Habitat preference based on herpetofauna spatial distribution in Coal Mining Area of PT Singlurus Pratama, East Kalimantan

Herpetofauna communities are formed due to the suitability of the habitat or adaptation process that forces a species to survive. The opening of the land mines result in missing or changing the habitat of herpetofauna. This research was conducted to know the preferences of the herpetofauna of habitat based on spatial distribution of herpetofauna in the vicinity of mining area of PT Singlurus Pratama. The survey was conducted in the area of revegetasi, forest fragmentation, the district adjacent to the mining area, rivers and water spots or natural and man-made on two mining blocks i.e. block Pearl and block independence. The method of election of purposive sampling location with direct search survey methods (Visual Encounter Surveys). The main species found 4 that its spread most widely with populations high. The most frequent species of herpetofauna and many found among others: Eutropis multifasciata, Enhydris enhydris, Fejervarya cancrivora, Polypedates leucomystax and Duttaphrynus melanostictus. Based on the value of the index indicates that the diversity of herpetofauna communities distress with low. Types of herpetofauna more land cover found in the undergrowth, secondary forest and agricultural areas that there are sources of water in it.

Unexpected Ecological Resilience in Bornean Orangutans and Implications for Pulp and Paper Plantation Management

Ecological studies of orangutans have almost exclusively focused on populations living in primary or selectively logged rainforest. The response of orangutans to severe habitat degradation remains therefore poorly understood. Most experts assume that viable populations cannot survive outside undisturbed or slightly disturbed forests. This is a concern because nearly 75% of all orangutans live outside protected areas, where degradation of natural forests is likely to occur, or where these are replaced by planted forests. To improve our understanding of orangutan survival in highly altered forest habitats, we conducted population density surveys in two pulp and paper plantation concessions in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. These plantations consist of areas planted with fast-growing exotics intermixed with stands of highly degraded forests and scrublands. Our rapid surveys indicate unexpectedly high orangutan densities in plantation landscapes dominated by Acacia spp., although it remains unclear whether such landscapes can maintain long-term viable populations. These findings indicate the need to better understand how plantation-dominated landscapes can potentially be incorporated into orangutan conservation planning. Although we emphasize that plantations have less value for overall biodiversity conservation than natural forests, they could potentially boost the chances of orangutan survival. Our findings are based on a relatively short study and various methodological issues need to be addressed, but they suggest that orangutans may be more ecologically flexible than previously thought

Restoring the orangutan in a whole- or half-earth context

Various global-scale proposals exist to reduce the loss of biological diversity. These include the Half-Earth and Whole-Earth visions that respectively seek to set aside half the planet for wildlife conservation or to diversify conservation practices fundamentally and change the economic systems that determine environmental harm. Here we assess these visions in the specific context of Bornean orangutans Pongo pygmaeus and their conservation. Using an expert-led process we explored three scenarios over a 10-year time frame: continuation of Current Conditions, a Half-Earth approach and a Whole-Earth approach. In addition, we examined a 100-year population recovery scenario assuming 0% offtake of Bornean orangutans. Current Conditions were predicted to result in a population c. 73% of its current size by 2032. Half-Earth was judged comparatively easy to achieve and predicted to result in an orangutan population of c. 87% of its current size by 2032. Whole-Earth was anticipated to lead to greater forest loss and ape killing, resulting in a prediction of c. 44% of the current orangutan population for 2032. Finally, under the recovery scenario, populations could be c. 148% of their current size by 2122. Although we acknowledge uncertainties in all of these predictions, we conclude that the Half-Earth and Whole-Earth visions operate along different timelines, with the implementation of Whole-Earth requiring too much time to benefit orangutans. None of the theorized proposals provided a complete solution, so drawing elements from each will be required. We provide recommendations for equitable outcomes

Efek Tepi pada Populasi Orangutan Kalimantan (Pongo p. morio) di Jalur Wisata Prevab dan Sangkima Taman Nasional Kutai

Efek Tepi pada Populasi Orangutan Kalimantan (Pongo p. morio) di Jalur Wisata Prevab dan Sangkima Taman Nasional Kutai. Kawasan Prevab dan Sangkima merupakan daerah sebaran populasi dan habitat orangutan di Taman Nasional Kutai. Kondisi lingkungan habitat tersebut memiliki karakteristik yang berbeda dengan kondisi lingkungan di hutan. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui respon efek tepi terhadap Orangutan di kawasan wisata Sangkima dan Prevab. Respon efek tepi dianalisis berdasarkan perilaku bersarang Orangutan pada habitat tepi di sungai Sangata dan jalan utama Bontang-Sangata. Survei sarang orangutan dilakukan dengan metode transek sepanjang 1.000 m. Estimasi populasi orangutan kemudian dikalkulasikan. Kualitas habitat dianalisis menggunakan metode plot vegetasi 25 unit (20 m x 20 m). Estimasi populasi orangutan di wilayah Prevab adalah 246 individu (95% atas = 285 ind. & 95% bawah = 212 ind) dan Sangkima adalah 619 individu (95% upper = 688 ind dan 95% lower = 557 ind.). Kondisi habitat orangutan terdiri dari 122 jenis pohon, dimana 80 jenis pohon pakan ditemukan di Prevab dan 70 jenis ditemukan di Sangkima. Efek tepi dibuktikan dengan kecenderungan Orangutan membuat sarang lebih banyak mengarah ke bagian tepi hutan di wilayah Prevab maupun Sangkima

Kehadiran dan Keragaman Herba-liana sebagai Sumber Pakan Satwa Liar di Kawasan Reklamasi Pascatambang Batubara PT Kideco Jaya Agung, Paser, Kalimantan Timur

Kegiatan pemulihan fungsi kawasan ekosistem pascatambang dilakukan melalui kegiatan reklamasi dan revegatasi lahan. Penilaian keberhasilan kegiatan reklamasi dan revegetasi selama ini hanya didasarakan pada pertumbuhan dan keberadaan tanaman pokoknya. Kehadiran dan keragaman jenis tumbuhan bawah herba dan liana dikawasan reklamasi pascatambang belum menjadi indikator dalam penilaian keberhasilan kegiatan reklamasi. Kehadiran jenis herba-liana sendiri sangat penting bagi sumber pakan satwa liar yang ada didalamnya. Oleh karena ini dalam penelitian ini dilakukan perhitungan kehadiran dan keragaman jenis herba-liana pada berbagai variasi umur tanaman reklamasi yang berbeda. Tingkat keragaman dan kehadiran didasarkan pada nilai frekuensi kehadiran pada masing masing subplotnya. Dari tabel 11 variasi umur tanaman yang berbeda menunjukkan bahwa semakin berkembang umur tanaman reklamasi akan diikuti pula oleh penambahan keanekaragaman jenisnya herba dan liana. Frekuensi dari 176 kehadiran menunjukkan bahwa jenis yang paling banyak hadir adalah jenis Zoysia matrella 80,7% (142 dari 176) diikuti oleh jenis Mucuna sp. 75% (132 dari 176) dan Asystasia intrusa 59,1% (104 dari 176). Secara umum kehadiran jenis tumbuhan bawah kategori herba liana sangat penting dalam mempercepat pemulihan ekosistem pascatambang