Irrawaddy Dolphins

Our results indicated that the Irrawaddy dolphin lineage split from the Australian Snubfin dolphin lineage (Orcaella heinsohni) in the Late Miocene ( 6.82 million years ago) The Australian Snubfin dolphin inhabits the coast of southern New Guinea and northern Australia and is separated from the Irrawaddy dolphin by Wallace’s Line. DOI: 10.1111/mms.13159

Early Man

Here, we report findings from Tabon Cave from 39,000 to 33,000 years ago.  Our data document that the site was surrounded by rainforests during human occupation. During this period, prehistoric groups made stone tools out of fine sedimentary rocks. Fifteen per cent of the blanks(stone tools before anything was done to them) were retouched, and some of the tools used to shape other tools produced blades. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41982-024-00186-y

Sulu Sultanate

The present article analyses the strategy used by the sultans of Sulu over two centuries (19th-21st) to affirm their status and authority, from their costumes and their symbols. An interesting read. 10.1080/13639811.2024.2325226

Border Problems

The lack of border facilities and manpower has caused problems at the border crossing between Biawak Sarawak and Indonesia. The addition of several CCTV cameras, stricter screening at entry points to prevent smuggling, an upgrade of the entire border complex and better cooperation between federal and state authorities need to be implemented. American Research Journal of Humanities & Social Science (ARJHSS) E-ISSN: 2378-702X Volume-07, Issue-07, pp-78-83

Palms

Palms are explained according to climate, water and the heights and depths of a region. The genus Pinanga, which contains many different types of palms and has 41 different species, is highlighted. : 10.11598/btb.2024.31.2.2023

Durian

Durian has one species that is widely cultivated and 16 wild species, of which only half are edible. The aim of this study was to conduct comprehensive chemical analyses of these wild edible durians, offering insights into their nutritional and sensory taste attributes. The wild species varied considerably in taste and nutrition. 10.7717/peerj.17688

Liberica Coffee

 We explore how Liberica coffee (Coffea liberica), is being cultivated, processed, and marketed in the low-altitude equatorial tropical regions of Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. https://doi.org/10.3390/ICC2024-18169

Bat Guano

Measurement of bat guano deposition rate in caves can be an important research tool for estimation of colony size, for monitoring population trends, and for allied studies of guano invertebrate ecology.  The research was conducted at Deer Cave, Sarawak https://doi.org/10.3161/15081109ACC2024.26.1.011

Geckos

In this study, we use data to test species boundaries established using mtDNA within three recognized species of Cyrtodactylus on the island of Borneo. We find that species diversity is overestimated. We expect the number of recognized species within Cyrtodactylus to continue increasing, doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2024.0157

Soil Moisture

Soil moisture increased in logged forests. This is because there is little or no loss of water from the leaves of the logged trees. The increased wet soil affects chemical reactions in the lower soil. doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122181

Mosquitoes

Malaria continues to be a public health concern globally, while in Malaysia, cases remain high among interior communities in Borneo, including in Sabah. We studied the Anopheles species in Danum Valley, Lahad Datu, by random sampling of mosquitoes. In our study An. fragilis is the predominant species found in all forest types. DOI: https://10.51200/jtbc.v21i.5339

Soil Ions

  • This study examines the interaction between seasonal precipitation and forest maturity in determining ion deposition. The study was conducted at a forest site in  Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia. The deposits of calcium and sodium hydroxide ions were significantly lower in the low-precipitation season. Our results emphasize the crucial role of precipitation amount and canopy age in determining ion deposition in forest ecosystems.  10.1002/pei3.70005

New Species

A new species of catfish has been made known to science from the Kahayan River drainage in south-central Borneo. 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5496.4.4

Beetles

Here, we collected staphylinid beetles from unlogged and logged tropical forests in Borneo and investigated their responses to environmental change. Thus the unknown components of tropical insect biodiversity are likely more impacted by human-induced environmental change.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.059

Mammals

We surveyed the mammals and ground-dwelling bird community at 4 mountain sites in Malaysian Borneo using camera traps to assess the structuring of the mammal community according to the height of the mountain. Between 2015 and 2021, we surveyed Bukit Lanjak (elevation 1,300 m) in Sarawak (Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary; LEWS) and Mts. Kinabalu, Tambuyukon, and Magdalena (up to 2,400 m) in Sabah, with a total sample effort of 20,600 camera nights. We detected 48 species of mammals and 9 species of large terrestrial birds. There was no evidence that any of the birds or mammals stayed at a specific elevation.  doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyae087

Canopy Comparisons

The canopies of the Amazon and Guiana rain forests show much less disturbance than the taller Borneo rain forests. Growth in the canopy was stable in both the Amazon and Guiana rainforests while the Borneo Rainforest showed a decrease in height. It was thought that drought, wind and lightning caused the reduction. Tall Bornean Forest…Toby D. Jackson

New Species

A new species of varunid crab genus ParaheliceParahelice schubarti sp. nov., is described from Sulawesi, Indonesia

BorneoHistory.net