Joseph Tangah

Sabah Forestry Department, Malaysia · Forest Research Centre Sepilok

This is a compilation of activities and research program under Phase Two (2014-2019) of the project collaboration on mangrove rehabilitation in Sabah between International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) and the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) with generous funding from Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. At the end of 2019 the p...

This book was published to create awareness on the interesting behavior and ecology of the endemic proboscis monkey of Borneo and one of the iconic wildlife of Sabah. Listed as an endangered species under the IUCN Red List in 2015, the population of this primate is getting less and less (with the latest estimate in Sabah in 2018 stands at 4,566 ind...

A mangrove Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site in Sepilok Laut was set up in 2017. This is to gain a better understanding of the ecology and diversity of wetland ecosystems. For the establishment of the site, five circular permanent sampling plots (PSP) of 15-m radius each were set up along the boardwalk connected to the Sepilok Laut Receptio...

Mangifera pajang Kostermans of the mango family (Anacardiaceae) is endemic to the lowland rain forests of Borneo. Although growing wild in the forest, trees of are planted in orchards and home gardens due to increasing demand for the fruits which are among the largest of the genus. Fruits are oval in shape, and have a characteristic rough and brown...

Globally, there are eight species of Avicennia with five species (A. alba, A. integra, A. marina, A. officinalis and A. rumphiana) in East Africa and Indo-Pacific, and three species (A. bicolor, A. germinans and A. schaueriana) in the New World and West Africa (Duke, 1991; Spalding et al., 2010). Avicennia species occur in tropical, subtropical inc...

Sabah hosts the largest mangrove ecosystems in Malaysia, covering about 390,526 ha (60%) of the country’s total mangrove of which 90% are still intact. The statewide banned of large-scale harvesting of mangrove for woodchip production in 1986 pave the way for greater restoration efforts of mangroves in Sabah for the past two decades. Mangrove fores...

This chapter on Mangroves of Malaysia begins with a brief introduction on the geography of Malaysia, consisting of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak separated by the South China Sea. Information on the population, land area, and area of mangroves in Malaysia is presented. The largest area of mangroves is in Sabah, followed by Sarawak and Peni...

Many tropical forests are dominated by edge habitat, with consequences for forest structure, carbon stocks, and biodiversity. However, edge effects are highly variable and context-dependent, and are poorly quantified in oil palm landscapes. We studied edge effects in 10 lowland rainforest remnants bordering mature oil palm plantations on Borneo, by...

Terrestrial mammal communities in the mangrove forests of Borneo are generally poorly studied due to the access difficulties associated with wetland habitats. We used camera-trapping methods to conduct a survey from June 2015 to May 2018 to produce baseline data on the species richness and community composition of terrestrial mammal fauna in a mixe...

To propose proper conservation measures and to elucidate coexistence mechanisms of sympatric carnivore species, we assessed temporal activity patterns of the sympatric carnivore species using 37,379 photos collected for more than 3 years at three study sites in Borneo. We categorized activity patterns of nine carnivore species (one bear, three cive...

To propose proper conservation measures and to elucidate coexistence mechanisms of sympatric carnivore species, we assessed their temporal activity patterns using 37,379 photos collected for more than three years at three study sites in Borneo. We categorized activity patterns of nine carnivore species (one bear, three civets, two felids, one skunk...

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Mangroves dominate natural shorelines of Sabah and occupied approximately 60% of the total mangroves of Malaysia, yet their utilization by fishes, shrimps and other marine fauna is poorly understood. The focus of this notes is to identify the importance of mangrove habitats in relation to assemblage-level patterns of fish use, with very few studies...

Sharing the planting program for degraded mangroves and coastal areas in Sabah. The estimated coverage of mangrove areas in Sabah is approximately 364,168 ha or 60% of the total mangrove in Malaysia. Statewide inventory conducted in 2005 indicates that approximately 3,275 ha of mangrove forest is highly degraded. From this total it is estimated tha...

Many species of terrestrial animals, including primates, live in varied association with the aquatic (e.g., riverine or coastal) environment. However, the benefits that each species receive from the aquatic environment are thought to vary depending on their social and ecological characteristics, and thus, elucidating those benefits to each species...

Mangrove forests are highly productive ecosystems and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. We used Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) elevation data to estimate mangrove above-ground biomass (AGB) in Sabah, Malaysian northern Borneo. We developed a tree-level approach to deal with the substantial temporal discrepancy between the...

1. Human-modified tropical landscapes are often invaded by exotic plant species, but relatively few species are able to colonise remnant areas of rainforest embedded within such landscapes. The functional traits of successful invaders of natural versus anthropogenic habitats are poorly known, especially in tropical regions , and identifying such tr...

ContextIntact tropical rainforests are considered robust to plant invasions. However, land-use change alters the structure and species composition of native forest, opening up tropical landscapes to invasion. Yet, the relative roles of key drivers on tropical forest invasions remain little investigated.Objectives We examine factors affecting plant...

Many species of terrestrial animals, including primates, live in varied association with the aquatic (e.g., riverine or coastal) environment. However, the benefits that each species receive from the aquatic environment are thought to vary depending on their social and ecological characteristics, and thus, elucidating those benefits to each species...

Flavonoids are by far the most dominant class of phenolic compounds isolated from Morus alba leaves (MAL). Other classes of compounds are benzofurans, phenolic acids, alkaloids, coumarins, chalcones and stilbenes. Major flavonoids are kuwanons, moracinflavans, moragrols and morkotins. Other major compounds include moracins (benzofurans), caffeoylqu...

Flavones are the most dominant type of flavonoids isolated from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis (Radix Scutellariae), which is a traditional medicinal plant in East Asian countries, including China, Japan and Korea. Most of the flavones are derivatives with methoxyl and hydroxyl groups, and they include baicalein, baicalin, chrysin, norwogonin...

The uniqueness of mangrove forests as an important wetland type is widely recognized but there is still insufficient technology and public infrastructure to realize the full potentials and benefits of conservation and rehabilitation of mangrove ecosystems in the region. The status of mangrove forest conservation and rehabilitation in Sabah is promi...

Insect diversity was used as a tool to monitor status of the Sg. ISME site in Sandakan, Sabah. The site was a degraded mangrove area but was rehabilitated and planted with mangrove species in 2012 through a collaborative project among. Nocturnal insect diversity monitored through light-trapping has been conducted for three years since 2015. Insect...

Caesalpinia crista L. is a scrambling coastal woody climber of the family Caesalpiniaceae. Leaves of C. crista are bipinnate with the rachis armed with spines beneath. Flowers are yellow and fragrant, bearing 5 petals. Pods are flat and have a beaked tip. Diterpenoids of the cassane and norcassane types are the major compounds isolated from C. cris...

Since 1997, the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) has adopted the principles of sustainable forest (natural resources) management for all forest types, extending from coastal mangroves at sea level to sub-alpine vegetation on Mt. Kinabalu at about 4,000 m above sea level, with emphasis on biodiversity conservation. Mangrove forests in Sabah occur alo...

In this short review on Ficus microcarpa L. f., the first for the species, current information of the botany, uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology is presented and discussed. A common tree in coastal areas of the West Pacific region, F. microcarpa is characterised by its curtain of dangling aerial roots and small pink fruits. Considered sacred wit...

The phytochemistry and pharmacology of two common tree species of sandy shores, namely, Calophyllum inophyllum and Thespesia populnea have been selected for review. There was global interest in C. inophyllum after its leaves were reported to possess anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) properties. Since then, extensive research has been conducte...

Two plant species of sandy shores, namely, Vitex trifolia L. (Beach vitex) and Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R. Br. (Beach morning glory), have been selected for review. Both species have ethno-pharmacological relevance and have been traditionally utilised by local people in remedies for various ailments. Endowed with diterpenes and flavonoids as major c...

Xylocarpus of the family Meliaceae is a small genus comprising tree species of X. granatum, X. moluccensis and X. rumphii (Giesen et al., 2007). Considered as true mangroves, X. granatum and X. moluccensis are found at the landward side of mangrove forests and in associated brackish-water habitats while X. rumphii occurs along rocky shores and prom...

A new genus and new species of the family Camptandriidae Stimpson, 1858, are described from Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands, Sabah, Malaysia. Exagorium fidelisi, new genus & species, can be distinguished from known camptandriid genera and species by the characters of the carapace, male abdomen and male first gonopod.

Metabolites and bioactivities of Rhizophoraceae including Rhizophora stylosa have only been reviewed by Nebula et al. (2013). In a review of natural products from mangrove flora by Wu et al. (2008), information on R. apiculata and R. mucronata was presented but not on R. stylosa. In this note, the chemistry and bioactivities of R. stylosa, which ar...

An insect diversity survey was carried out from 23rd to 26th of March, 2014 in Sg. ISME, Sandakan. This 2 ha plot is one of the case study sites established through the collaboration between the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) and International Society of Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) on rehabilitation of mangroves in Sabah. From this survey, insect...

In proboscis monkeys, sexual behavior between an adult male and adult female culminates to mounting and copulation. Sexual activity is initiated by the adult male. To solicit copulation, the adult female would stare at the adult male, shake her head or display facial expressions such face pouting, lip pursing and nose twitching. If receptive, the a...

In proboscis monkeys, sexual behavior between an adult males and females culminates to mounting and copulation. This sexual activity is initiated by the adult male.

The Sabah Forestry Department has been constantly conducting mangrove restoration work in various sites throughout Sabah. During one of the field monitoring activities in mid December 2012 at Padas Damit Forest Reserve in Beaufort, some of the 'Api-api' mangrove seedlings (Avicennia alba) which were planted some 18 months ago were infested by nettl...

A few thousand caterpillars of Achaea janata Linnaeus were found infesting quite an extensive part of the mangroves in Sandakan, Sabah in December, 2010. Many of the mangrove trees of the species Excoecaria agallocha (Euphorbiaceae) or locally known as 'Buta-buta' were completely defoliated. The high abundance of the looper-like caterpillars was th...

The objective of this trial is to test the feasibility of cluster planting technique and to identify suitable species for rehabilitation.

Oral Presentation at the 16th Malaysian Forestry Conference, 5-9th December 2011, Melaka

Mangroves are important breeding and feeding habitats for both terrestrial and marine fauna. The mangrove tree trunks, aerial roots, and sediment provide suitable microhabitats for colonization of certain wildlife. Above the ground, the trees and canopy provide a habitat for insects, reptiles, birds and mammals. Mangrove trunks and roots hanging in...

An intensive camera-trapping study and a nutrient analysis were carried out to understand how natural licks are important for mammals in inland tropical rain forests where soil cations are usually depleted. Using camera traps, we investigated the fauna, food habits, and the frequency of visitation by species at five natural licks in the Deramakot f...

Realizing the importance of mangrove in maintaining a healthy coastal and estuarine environment of Sabah, the Forestry Department is aware that any unwanted and poorly planned coastal development will cause degradation and eventually destroy the mangrove ecosystem. The current management practice for mangrove is only focusing on regulating small-sc...

Investigation of vertical distribution of fruit-feeding butterflies in the complex tropical rainforest of Sabah is important for understanding butterfly diversity in the tropics and for determining responses of butterflies to forest disturbance. We used fruit- baited traps to investigate the vertical distribution of fruit-feeding butterflies in pri...

We investigated the effects of rainfall on the distribution and abundance of the satyrine butterfly Ragadia makuta in selectively logged and unlogged forest on Borneo. In 1997-98, there was a severe El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) drought, and annual surveys over a 4-y period showed that abundance of R. makuta was greatly reduced during the dro...

Tropical forest gaps are ephemeral and patchily distributed within forest areas and have very different light environments compared with closed-canopy forest. We used fruit-baited traps to investigate if gaps are exploited by more opportunistic butterfly species compared with closed-canopy forest. Gaps supported a higher diversity of butterflies in...