Abdul Haris Mustari

Disturbance impacts on large rain-forest vertebrates differ with edge type and regional context in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Anthropogenic edge effects, whereby disturbance strength increases in proximity to ecotone boundaries, are known to strongly affect individual species but we lack a general understanding of how they vary by species, disturbance type and regional context. We deployed 46 camera-trap stations for a total of 3545 trap-days at two sites in Sulawesi, Indonesia, obtaining 937 detections of five vertebrate species. Anoa ( Bubalus spp.) were more abundant near edges, booted macaque ( Macaca ochreata ) and red jungle fowl ( Gallus gallus ) were less abundant near edges, and edges did not impact Sulawesi warty pig ( Sus celebensis ) or Malay civet ( Viverra tangalunga ). But the relative importance of habitat disturbance from agriculture, roads and villages differed for each species, and edge-induced disturbances varied not only in magnitude but also in direction between the study areas. In the strongest instance, macaque local abundance was 3.5 times higher near villages than it was 3 km into the forest in one reserve, but 2.8 times higher 3 km into the forest than near villages in the other reserve. Our results suggest that responses to habitat edges among species and edge types are idiosyncratic, and that landscape-level context can strongly alter the influence of local disturbance on biodiversity.

Community Perceptions of the Crop-Feeding Buton Macaque ( Macaca ochreata brunnescens ): an Ethnoprimatological Study on Buton Island, Sulawesi

Human–wildlife overlap is increasing worldwide as a result of agricultural expansion. This can reduce human tolerance of wildlife, especially if wildlife threatens human food sources. The greatest threat to the declining populations of the endemic Buton macaque (Macaca ochreata brunnescens) is habitat destruction, but as a common crop-feeding species, there is also an additional risk of retaliation killings from farmers. Finding means of reducing this risk will thus help secure the long-term future of this range-restricted subspecies. Here, we investigate variability in farmers’ perceptions of primate crop-feeding and mitigation techniques in three farming communities on Buton Island, Indonesia, which differ in wealth and agricultural resources. We employ a mixed methodology, collecting qualitative social data from focus groups and quantitative observational data to measure macaque crop-feeding occurrences. Our findings indicate that the least wealthy community used lethal control methods more frequently than the comparatively wealthier communities, even when the crop-feeding problem was less severe. The least wealthy community also expressed high levels of fear of macaques, and had the most negative perceptions of them. This community also had no knowledge of the macaques’ conservation status or their ecological roles. We recommend that efforts to protect Buton macaques focus on education and the use of effective nonlethal mitigation techniques, such as electric fencing. We also suggest that initiatives to support such measures may be most effectively directed toward communities with relatively low economic wealth and high reliance on subsistence agriculture, especially where crop-feeding wildlife is feared, even when such communities do not experience the highest losses from crop-feeding wildlife.

Synchronous diversification of Sulawesi's iconic artiodactyls driven by recent geological events

The high degree of endemism on Sulawesi has previously been suggested to have vicariant origins, dating back to 40 Ma. Recent studies, however, suggest that much of Sulawesis fauna assembled over the last 15 Myr. Here, we test the hypothesis that more recent uplift of previously submerged portions of land on Sulawesi promoted diversification and that much of its faunal assemblage is much younger than the island itself. To do so, we combined palaeogeographical reconstructions with genetic and morphometric datasets derived from Sulawesis three largest mammals: the babirusa, anoa and Sulawesi warty pig. Our results indicate that although these species most likely colonized the area that is now Sulawesi at different times (14 Ma to 2–3 Ma), they experienced an almost synchronous expansion from the central part of the island. Geological reconstructions indicate that this area was above sea level for most of the last 4 Myr, unlike most parts of the island. We conclude that emergence of land on Sulawesi (approx. 1–2 Myr) may have allowed species to expand synchronously. Altogether, our results indicate that the establishment of the highly endemic faunal assemblage on Sulawesi was driven by geological events over the last few million years.

Tropical forest canopies and their relationships with climate and disturbance: results from a global dataset of consistent field-based measurements

BackgroundCanopy structure, defined by leaf area index (LAI), fractional vegetation cover (FCover) and fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR), regulates a wide range of forest functions and ecosystem services. Spatially consistent field-measurements of canopy structure are however lacking, particularly for the tropics.MethodsHere, we introduce the Global LAI database: a global dataset of field-based canopy structure measurements spanning tropical forests in four continents (Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas). We use these measurements to test for climate dependencies within and across continents, and to test for the potential of anthropogenic disturbance and forest protection to modulate those dependences.ResultsUsing data collected from 887 tropical forest plots, we show that maximum water deficit, defined across the most arid months of the year, is an important predictor of canopy structure, with all three canopy attributes declining significantly with increasing water deficit. Canopy attributes also increase with minimum temperature, and with the protection of forests according to both active (within protected areas) and passive measures (through topography). Once protection and continent effects are accounted for, other anthropogenic measures (e.g. human population) do not improve the model.ConclusionsWe conclude that canopy structure in the tropics is primarily a consequence of forest adaptation to the maximum water deficits historically experienced within a given region. Climate change, and in particular changes in drought regimes may thus affect forest structure and function, but forest protection may offer some resilience against this effect.

Distribution and status of threatened and endemic marsupials on the offshore islands of south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia

We highlight hitherto unreported populations of two globally threatened phalangerid species on south-east Sulawesi’s offshore islands – bear cuscus (Ailurops ursinus) and small Sulawesi cuscus (Strigocuscus celebensis) – and observations of a third range-restricted species – Peleng cuscus (Strigocuscus pelengensis). Our data are based on records made during 11 years of seasonal surveys on Buton, and short-term expeditions to Kabaena and Manui. Our observations of S. celebensis on Buton, where it occurs in three protected areas, represent an important range extension for this species, as do our observations of A. ursinus on Kabaena, where it is also widespread. We also report the unexpected presence of S. pelengensis on Manui. Buton, in particular, appears to be an important stronghold for both A. ursinus and S. celebensis, given that forest ecosystems here remain extensive and relatively intact. Both these species may also display a previously unreported adaptability to disturbed forest and even some non-forest habitats within our study area. Hunting pressures, a proven threat to these species in northern Sulawesi, may also be lesser here.

Habitat Characteristics and Population of Booted Macaque (Macaca ochreata) in Tanjung Peropa Wildlife Reserve , Southeast Sulawesi

Macaca ochreata is one of Sulawesi endemic primates, which are distributed only in Southeast Sulawesi. This study aimed to identify habitat characteristics and estimated Macaca ochreata population was conducted in February until March of 2017 at Kalobo Block Forest, Tanjung Peropa Wildlife Reserve (TPWR). Habitat characteristics were identified using vegetation analysis and population was estimated by concentration count method. The highest Important Value Index of trees were Pangium edule , Artocarpus elastica , and Meliostoma nitida which were Macaca ochreata ’s food plants. There were 33 species of 17 families of Macaca’s food plants on the study site. Macaca ochreata were found in trees with stratum B and stratum C. A total of 4 groups of Macaca ochreata encountered consisting 56 individuals. Population density of Macaca ochreata was 22,4 individu/km 2 . Keyword: habitat, Macaca ochreata , population , Southeast Sulawesi

Are neotropical predictors of forest epiphyte–host relationships consistent in Indonesia?

Epiphytes represent keystone resources for many arthropod and vertebrate species, however their ecology remains poorly explored, especially within the palaeotropics. Several recent studies have examined relationships between epiphyte richness and characteristics of local habitats, although these have all focused on neotropical forests. Here, we aim to determine whether predictors of neotropical epiphyte richness are consistent at a palaeotropical site. A total of 44 host trees (dbh range 25–288 cm) were sampled at two study sites on Buton Island, Indonesia. For each tree, epiphyte richness and seven variables relating to characteristics of the host tree and surrounding habitats were recorded: site (a proxy value for disturbance level and water availability), host above-ground biomass (agb), altitude, bark texture, exposure, emergence and crown area. Gaussian GLM analyses indicated that the percentage deviance explained in epiphyte richness per host was greatest for agb (20.9%), crown area (19.6%) and site (15.5%); similar to previous findings from the neotropics. Results therefore suggest that high epiphyte diversity within palaeotropical forests is most likely to be found in large tracts of undisturbed forest, supporting large, broad-crowned trees.

Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour of Wild Cattle: Anoas Bubalus depressicornis (C. H. Smith, 1827); Bubalus quarlesi (Ouwens, 1910)

Taxonomy The taxonomy of the anoas is uncertain and has been the cause of much debate (summarised by Burton et al . 2005), largely because of the substantial morphological and genetic variation displayed by wild and captive individuals. There is consistent agreement among authors since Groves (1969) that anoas should be regarded as members of the genus Bubalus . The subgenus Anoa has been proposed to clearly separate the anoas as distinct from other members of Bubalus, although it is not considered that there is adequate support for Anoa as a genus in its own right (Hollister 1919; Groves 1969). Currently accepted taxonomy recognises two species (Burton et al . 2005; Grubb 2005), ‘lowland’ and ‘mountain’, but past taxonomies have proposed both a single species and three or more species (e.g. Dolan 1965; Groves 1969). Recent studies have indicated that the genetic basis for the two species split is not strong, and that there may be greater support for distinct races or subspecies separated geographically (Mustari et al . 2012). It is relevant to note that the Indonesian National Action Plan for Anoas (Mustari et al . in press) was based on the identification of priority regions relating to putative genetically distinct geographically separated populations rather than known ranges of the two currently recognised species. These questions require significant further investigation in order to confirm what constitutes evolutionarily significant units for anoa, but until they are resolved there is no strong basis on which to abandon the two-species classification.

PROSPEK PENGGUNAAN Sarcocystis singaporensis UNTUK PENGENDALIAN BIOLOGIS POPULASI TIKUS SAWAH (Rattus argentiventer) (Prospect of Sarcocystis singaporensis for the Biological Control of Rice Field Rats (Rattus argentiventer) Population)

This research was carried out to know the role of sanrego and the dosage responses of sanrego to increase libido sexual of male timor deer. Four sanrego levels (0, 600, 800 and 1000 mg/head/day) were tested to a total of 12 male timor deers using completely random design with three replication for each treatment. Some parameters of libido sexual dan behaviour were observed i.e. approach female, smelling of vulva, crying stage, wallow in a mudhole, scrub its velvet, agonistic and mounting female shoulder. Result of research showed that the role of sanrego was significant (P Key words : libodo sexual, mating behaviour, male timor deer, sanrego, hormoneThe study was conducted to calculate the earning and expenses of three kinds breeding system of long tail macaque i.e open, semi-open and close breeding system, respectively in PT PRESTASI Farma Nusantara, CV New Inquitex Primates Division and CV Wahana Satwa Loka. Discounted cash now analysis for ten years period were used to determine the earning and expenses, using 18% of interest rate. According to NPV, IRR and BCR values for 1000 macaques in captive showed that the earning and expenses were difference between these breeding system, where closed system was higher than the others. Based on product grade, close system was better (level B) than semi-open (level C) and open system (level D). Keyword : Macaca fascicularis, breeding system, expenses, earnings