M. Nazre

• Botany & Forest Ecology
• Universiti Putra Malaysia

Mangrove forests play a vital role in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation, yet comprehensive data on their carbon storage capacity in Malaysia remain limited. This study investigated allometric relationships and carbon content in Malaysian mangrove forests, aiming to develop site species-specific allometric equations, determine carbo...

Mangrove forests are ecosystems with highly diverse microorganisms. We aimed to obtain bacterial isolates from mangrove water forests and determine their bacterial diversity and potential for decoloring dye waste. Bacteria were isolated from three sites in the Belawan mangrove forest of North Sumatra. Bacteria were isolated on nutrient agar media....

Restoration of degraded ecosystems is crucial for the conservation of biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services. In this study, we evaluated the success of forest restoration efforts in Buner District, Pakistan, by assessing tree species diversity and forest structure. The study area was divided into assisted natural regeneration sites a...

Lichens, symbiotic organisms formed by fungi and photosynthetic partners, produce secondary metabolites with various biological activities, including antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This study investigates the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of methanol extracts Parmotrema tinctorum, Parmotrema clavuliferum, and Coccocarpia palmi...

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana var. mangostana) is a dioecious and agamospermous cultivated fruit tree. It has two recognised hypothetical wild ancestors, Garcinia mangostana var. malaccensis and G. mangostana var. borneensis, distributed in the lowland dipterocarp-dominated forests of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and Borneo. The highly similar m...

Role of mangrove forests has been elucidated from different aspects including culture, economic and environments, and potential microbes from mangrove area has been interested from different viewpoints. This study is to determine the diversity of fungi from mangrove forest and their ability to degrade dye. Fungi were isolated from mangrove water of...

Mangrove ecosystems are crucial for biodiversity and coastal protection but face threats from climate change and human activities. This review assesses the productivity of the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR) in Malaysia, which is recognised as one of the best-managed mangrove forests, while also addressing challenges such as deforestation and...

Atni OK, Munir E, Siregar ES, Saleh MN. 2024. Lichen diversity and taxonomy in Bukit Barisan Grand Forest Park, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 1623-1630. Located in Bandar Baru Village, Deli Serdang District, North Sumatra, Bukit Barisan Grand Forest Park stands out for its uniqueness and high biodiversity, including lichens. This stud...

This article analysed the 25–30 years of growth of dipterocarps forests that were logged under the Selective Management System (SMS) at three sites in Peninsular Malaysia to understand how management regimes affected forest stem density and basal area. The management regimes were (1) unlogged, (2) moderately logged forests that logged all dipteroca...

Taman Saujana Hijau (TSH), Putrajaya is a 41-ha urban park planted with various coniferous species from around the world. Insect pests and disease incidences of this park are unknown and there is a need for an evaluation of the health status of this urban park. This study assessed the level of pest and disease incidents of coniferous species in 12...

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana var. mangostana) is a popular tropical fruit, yet many aspects of its biology and evolutionary history are little known. Its origin remains contentious, although recent findings suggest G. mangostana L. var. malaccensis (Hook. f.) Nazre (synonym: G. malaccensis Hook. f.) as the sole progenitor. We review hypotheses o...

Fusarium oxysporum is a significant phytopathogenic fungus in the agricultural sector which causes a substantial loss to the yield of commercial crops and economical benefits. The fungal species is a primary agent of vascular wilt diseases on various crops that are currently mitigated through the application of synthetic pesticides. The prolonged u...

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana var. mangostana) is an obligate apomictic species which does not require a fertilization process to produce seeds. The absence of male plants of mangosteen brings about an interest to find out the origin of mangosteen. Determining the parents is important in any improvement program to produce better quality products....

Cancer is the second-ranked disease and a cause of death for millions of people around the world despite many kinds of available treatments. Phytochemicals are considered a vital source of cancer-inhibiting drugs and utilize specific mechanisms including carcinogen inactivation, the induction of cell cycle arrest, anti-oxidant stress, apoptosis, an...

Tree diversity in Asia's tropical and subtropical forests is central to nature-based solutions. Species vulnerability to multiple threats, which affects the provision of ecosystem services, is poorly understood. We conducted a region-wide, spatially explicit vulnerability assessment (including overexploitation, fire, overgrazing, habitat conversion...

A large tract of mangrove forest in Malaysia has been lost due to increased anthropogenic activities. Restorative practices of mangrove forest have been adopted nationwide to re-establish ecosystem services in combating coastal erosion. However, genetic considerations in local mangrove restoration practices are still far lacking despite the vast li...

Drought is one of the most devastating climate factors in terms of its spatial extent and intensity. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the water stress tolerance in young saplings of Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels and Populus deltoides Marchall that are cultivated in the rain fed areas of Pakistan. Plants were subjected to three levels of m...

Lack of proper infrastructure and the poor economic conditions of rural communities make them dependent on herbal medicines. Thus, there is a need to obtain and conserve the historic and traditional knowledge about the medicinal importance of different plants found in different areas of the world. In this regard, a field study was conducted to docu...

The establishment of an Acacia mangium plantation often alters physicochemical characteristics and nutrient concentrations of soils. We aimed to evaluate the invasive potential of A. mangium forest on the soil in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, Peninsular, Malaysia. To achieve the mentioned target, four different regions, namely, the open ground region...

Tropical Montane Cloud Forest (TMCF) is among the most vulnerable habitats to fragmentation, deforestation, and global climate change. A successful restoration program requires a comprehensive understanding of variables influencing seedling efficiency. This study was conducted on Sg. Terla Forest Reserve Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. In this...

Mitigating climate change requires the identification of tree species that can tolerate water stress with fewer negative impacts on plant productivity. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the water stress tolerance of young saplings of C. erectus and M. alba under three soil water deficit treatments (control, CK, 90% field capacity, FC, medium s...

Borneo Ironwood Eusideroxylon zwageri Teijsm. & Binn. has high market value for its valuable and durable timber, which has put it at risk due to illegal logging. This study analysed E. zwageri genetic variation using four microsatellite markers in populations at Nirwana Rehabilitation Forest (NRF), and Tatau, Sarawak. We found that 20.1% of total g...

Climate change is acknowledged as a global threat to the environment and human well-being. Forest ecosystems are a significant factor in this regard as they act both as a sink and a source of carbon. Forest carbon evaluation has received more attention after the Paris Agreement. Pakistan has 5.1% forest cover of its total land area, which comprises...

New development activity brings its various impacts for indigenous people often prompting their relocation to a new area. The 1977’s relocation of indigenous people in Royal Belum, Perak State, Malaysia, as part of its rural spatial development, questions on their livelihood in a new resettlement area and their relationship with nature within the c...

Low water availability predicted under climate change is a major abiotic factor limiting plants growth and productivity. In this study a greenhouse experiment was conducted on three important tree species of arid environment: Conocarpus erectus (CE), Acacia modesta (AM), and Salix tetrasperma (ST). Young saplings were subjected to control (C), medi...

The Juniper forest reserve of Ziarat is one of the biggest Juniperus forests in the world. This study assessed the land-use changes and carbon stock of Ziarat. Different types of carbon pools were quantified in terms of storage in the study area in tons/ha i.e., above ground, soil, shrubs and litter. The Juniper species of this forest is putatively...

Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR) is one of the most productive and managed forests in the world. On the other hand, it has become a concern whether MMFR is being degraded as a result of exposure to industrial pollution. Industries located around MMFR dispose effluents contaminated by heavy metals. This study was conducted to analyze heavy meta...

Disposal of industrial wastewater has resulted in increased concentration of heavy metals (HMs) along the coastline of Malaysia. However, little is known about the accumulation capacity of HMs by Rhizophora apiculata in Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR) Malaysia. The aim of this study is to measure the concentration of HMs in different ages of...

Aim Biogeographical barriers restrict the movement of individuals, resulting in population divergence, genetic differentiation, endemism and speciation. Yet, some barriers demonstrate unequal effect across species depending on species dispersal, which manifests in varying genetic structure. We test the hypotheses that the genetic structure of four...

This study used productivity models and above ground biomass to investigate productivity in different sites of MMFR. Ninety Rhizophora apiculata leaf samples were collected from different compartments (18, 31, 71, 74, 42 and 55) based on tree age and management. For biomass calculation, tree height and diameter were measured in plot of 10m x 10m in...

Species of Garcinia sect. Garcinia are typically understorey trees in rain forest and are distributed from eastern India to Malesia. A taxonomic revision of Garcinia section Garcinia (Clusiaceae) has resulted in the recognition of 13 species, two of which have three varieties each. Several species are excluded from Garcinia section Garcinia, report...

Medicinal plants have been a source of affordable health care and of income for millennia in virtually all cultures. About 53,000 plant species, worldwide, are used for medicinal purposes. Globally, the indigenous communities are getting many benefits and ethnomedicinal products from biodiversity. Medicinal plants of Murree have a central position...

Multi-elemental and isotopic fingerprints could help to track changes in mangrove forest productivity and development. This study aims to identify elemental concentrations and stable isotope ratios in inter- and intra-mangrove species along the inundation gradient of the Matang mangrove forest. Matured sun leaves of different mangrove species, name...

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is one of the most popular tropical fruit of South-East Asia. It has considerable economic potential for local and export markets. This paper describes a research work to determine the number of chromosomes and genome size of G. mangostana through chromosome counting, flow cytometry and k-mer analyses. Chromosome...

Patterns of genetic structure are essential for a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and biogeography of a species. Here, we investigated the genetic patterns of one of the most widespread and abundant mangrove species in the Indo-West Pacific, Sonneratia alba J. Sm., in order to gain insights into the ecological and evolutionary drivers...

Xylocarpus granatum J. Koenig is one of the most widespread core component species of mangrove forests in the Indo-West Pacific (IWP) region, and as such is suitable for examining how genetic structure is generated across spatiotemporal scales. We evaluated the genetic structure of this species using maternally inherited chloroplast (cp) and bi-par...

Taman Rimba Alam (TRA), Putrajaya is a metropolitan recreational park with an area of 160 ha planted with various tropical forest species. Although TRA is a man-made forest, it serves and functions as any other natural forest especially for the well-being of people in urban area. In order to ensure that TRA could functions as it has been envisaged,...

Multi-elemental and isotopic fingerprints could help to track changes in mangrove forest productivity and development. This study aims to identify elemental concentrations and stable isotope ratios in inter- and intra-mangrove species along the inundation gradient of the Matang mangrove forest. Matured sun leaves of different mangrove species, name...

Taman Rimba Alam (TRA), Putrajaya is a metropolitan recreational park with an area of 160 ha planted with various tropical forest species. Although TRA is a man-made forest, it serves and functions as any other natural forest especially for the well-being of people in urban area. In order to ensure that TRA could functions as it has been envisaged,...

Bruguiera hainesii (Rhizophoraceae) is one of the two Critically Endangered mangrove species listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Although the species is vulnerable to extinction, its genetic diversity and the evolutionary relationships with other Bruguiera species are not well understood. Also, intermediate morphological characters i...

Background: The diseased wood, agarwood, from the tropical tree taxa Aquilaria, is famed for its unique fragrance and medicinal values, mainly due to its richness in secondary metabolites such as the sesquiterpenes. The presence of sesquiterpenes in high numbers and amounts correlates with agarwood of high quality. Methods: To understand the synthe...

The identification of Aquilaria species from their resinous non-wood product, the agarwood, is challenging as conventional techniques alone are unable to ascertain the species origin. Aquilaria is a highly protected species due to the excessive exploitation of its precious agarwood. Here, we applied the DNA barcoding technique to generate barcode s...

Distribution of intra- and inter-specific Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) distances among all samples for the eight candidate loci and their combinations. (a) matK, (b) rbcL, (c) rpoB, (d) rpoC1, (e) psbA-trnH, (f) trnL-trnF, (g) ITS, (h) ITS2, (i) trnL-trnF+ITS, (j) trnL-trnF+ITS2, (k) trnL-trnF+psbA-trnH, (l) trnL-trnF+psbA-trnH+ITS, (m) trnL-trnF+psbA-...

Abstract Background Mangrove forests are ecologically important but globally threatened intertidal plant communities. Effective mangrove conservation requires the determination of species identity, management units, and genetic structure. Here, we investigate the genetic distinctiveness and genetic structure of an iconic but yet taxonomically conf...

Aquilaria (Thymelaeaceae), endemic to the Indomalesia region, is an endangered gaharu-producing tropical tree. Traditionally, identification of Aquilaria species and related genera relies on the morphological characteristics. However, without their reproductive parts, it is quite easy to misidentify them. As descriptions of Aquilaria saplings are s...

Aim Mangroves are intertidal plants with sea‐dispersed propagules, hence their population structure can offer valuable insights into the biogeographical processes driving population subdivision in coastal species. In this study, we used molecular markers and ocean circulation simulations to examine the effects of ocean currents and land masses on t...

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), known as one of the most desirable tropical fruits of Southeast Asia, has been considered as an obligate agamospermous hybrid, thought to have arisen from two wild species, G. celebica L. (syn. G. hombroniana Pierre) and G. malaccensis Hook. f. However, this putative origin was based on a misidentification of G....

Central Forest Spine (CFS) of Malaysia serves as a corridor for wildlife to move around from one large forest to another to find food, water and shelter. Proposed rehabilitation of pockets of poor forest stands within CFS requires sound knowledge on appropriate tree species and planting technique to ensure its success. The main objectives of this s...

Human impacts have seriously damaged mangroves, and conservation of mangroves will require information on local and regional population genetic structures. Here, we report the development and polymorphism of eleven novel microsatellite markers, developed using next-generation sequencing on 56 samples of widespread mangrove species Xylocarpus granat...

Vinca alkaloids are a subset of drugs obtained from the Madagascar periwinkle plant. They are naturally extracted from the pink periwinkle plant, Catharanthus roseus G. Don and have a hypoglycemic as well as cytotoxic effects. They have been used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure and have been used as disinfectants. The vinca alkaloids are als...

Vinca alkaloids are a subset of drugs obtained from the Madagascar periwinkle plant. They are naturally extracted from the pink periwinkle plant, Catharanthus roseus G. Don and have a hypoglycemic as well as cytotoxic effects. They have been used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure and have been used as disinfectants. The vinca alkaloids are als...

Abstract: Phylogenetic analysis using chloroplast DNA, the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase gene (rbcL), was conducted to examine relationship among four sections of the genus Dendrobium (Orchidaceae): Aporum, Crumenata, Strongyle, and Bolbidium in Peninsular Malaysia. Classifications based on morphological characters have not been able to clearly...

A set of 14 new microsatellite markers was developed for mangrove species Rhizophora mucronata (Rhizophoraceae) by using pyrosequencing. Fifty-six samples from 9 populations of R. mucronata in the Indo-West Pacific region were genotyped; all loci were polymorphic, with the number of alleles ranging from 2 to 9. The mean expected heterozygosity per...

A set of 15 new microsatellite loci was developed and characterized for the widespread mangrove tree species Sonneratia alba (Lythraceae) by using next-generation sequencing. Forty-eight S. alba samples from seven populations in the Indo-West Pacific region were genotyped; all loci were polymorphic, with the number of alleles ranging from three to...

A riparian zone is the land adjacent to streams and rivers, known to be one of the most important habitats in the tropical forest. However, not many studies have been done in Peninsular Malaysia and no information particularly in lowland forest. The purpose of this study was to characterize the plant communities where two sites were chosen, Pasoh F...

Species diversity and density of all climbers were inventoried in five 1-hectare plots (at 45m to 350 m elevations) in a coastal hill forest of Pulau Pangkor in Perak. In addition, we analyzed pattern of community diversity using species richness and evenness. Total of 4901 climbers belonging to 45 species were recorded. Mean climber density was 87...

Ninety two species of orchids are reported as new records for Fraser's Hill. From the account, seven species are new records for Malaysia, four for Peninsular Malaysia and fifteen for the state of Pahang. All new records were collected in the fields except for nine species that were gathered from the examined herbarium specimens at the herbaria Sin...

The present study was carried out to analyze the species diversity and quantitative analysis of mangrove forest in three riverine ecosystems at River Kisap, River Ayer Hangat and River Kilim at Kilim Geoforest Park. One hundred plots, each of size 20 m × 20 m, were established at a distance of 250 m apart along the three rivers. Every existing spec...

Vascular plant species and diversity of a coastal hill forest in Sungai Pinang Permanent Forest Reserve in Pulau Pangkor at Perak were studied based on the data from five one hectare plots. All vascular plants were enumerated and identified. Importance value index (IVI) was computed to characterize the floristic composition. To capture different as...

The quantitative assessment of the hill logged-over forest at Tekai Tembeling Forest Reserve (TTFR) Jerantut, Pahang, Malaysia has never been investigated by the Forestry Department in the State of Pahang. This study investigated tree species diversity at 340-520 m asl. A one-ha (100m x 100m) study plot was established and trees with diameter at br...

Taxonomic name for “seashore mangosteen” has been known as Garcinia hombroniana and was first established by Pierre (Flore Forestiere de la Cochinchine 1-2. pl. 54–98 Paris, 1882–1885). The distribution of this species is wide and can be found in the Malay Peninsula, upper part of Borneo, and in Andaman and Nicobar islands but not in the Indonesian...

The study was carried out to analyze the species diversity and study of quantitative analysis of medicinal plantsin logged over forest in Tekai Tembeling Forest Reserve (TTFR). Four plots of 1-hectare size each wereestablished within the forest area. A total of 6788 individual medicinal trees and non trees representing 231species, 179 genera and 87...

Plant species diversity of a logged-over coastal forest within the Pasir Tengkorak Forest Reserve, Langkawi Island,Malaysia was assessed by establishing a 1-ha plot. All plants above 1.0 cm dbh (diameter of a tree at breast height), or4.5 feet above ground level, the accepted point of diameter measurement for most trees were enumerated. Speciesdive...

Gaharu is the resin produced from trees of the genus Aquilaria Lam. In Malaysia, there are five species of Aquilaria, viz. A. beccariana Van Tiegh, A. hirta Ridl., A. malaccensis Lam., A. microcarpa Baill. and A. rostrata Ridl. These species have been put by CITES in Appendix II which regulates trade in species that could potentially lead to extinc...

The distribution and aggregation of species in tropical forests is known to have certain preferences based on the edaphic factors such as topography types and soil series and this study was carried out to see the distribution of 16 Garcinia species in lowland dipterocarp forest in Pasoh Forest Reserve with those edaphic factors. Even though there h...

This study examines the impacts of recreation activities on Mount Tahan (2187 m a.s.l); the highest mountain in Peninsular Malaysia by assessing tree diameter, height, leaf area, sapwood area, and chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) of selected species. Vegetation cover was also determined by counting the number of species. Two most dominant tree species...

Garcinia is known for their edible fruit and a number of species from the wild have been selected and cultivated not just for their fruits but also for other uses such as vegetables and traditional medicine. Phylogenetic relationships of five locally cultivated and 12 wild species of Garcinia were determined using the sequence of the internal trans...

Garcinia section Garcinia is one of 14 sections of the species-rich pantropical genus Garcinia (Guttiferae/Clusiaceae). In its most recent circumscription the section comprised 43 species, mostly of rain forest understorey trees, distributed from eastern India to Fiji, and in Madagascar (Jones, 1980: unpublished Phd. Thesis, University of Leicester...

Scientific progress and deeper insights into the unexploited potential of our country's flora for pharmaceutical, curative and essential oil markets have led to a greatly renewed interest in our natural products. Medicinal and aromatic plants are always regarded as one of the most pivotal ethnobotanical elements of human civilisation. However, our...

Tree species composition and structure of a coastal hill forest in Sungai Pinang Permanent Forest Reserve in Pulau Pangkor at Perak was studied based on the data from five 1-hectare plots. All stems with a diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 5cm enumerated, identified and their height weremeasured. The mean stem density was 659 (stems ha -1), and a t...