International Conference on Rainforest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation in Borneo 2015 (Information Sharing)

The Rainforest Ecology, Diversity and Conservation in Borneo

International Conference on Rainforest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation in Borneo 2015

Date: June 9 – 10, 2015

Venue: The Magellan Sutera Harbour Resort, 

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, MALAYSIA.

Details: Please click here:

1) http://www.borneo2015.org 

2) https://www.facebook.com/borneoconference2015

UMS Hill's Trail

SB21802 -Nature Environmental Interpretation

By:
Andrew Wong Bak Hui (BS08110405)
Gan Choon Hong (BS08110425)
Nur Hidayat Bt Kamsah (BS08110272)
Nur Sabrina Bt Mohd Shohaimi (BS08110452)

Introduction

Interpretation involves translating the technical term of science into a form of language that is readily understandable by people who aren’t scientist. In this assignment, we were given the task to choose a suitable theme and topic that we can easily interpret by using the resources in University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) hill trail.

UMS hill is located behind ITBC and there is two trails which we can use to reach the mid hill. From there, there is another trail that leads us to the UMS top. UMS hill accommodate and support various species of animals and plants. Some of the plant in there has been tagged with scientific name and also common name to provide some basic knowledge about the plant found in there.

UMS hill is also an important site for researcher in ITBC to conduct their research. Students of UMS especially those from Conservation Biology usually have their field trip and research held here. Example of research that have been done include transect sampling, insect collecting and also interpretation survey.

Objective

Search for potential nature interpretation points along the UMS Hill trail, based on our theme: useful plant in UMS Hill.
Methodology

A theme was chosen before going into the trail

In the trail, track function was turned on and the point was mark as our starting point.

When we saw any interesting spot, the coordinate will be marked by using the GPS. The picture of the attraction was captured by one of our group member by using a camera. The information of the attraction was written down.

At the end of the trail, the track function was turned off and the spot was marked as end point.

Data stored in GPS were transferred into laptop and a map was constructed by using ArcGIS.

Results & Discussion
The theme we selected for our nature interprets for UMS hill is useful plant. Along the survey on UMS Hill trail, we had selected six points that suit for our theme.

First point for our interpretation is Elaeocarpus pedunculatus or locally called as Kungkurad, kedok, kelembuk, and so on. This plant is distributed from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and Philippines. It can mostly being found on hillsides and ridges of dipterocarp and coastal forest until up to 17000m altitude. The green-blue, fleshy drupes of fruits are edible.

Next plant is useful in terms of ecology and economic. Alphitonia excels or called pakudita locally is shown in Figure 3. This plant can reach height 7-25m. Leaves growth from this tree are arranged alternatively, that is dark glossy green above and silvery with fine hair beneath. The greenish white flowers grow globular dark fruits after being fertilize and mature. In ecological function, this tree leaves serves as food resources for caterpillars of the Moonlight Jewel (Hypochrysops delicia), and the caterpillars of the Small Green-Banded Blue (Psychonotis caelius taygetus). Economically, this plant can use as tough timber that used for boat and cabinet building. Besides that, it serves as street trees for amenity planting that provide shelter.

Alpinia aquatica is the third potential point that fit with our theme, useful plant, for nature interpretation in UMS hill. Alpinia aquatica also called as lengkuas or aquatic ginger. For the tuber part of this plant, it can be used as flavour in cooking. Besides that, it is also used as Chinese traditional medicine.

Calophyllum macrocarpum is one of the plant that added as the list for interpret in UMS hill trail. This plant mainly found in Asia, but also in Africa, tropical America, Madagascar, the Mascarenes, and Australasia and China. This plant, which commonly known as Bintangor tree grows in lowland and forest hill. It is mostly known as timber wood for local communities. In 1987, an American scientific expedition was done in Sarawak for indentify plant that can used to treat cancer. Calanolide A and Costatolide was the chemicals that extracted from some bintangor tree species that shown sign of halting the AIDS spreading during the preliminary tests. Nowadays, researches continue but focus mainly on Castatolide which readily available compare to Calanolide.

Brunei cherry or asam kandis is the common name of the Garcinia parvifolia. This plant was found as fifth point for nature interpretation on UMS hill. The species of Garcinia are found mainly in Borneo and occasionally cultivated for its edible fruits. The red fruit can be eaten freshly or in dry for food flavouring. Garcinia is a large genus mainly occurring in the old world tropics where some species show it value as traditional medicine.

The last point found in UMS hill is the Vitex pinnata species. This plant usually grows on alluvial sites and near or along rivers and streams on clay soils. It is locally known as Leban and distributed from India to New Guinea. The wood of Vitex pinnata is used as timber for construction. While the leaf and bark part has medicinal value for stomach-ache and fever treatment.

Conclusion

Along the trail in UMS hill, six points was located with plant that useful for different purpose, either is edible, as medicine or as timber. First plant, Elaeocarpus pedunculatus (Kungkurad) and fifth plant, Garcinia parvifolia (asam kandis) are edible plant for its fruit part. Alphitonia excels (pakudita), Vitex pinnata (leban) and Calophyllum macrocarpum (Bintangor) are commonly used as timber. Tuber part of Alpinia aquatica (lengkuas or aquatic ginger) and leaves or bark part Vitex pinnata (leban) are used as traditional medicine.

References
1. http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/sungaiwain/Elaeocarpaceae/Elaeocarpus_pedunculatus.htm
2. http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/brunei_cherry.htm
3. http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/A/Alpinia_aquatica/
4. http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/C/Calophyllum_macrocarpum/
5. http://www.borneofocus.com/saip/vaic/R&D/article19.htm
6. http://www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-kubah.html
7. Syamsudin, S. Kumala and B. Sutaryo, 2007. Screening of some extracts from Garcinia parvifolia Miq. (Guttiferae) for antiplasmodial, antioxidant, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. Asian J. Plant Sci., 6: 972-976. From: http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ajps.2007.972.976