Queensland (QLD) and Bensbach WP and Bimadebum WP from Papua New Guinea (PNG). ML classes showed significant difference at P<0.05 for physical properties but not between provenances. ML2 produced better mean values of specific gravity, radial and tangential shrinkage, with the values of 0.48%, 1.4% and 2.89% respectively compared to ML3 with values of 0.45, 3.56%, and 5.83%, respectively. Similarly, the ML classes were found to be significantly different at P<0.05 for Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) and Modulus of Rupture (MOR). Once again, ML2 produced higher mean values of 9858.4 N/mm2 and 89.63 N/mm2 for MOE and MOR, respectively, than ML3 (7557.7 N/mm2 and 60.4 N/mm2 respectively). Based on the physical and mechanical properties, it can be concluded that ML2 is more superior in terms of strength and stiffness than ML3

Anatomical structures and fiber morphology of new kenaf varieties

Kenaf plant is claimed as one of the fast-growing herbaceous plants with the high potential as a fiber material or lignocellulosic material. Nine kenaf varieties i.e., Q-Ping, KK60, V12, V19, V36, V132 and NS V133 and TK were introduced recently by Taman Pertanian Universiti, Universiti Putra Malaysia as one of the potential plant to replace tobacco plantation. Since, these nine kenaf varieties are new to Malaysia, therefore, there is a need to study their anatomical structures and fiber morphology as well as microscopic appearances to understand their different and similarity. Cell morphology and anatomical appearances were observed and evaluated under the image analysis system (Leitz DMRB). From the results, V19 and V12 had the wider ray among the nine varieties, whereas other varieties in their microscopic appearance were almost similar to those observed in many diffuse-porous hardwoods. The longest fiber length was observed in variety TK (2.96 mm) followed by V36. Q-ping showed the widest fiber diameter and lumen diameter amongst the nine varieties, with value of 28.64 μm in bast fiber and 28.06 μm in core diameter. However, Q-ping had the thinnest core cell wall with the thickness of 3.34 μm. In term of fiber length, all the kenaf varieties bast fiber has longer fiber than core fiber. The kenaf core of nine varieties has wider fiber diameter and fiber lumen diameter than the bast fiber. Conclusively, although kenaf exhibit similarity in some fiber morphology and anatomical structures, however, there still some distinction that can be used to differentiate these kenaf variety

Scale morphologies of freshwater fishes at Tembat Forest Reserve, Terengganu, Malaysia

Scales are calcium carbonate and collagen-contained structures embedded within the fish epidermis and useful for species identification. This study aimed to describe morphological characteristics of scales and use the differences to prepare keys to species. Fishes were sampled from selected rivers of Tembat Forest Reserve, Hulu Terengganu. Specimens caught were from 3 families (Cyprinidae, Channidae, Nandidae) and 17 species. Each species was represented by ten individuals (size ranges 2.5 - 50 cm TL). The scales were removed, soaked in H2O2 (0.5%), NH3 (0.3%), DH2O and mounted between a pair of glass slides for digital photographing. The morphological descriptions were based on types of scales, distinctiveness of radii arrangement at the anterior field, radii cover, radii distribution, overall shape, focus position and focus pattern. Keys to species were constructed based on these scale morphological characters described. Measurements of scale total length (L), total width (W), rostral field length (L1) and caudal field length (L2) of the scales were taken using Image J software. The inter-specific variation among scales was indicated by L1/L, L2/L, L1/L2 and W/L indices through multiple comparison tests (ANOVA). It was found that all 17 species showed significant differences with at least one other species in all four indices. Pristolepis grootii (Bleeker 1852) was the only one that significantly different (p<0.05) from other 16 species in the first three indices. Species that showed the least significant differences among species was Probarbus jullieni (Sauvage 1880). The differences among the scales were primarily due to the different types of scale that was either ctenoid or cycloid

Foraging behavior and food selection of giant Mudskipper (Periophthalmodon schlosseri) at Kuala Gula, Matang Mangrove Reserve, Perak, Malaysia

An in-situ behavioral study of giant mudskipper (Periophthalmodon schlosseri) was conducted in the coastal mudflat of Kuala Gula, Matang Mangrove Reserve, Perak. Observations were made based on scan and focal sampling methods during low tides. The main objective of this study was to understand the foraging behaviors and food selection by assessing the time spend and the frequency of each behavioral activity of this species in the field. The field observations identified five major feeding activities (Searching and Stalking (M1), Leaping and Capturing (M2), Tearing (M3), Moving to Safer Place (M4), and Playing With Prey (M5)) exhibited by P. schlosseri where these five feeding activities were later grouped in three different phases occurring consecutively such as Phase 1 or Searching Phase, Phase 2 or Capturing Phase and Phase 3 or Handling Phase. The results showed that, only 9.7% (835min) of the times were spend on feeding activities. In Phase 1, despite many attempts of capturing preys, only about 58% of the trials succeeded. Results showed that the giant mudskipper is a generalist carnivore that preyed on crab (Uca spp.) during the day and shifted to insect at night during low tides. Worms also taken by this species both in day and night during low tides, although the frequencies were slightly lower than crabs and insects possibly due to the difficulty of capturing them. The highest time spend on searching and stalking preys (397min) and the least time was on capturing for both day and night (H=7.96, df=4, p<0.05). However, the total time spend and efforts (frequencies) on feeding activities were slightly higher during the day compared to the night. Although the total time spend on feeding activities were slightly higher during the day, the allocations of time (mean) of these activities were similar to one another indicating that the species might have a strategy of minimizing the foraging costs (energy spend) in order to maximize the profit

Modelling Of Torque And Speed Characterisation Of Double Stator Slotted Rotor Brushless DC Motor

This study discusses the modelling of torque and speed characterisation of the double stator slotted rotor brushless DC motor (DSSR-BLDC). Most double stators have a surface mount rotor structure. The problem with this structure is that it has a large air gap, expensive permanent magnet, and cannot operate at high speed. In addition to flux leakage when this type of rotor structure is used. To overcome this problem, the DSSR-BLDC has been introduced. The usage of the DSSR-BLDC is to minimise the flux leakage, thus increasing the flux linkage. This will increase the torque production for the DSSR-BLDC. The aim of this research is to model the torque and speed characterisation of the DSSR-BLDC. This model uses the permeance analysis method and finite element method. The maximum torque and speed can be determined using both methods. The analyses of the electromagnetic torque, output power, and efficiency for various voltages are also presented. The simulation and measurement result show a good agreement with each other. The highest measurement value of the electromagnetic torque is 11 N m at 100 rpm. In conclusion, this study reveals that the modelling of the torque and speed characterisation of the DSSR-BLDC is suitable for portable applications

Impact of pre-sowing treatment on seed germination and seedlings growth attributes of Calamus longisetus Griff. at nursery and field conditions

The paper describes the germination behaviour of Calamus longisetus Griff. seeds under three different pre-sowing treatments and seedlings growth performance in nursery and field condition. Whole fruits, seeds with pulp and cleaned seeds were sown in germination trays filled with soils mixed with decomposed cowdung at a ratio of 3:1. The growth performance of the seedlings were determined by transferring the young seedlings (having 2 – 3 leaves) from germination bed to the polybags filled with soil mix followed by outplanting (at 1-year old) in the field. Germination percentage was significantly (p ≤0.001) enhanced by the pre-sowing treatment where the highest germination percentage was in cleaned seeds followed by the seeds with pulp and lowest in whole fruits. The survival percentage was over 91% in the field after one year and the average height 126.2 cm after two years of planting. Clean seeds for nursery raising and one-year old seedlings for outplanting were found suitable for raising successful plantations for the species

Fatal bus accidents: a legal review on policies governing the employment of express bus drivers / Nabeela Shakina Abdul Razak ...[et al.]

The study focused on the laws, policies, regulations and statutory evidences regarding the employment of express bus drivers. The increasing number of express bus accidents in Malaysia raised the question of what are the factors which lead to these fatalities. This research paper tries to tackle human factors contributing to occurrences of fatal accidents, i.e. the drivers. The study goes to seek how far had the law covered the welfare of the drivers and the steps and guidelines taken by the express bus operators in choosing their drivers. This research project also compared the policies and provisions under the United Kingdom's Transportation Laws regarding the express bus drivers. Few studies and reports on drivers' fatigue and stress also were analysed and its finding was incorporated under this research project. This research study purported to suggest the full legal enforcement of SHE COP 2007/2010 provisions on policies related to express bus drivers. Nonetheless, this research project paper also seeks to suggest several propositions to counter the shortcomings of express bus drivers' employment policies