Fletcher, C, M. Abrams et al. 2012. Climate change impacts on the Pasoh tropical rainforest. Perlium

72 Pages·2012·4.31 MB·English

Fresh Perspectives on Malaysia’s
Pasoh Forest Reserve and Climate Change
Christine Fletcher, Marc Abrams, Shamsudin Ibrahim,
Samsudin Musa and Abdul Rahman Kassim
2012
© Forest Research Institute Malaysia 2012
All enquiries should be forwarded to:
Director-General
Forest Research Institute Malaysia
52109 Kepong
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Homepage: http://frim.gov.my
ISBN 978-967-5221-87-3
Cover picture by: Razman, S.
Cover Rationale:
The Red Meranti is strongly associated with Pasoh Forest Reserve and the
title “Beyond the Red Meranti” refers to the potential for discovery, and
hence the need to review or view closely for such possibilities that exist (this
is what the book is about). The subheading clarifies the book’s purpose.
MS ISO 9001:2008
Typeset in Century Gothic 11point (Main text)
Artwork and DTP Layout by GM Jet Enterprise
Printed in Malaysia by Swan Printing Sdn. Bhd., Seri Kembangan
Foreword by Chairman, Malaysian Forestry
5
Research and Development Board

Foreword by Director-General, Forest
7
Research Institute Malaysia

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Authors’ Note

11
Chapter 1: A Place Called Pasoh

25
Chapter 2: Bellwether for Climate Change

35
Chapter 3: The Long View

43
Chapter 4: Pasoh Revisited

57
Chapter 5: Going Beyond the Red Meranti

65
References

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Glossary
3
Beyond the Red Meranti
4
Foreword
Hajah Nancy Haji Shukri, Chairman
Malaysian Forestry Research and Development Board
Congratulations to Forest Research Institute
Malaysia (FRIM) and authors of “Beyond
the Red Meranti”, for working diligently to
come up with a book that has succeeded
in translating the research and science that
goes into a better understanding of the
impacts of climate change. But what makes
this book different from the other books on
climate change is that the research and
science to which this book is based upon,
was conducted in none other than FRIM’s
earliest research station at the Pasoh Forest A quick browse through your local
Research in Negeri Sembilan. bookstores or online publishers will help
you provide a list of books that catered to
We often heard of rising temperatures, help children, students, parents, teachers,
heat waves, massive floods and extreme scientists, shop owners, parking attendants,
hurricanes as prevalent occurrence around and just about anyone, understand climate
us. These are changes that do not occur change. As climate change is an evolving
overnight. Our planet has always been a occurrence, so should our understanding of
“brewing pot” just waiting for the “boiling the matter. Hence, in my opinion, we can
point” when we, the inhabitants, finally take never have enough publications, articles
notice that our environment is changing. and books to help us enrich ourselves with
knowledge for a better understanding on
While climatic changes are partly nature’s climate change.
doing, we have also succeeded in
amplifying and hastening the process in the This book also serves as a testimony to the
rush for modernization. It is without a doubt forward thinking of FRIM’s past and current
that global issues such as climate change researchers for placing science as the
affects us all individuals. And, because of this, backbone of our everyday lifestyle. Finally,
it is absolutely important for us to understand I hope you find this book as engaging and
what climate change is all about. as informative as I do.
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Beyond the Red Meranti
6
Foreword
Dato Dr Abdul Latif Mohmod
Director-General FRIM
Since its establishment in 1985, the Forest
Research Institute Malaysia has always
been at the forefront of scientific research
and development relevant to the demands
and needs of today’s society. Over the
decades, FRIM has promoted, facilitated
and led research in various fields from
wood products, medicinal plants and
drug discoveries, forestry management
and improved techniques, without
forgetting fundamental yet crucial forest
ecology exploration (flora, fauna and its
interactions). The Pasoh FRIM Research
Station, maintained and managed by FRIM data and information gathered through
since 1977 was established for continuous years of research conducted at the reserve.
research on long term ecological studies
to provide better understanding on I must say that the production of this book is
complex ecological processes of lowland timely as people from various backgrounds
tropical rain forests. Ecological studies in are trying to grasp the issue of climate
Pasoh began as early as in 1964 and with change and anticipate its impact. It is my
time, the forest biological richness and its sincere hope that the contents of this book
accessibility naturally garnered the interest will help you get a better understanding of
of many local and foreign scientists and how climate change will impact our forests
researchers. Today, there are at least ten and that this will result in more attention
long-term ecological research projects and efforts given to the conservation of our
being conducted in Pasoh with more natural resources as a mitigation measure
than 400 publications produced making to reduce the impacts of climate change.
the Pasoh Forest Reserve, one of the most
Last but not least I would like to express my
extensively studied lowland tropical forests
sincere thanks and gratitude to the team of
in Southeast Asia.
authors, comprising Dr Christine Fletcher, Dr
I am very delighted with the production Shamsudin Ibrahim, Dr Samsudin Musa, Dr
of this book as it serves as a landmark to Abd Rahman Kassim and Dr Marc Abrams
understanding the impact of climate for their commendable efforts in writing this
change on the productivity and integrity book. It took a lot of effort to digest a vast
of lowland tropical forest ecosystems using array of research data and information for
local information. The book was made our understanding, but with dedication and
possible with the collection of numerous team spirit, I am glad that it came through.
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Beyond the Red Meranti
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Authors’ Note
Christine Fletcher, Marc Abrams, Shamsudin Ibrahim,
Samsudin Musa and Abdul Rahman Kassim
Another book on climate change? more than three decades at Pasoh FR to
help us understand a current and pertinent
Yes, but this is different. Different because global issue, climate change, and how it
here we attempted to understand a global affects us. This was the biggest challenge
issue using local information gathered at we faced in writing Chapter 4 – to translate
one of FRIM’s oldest research station and and condense research findings from
plot in the Pasoh Forest Reserve in Negeri various individual climate-change-related
Sembilan. Well known amongst ecologists studies built upon the vast amount of
but lesser amongst the general public, environmental data, into something that
the Pasoh FRIM Research Station is host we can relate to. Although these studies
to an amazing rich history of scientific were designed for individual purposes,
information on forest ecology since not necessarily to understand the impacts
the late 1960s. Chapter 1 of this book of climate change, but we felt that
introduces you the history and intrinsic indirectly, it contributed in one way or
values of the Pasoh Forest Reserve. In another to give us a fresh perspective on
Chapter 2, we slowly reel you in on how forest and climate change.
forests play an ecological important
role other than as a natural resource for In the concluding chapter, we made
timber, food and medicinal plants. In deductions on the possible impacts
fact, forests have a much bigger unseen of climate change on our forests and
role in balancing the planet’s ecosystem, environment based on the trends shown
which includes regulating climate. by the research conducted in Pasoh FR. It is
our hope that the general public and policy
The underlying causes of climate change makers determining the fate of our forests,
are but many and thus so are the impacts as gain a new perspective on the role of forest
presented in Chapter 3. However, this book in mitigating climate change, as well as the
focuses on how Malaysia’s tropical forests need for sound scientific information for
are responding to the changing climate by better decision making. Indirectly, we hope
using various historical ecological data. this book makes you feel like packing your
bags and head for Pasoh FR to embark on
Basically, this book aims to gather and use new and exciting research projects, or to
this historical information gathered over just simply appreciate nature.
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