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https://iber.ubd.edu.bn/belalongensis-volume-8/

Belalongensis: Volume 8
Belalongensis: Volume 7, Issue 1
Belalongensis: Volume 6, Issue 2

Contact Info

Address:Institute For Biodiversity and Environmental Research, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Universiti, BE1410, Brunei Darussalam
Email:office.iber@ubd.edu.bnOpens in your application

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ubd.iber.kbfsc

🌳 Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, UBD
🌱 Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre
🌱 UBD Botanical Research Centre
#iber #kbfsc #brc

Over the past 8 weeks, IBER had the pleasure of ho

Over the past 8 weeks, IBER had the pleasure of hosting Achintya Garg, a Year 1 Chemical Engineering student from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (@hkust ) under the ASEAN Internship Scheme for Hong Kong Higher Education.

As a Research Assistant intern, Achintya contributed to a variety of research and conservation initiatives, including the development of a biodegradable anti-inflammatory patch, herbal laboratory work involving plant extraction and analysis, compiling peer reviewed scientific literature for the IBER Biodiversity Database, drone image annotation for IBER's forest ecology projects, and supporting the UBD Living Forest Project through tree planting activities. He also gained valuable field and professional experience through visits to the Brunei National Herbarium, the Tropical Biodiversity Centre, and the Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre, as well as participating in a plant propagation workshop.

Thank you, Achintya, for your enthusiasm, dedication, and valuable contributions throughout your internship. We wish you all the best in your studies and future career, and we hope to welcome you back to Brunei again someday! 🌿

#IBER #UBDBRC #UBD #UBDsustainability #Biodiversity

@ubd_brunei

We are pleased to announce our latest publication

We are pleased to announce our latest publication on leaf litter decomposition and carbon sequestration in the tropical peat forests of Brunei Darussalam! This collaborative study was led by Dr Colton Collins as part of his PhD study at Nanyang Technological University (supervised by Prof. David A. Wardle and Dr Alexander R. Cobb), in collaboration with Assoc. Prof. Dr Rahayu Sukri (IBER UBD), and the Brunei Forestry Department (Jangarun Eri).

The study, published in Plant and Soil, investigated whether leaf litter decomposes more rapidly in its "home" environment, a concept known as the home-field advantage (HFA), through a reciprocal litter transplantation experiment between tropical peat swamp forests and adjacent Kerangas (heath) forests in Brunei. 

The researchers found no evidence of home-field advantage, with leaf litter decomposing at similar rates in both forest types despite their contrasting environmental conditions. Instead, litter nutrient quality was the strongest driver of decomposition, suggesting that the remarkable carbon accumulation in tropical peatlands is likely driven by other long-term processes rather than differences in surface leaf litter decomposition. 

This study provides new insights into the ecological processes that regulate carbon storage in tropical peatlands and highlights the importance of conserving these globally significant carbon-rich ecosystems.

Congratulations to all co-authors on this valuable contribution to tropical forest ecology and peatland science!

@ubd_brunei
@forestry.brunei

#PeatForest #KerangasForest #CarbonSequestration #LeafLitter #Peatlands

🚨 DEADLINE EXTENDED! 🐞🌿 Good news if you missed o

🚨 DEADLINE EXTENDED! 🐞🌿

Good news if you missed our previous post!

Registration for the Brunei Forest Guardians: Bug Blitz has been extended until 7th August 2026.

Limited slots are still available, so don't miss this opportunity to explore Brunei's incredible insect diversity and join us for a fun day of discovery.

Secure your spot and register now!

🌿 Showcasing UBD’s vision for a greener and more s

🌿 Showcasing UBD’s vision for a greener and more sustainable future at Pesta Konvo UBD 2026. ✨

The UBD Campus Greening Roadmap 2025–2030: Transforming Universiti Brunei Darussalam into a University in the Heart of a Living Forest was proudly showcased at Pesta Konvo UBD 2026. The exhibition was honoured by the visit of Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam, who graciously signed a commemorative copy of the roadmap.

The UBD Campus Greening Roadmap is a flagship initiative of the UBD Sustainability Masterplan, and is championed by IBER via the UBD Botanical Research Centre and the CAMPUs Office. Centered on UBD’s unique ecological identity as a campus in rare Kerangas forest, the roadmap details UBD’s vision to restore, protect, and green the campus through a science-based approach that integrates biodiversity conservation, research, education, and community engagement. The roadmap was presented by Dr Salwana Md. Jaafar and Mohammad Amiruddin Haji Ruslan on behalf of the team from IBER and CAMPUs Office.

His Royal Highness also visited the UBD Botanical Research Centre merchandise gallery, presented by Hazimah Haji Mohd. Din and Soon Boon Yu, which featured educational and outreach materials inspired by Brunei’s rich plant biodiversity.
Together, these exhibits reflect UBD’s commitment to conserving biodiversity, advancing sustainability, and strengthening public appreciation of Brunei’s natural heritage.

🌱 Transforming Universiti Brunei Darussalam into a University in the Heart of a Living Forest.

#UBD #PestaKonvoUBD2026 #CampusGreeningRoadmap #UBDSustainability #Biodiversity

🌏🐾World Nature Conservation Day: Fauna Edition [N

🌏🐾World Nature Conservation Day: Fauna Edition

[Note: 🔊Turn on the audio to catch some cool sounds!]

Brunei Darussalam is home to a remarkable diversity of fauna, including endemic species and wildlife of global conservation concern. Through field surveys, ecological monitoring, and even accidental encounters during research activities, IBER continues to document the species that contribute to the nation’s rich natural heritage and deepen our understanding of their conservation needs.

These field observations highlight the importance of science-based conservation in protecting biodiversity, addressing human-wildlife conflict, and ensuring the long-term resilience of our ecosystems. Every species plays a role, and every encounter contributes to its conservation.

#WorldNatureConservationDay #IBERUBD
#BruneiBiodiversity #FaunalConservation #WildlifeResearch

What does plant conservation actually feel like? 🌿

What does plant conservation actually feel like? 🌿

With UBD’s IBER flora researchers, students step into Brunei’s forests to:
🌱 discover species like Nepenthes and wild orchids
🌳 monitor dipterocarp trees that shape entire ecosystems
🌿 support conservation efforts with the UBD Botanical Research Centre
This is field-based learning in action—where research meets real impact.

🌍 This World Nature Conservation Day, remember:
protecting plants means protecting life.

👉 Would you step into the field with IBER? 👇

We are pleased to announce the publication of our

We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest research on the evolutionary history and taxonomy of the rare mycoheterotrophic genus  Epirixanthes in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society!  This international collaboration involved researchers from  Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Palacký University, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, The University of Tokyo, Kagoshima University, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, and IBER UBD (Dr Salwana Jaafar and Assoc. Prof. Dr Rahayu Sukri).

The paper presents the first comprehensive phylogenetic study of all seven known species of Epirixanthes, a fascinating group of fully mycoheterotrophic plants that depend entirely on underground fungi for survival. Using DNA sequencing and detailed morphological analyses, the study clarified species relationships, revealed the evolutionary history of the genus, and showed that Epirixanthes confusa should be treated as a synonym of E. elongata. 

This work provides an important foundation for the taxonomy, identification, and conservation of one of Southeast Asia's most unusual plant groups, while improving our understanding of the evolution of non-photosynthetic plants. 

Congratulations to all co-authors on this significant contribution to tropical plant systematics and evolutionary biology!

@ubd_brunei

#BotanicalJournalOfTheLinneanSociety #Epirixanthes #Mycoheterotroph #PlantSystematics #Phylogenetics

🌴 Representing Brunei at PALMS Symposium 2026 at t

🌴 Representing Brunei at PALMS Symposium 2026 at the National University of Singapore (NUS)!

Dr Salwana Jaafar and Mohamad Farid Abdullah from IBER, UBD proudly presented their research on Pinanga palms of Brunei at the PALMS Symposium 2026 on 12 – 18 July 2026 held at NUS.

A highlight was reconnecting with our research collaborators, Prof. Alison Shapcott (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia), who has been studying Pinanga in Brunei since 1998, and Dr. Sidonie Bellot (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK), who collaborated with us during her 2020 visit to Brunei.

The symposium provided an excellent opportunity to learn from world-leading palm experts, participate in workshops and field excursions, and strengthen international collaborations for future palm research and conservation.

Thank you to the organisers for the PALMS Travel Grant awarded to Dr Salwana and Mohamad Farid to attend the Symposium and for this wonderful opportunity!

@ubd_brunei

#PALMS2026 #Pinanga #PalmResearch #TropicalEcology #Biodiversity

We are pleased to announce a publication from the

We are pleased to announce a publication from the IBER Forest Ecology group on the long-term dynamics of Brunei's tropical heath (Kerangas) forests in Biodiversity Data Journal! This study was led by Irsalina Syakirah Mohd Ikbal as part of her MSc study at UBD, supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr Rahayu Sukri, Dr Salwana Jaafar and Dr Norhayati Ahmad. 

The paper presents the first 30-year assessment of forest dynamics in Brunei's lowland heath forests using two IBER permanent plots established in 1992 and re-censused in 2022. The findings reveal significant changes in forest structure, tree diversity, and community composition over three decades, providing valuable insights into how these unique forests respond to natural and human-induced disturbances. 

This study highlights the importance of long-term ecological monitoring in guiding the conservation and management of Borneo's threatened heath forest ecosystems under a changing climate. 

Congratulations to all co-authors on this important contribution to tropical forest ecology and conservation!

@ubdbuzz

#BiodiversityDataJournal #ForestEcology #Kerangas #HeathForest #ForestDynamics

Environmental Research Fieldwork 🌿 Every dataset

Environmental Research Fieldwork 🌿

Every dataset begins with time spent in the field.

At the Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER), our researchers come from diverse backgrounds and study a wide range of ecosystems and organisms. From forest ecology and soils to herbaceous plants, sapling monitoring, fish, birds, mammals, and insects—each project contributes to a better understanding of Brunei's biodiversity and environment. 🌳

This is a glimpse behind the scenes of our fieldwork: the dedication, teamwork, and passion that drive our research, one step at a time. ✨🔥

#IBER #EnvironmentalResearch #Fieldwork #Biodiversity #Brunei ResearchInAction

We were pleased to host Ms. Yusi Cheng from The Ho

We were pleased to host Ms. Yusi Cheng from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology for her internship at IBER UBD.

During her 6 week internship in IBER, Yusi focused on optimising product formulations using local plants. Thank you for your hard work and enthusiasm. We wish you all the best for your future undertakings.

#FuturingTogether #IBER #HKUST #Internship #UBD

🌱 A Wonderful End to Our Community Tree Planting W

🌱 A Wonderful End to Our Community Tree Planting Week!

On Saturday, 11 July 2026, we concluded the UBD Living Forest Project: Community Tree Planting Event with another enthusiastic group of volunteers from UBD staff and students, the general public, A-Level graduates, Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), and UBD alumni.

It was truly inspiring to see people from diverse backgrounds come together with a shared commitment to restoring native biodiversity on the UBD campus.

As we conclude this week-long community planting initiative, we extend our heartfelt thanks to every volunteer, collaborator, and partner who joined us from 6–11 July 2026. Your time, enthusiasm, and support have enabled us to plant over 300 native tree saplings in the growing UBD Living Forest and creating a greener, more sustainable campus for future generations.

While the community planting week has come to an end, the UBD Living Forest Project continues as we monitor the dynamics of planted saplings and biodiversity recovery at our planting sites. Look out for future volunteering opportunities with us!

Together, we're growing UBD's Living Forest, one native tree at a time. 🌳🌱

#UBDLivingForest #ForestEcology #NativeTrees #EcologicalRestoration #GreenCampus

🌱 Day 4 of the UBD Living Forest Project: Communit

🌱 Day 4 of the UBD Living Forest Project: Community Tree Planting Event!

Our restoration journey continued as another group of enthusiastic volunteers came together to help restore native biodiversity on the UBD campus.

We were delighted to welcome participants from the general public, UBD staff and students, Botanic Stewards, IBER Forest Ecology Group volunteers, and internship students from The Education University of Hong Kong under UBD BRC and IBER. It was wonderful to see people from diverse backgrounds united by a shared commitment to conserving Brunei's native forests.

Beyond planting native tree saplings, volunteers learnt about the importance of native species, science-based ecological restoration, and how every planting activity contributes to long-term biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem recovery.

A heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. Together, we are growing UBD's Living Forest, one native tree at a time. 🌳

🌿 One final community planting session remains on 11 July 2026. Stay tuned for more updates!

#UBDLivingForest #IBERUBD #ForestEcology #NativeTrees #EcologicalRestoration

🌱 Day 3 of the UBD Living Forest Project: Communit

🌱 Day 3 of the UBD Living Forest Project: Community Tree Planting Event!

We were honoured to welcome colleagues from the Forestry Department @forestry.brunei, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on 8 July 2026, who joined us to plant 36 native tree saplings, adding to the growing UBD Living Forest.

IBER’s collaboration with the Forestry Department has been central in guiding our restoration projects, in support of Brunei’s National Biodiversity Policy and Strategic Plan of Action (NBPSPA) and our national restoration goals. As a project collaborator of the UBD Living Forest Project, the Forestry Department has provided in-kind support of 66 native tree saplings, and technical advice on species selection.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the Forestry Department for your enthusiastic participation and continued support of the UBD Living Forest Project. We look forward to strengthening future collaborations in ecological restoration and environmental stewardship.

#UBDLivingForest #IBERUBD #ForestEcology #NativeTrees #EcologicalRestoration

🌱 Day 2 of the UBD Living Forest Project: Communit

🌱 Day 2 of the UBD Living Forest Project: Community Tree Planting Event!

The UBD Living Forest Project restoration journey continued as 17 enthusiastic volunteers came together to plant 34 native tree saplings.

We were delighted to welcome volunteers from the general public, Politeknik Brunei, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), as well as students who had recently completed their A-Level studies. It was inspiring to see people from different backgrounds united by a shared commitment to conserving Brunei's native biodiversity.

Beyond planting trees, volunteers also learnt about the ecological importance of planting native tree species, the restoration approach adopted by the UBD Living Forest Project, and how scientific data collected during each planting session contributes to long-term biodiversity monitoring.

A sincere thank you to all our volunteers for dedicating your time, energy, and enthusiasm to this meaningful initiative. Your contribution will leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

🌳 The journey continues! Community tree planting activities will continue on 8, 9 and 11 July 2026, as we welcome more volunteers to help restore native biodiversity on the UBD campus. Together, we are growing UBD's Living Forest—one native tree at a time.

#UBDLivingForest #IBERUBD #ForestEcology #NativeTrees #EcologicalRestoration

🌱 The UBD Living Forest Project is officially unde

🌱 The UBD Living Forest Project is officially underway!

Yesterday marked the successful launch of UBD Living Forest Project: Restoring Native Trees for a Sustainable and Green UBD Campus, led by IBER.

The UBD Living Forest Project is a flagship project of UBD’s Sustainability Living Lab Initiative, utilising a science-based ecological restoration approach aimed at enhancing native biodiversity on campus. Through a combined strategy focused on ecosystem restoration, long-term biodiversity monitoring, and community engagement, the project aims to plant 500 native tree saplings in permanent restoration sites within UBD for long-term biodiversity monitoring.

The programme began with welcoming remarks by Dr Sarah Hanaa Hj Ahmad Ghazali, UBD’s Deputy Director of Sustainability, who highlighted the importance of integrating research, education and community engagement to advance UBD’s sustainability goals. Participants were then introduced to the UBD Living Forest Project by Associate Professor Dr Rahayu Sukri, Principal Investigator of the project. This was followed by an interactive biodiversity awareness session led by Dr Salwana Md Jaafar, the project’s co-PI.

The event’s highlight was a hands-on tree planting session, where 25 dedicated volunteers planted 50 native tree saplings and collected scientific data to help the project team monitor the growth and survival of the planted saplings. Volunteers also learnt about the project’s restoration approach, the diversity of native saplings planted and their importance for conservation and ecological significance.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated, including colleagues from OAVCRIS, UBD Sustainability Office Student Youth Ambassadors, and UBD students, for contributing your time and enthusiasm towards this meaningful initiative.

🌳 The journey continues! Community tree planting activities will continue on 7, 8, 9 and 11 July 2026, welcoming volunteers from the Forestry Department, UBD staff, students, and members of the public to help restore native biodiversity on campus. We look forward to planting many more native trees together as we grow UBD’s Living Forest, one sapling at a time. Stay

As we conclude another rewarding internship journe

As we conclude another rewarding internship journey, we would like to thank Mohammad Hasbul Hadi bin Haji Hassan from IBTE Business Campus for his dedication and contributions during his six-month Industrial Attachment at the Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER), UBD, under the supervision of Dr Roshanizah Rosli.

Throughout his internship, Hasbul supported various administrative and finance-related tasks, contributed to IBER’s newsletter, and participated in and assisted with IBER programmes, including the Asian Waterbird Census workshop and Nature Camp. Despite coming from a Business Management background, he embraced the opportunity to work in a research environment with professionalism, adaptability and enthusiasm to learn.

Thank you, Hasbul, for your commitment and positive contributions to IBER. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

#IBER #UBD #IndustrialAttachment #Internship #ibte

🌿 Field Expedition to Bukit Belalong, Ulu Temburon

🌿 Field Expedition to Bukit Belalong, Ulu Temburong National Park 🌿

From 18–22 June 2026, a joint research team led by Dr Salwana Md. Jaafar and Farid Abdullah from the IBER Forest Ecology group and Dr Nanette Raczka from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Japan successfully completed a field expedition to Bukit Belalong. The research team also comprised members from OIST, and the Brunei National Herbarium (BRUN), Forestry Department. The expedition to Bukit Belalong was conducted as part of the collaborative research project, “MYCOTree-Asia: Mycorrhizosphere Contributions to Tree Ecology in Asian Forests.”

Over five days, the team navigated the challenging rainforest terrain, trekking approximately 24 km (round trip) with an elevation gain of nearly 1,000 m to reach the study site. The expedition focused on locating and identifying suitable tropical tree species and establishing potential sampling sites for future ecological and mycorrhizosphere research. The reconnaissance will support subsequent field campaigns investigating belowground microbial interactions associated with tropical forest trees.

This expedition also provided an important opportunity to revisit the site, assess trail conditions, and prepare for the next phase of collaborative research in one of Brunei’s most pristine tropical forests.

Our sincere appreciation goes to the Forestry Department and BRUN for their invaluable field assistance and continued support in facilitating biodiversity research and international scientific collaboration in Brunei Darussalam.

@ubdbuzz

@forestry.brunei

@oistedu

#IBERUBD #OIST #MYCOTreeAsia #BukitBelalong #UluTemburong

We are excited to announce the discovery of a new

We are excited to announce the discovery of a new plant species, Aristolochia argilophila, known only from Brunei Darussalam. This new species was first discovered in the Belait district by a team from IBER (Dr Salwana Md. Jaafar, Mohammad Farid Abdullah and Assoc. Prof. Dr Rahayu Sukri) with collaborators from the University of Tübingen (Dominik Frank), Sabah Forestry Department (Andi Mustapeng) and the Brunei National Herbarium (Azlan Pandai).

The study, published in Kew Bulletin, combined field surveys in Brunei Darussalam and Sabah with geometric morphometric analyses and morphological studies of several closely related Aristolochia species in Borneo. Beyond the discovery of a new species, the research also revealed that specimens previously identified as Aristolochia foveolata from Borneo comprise three distinct species, Aristolochia papillifolia, Aristolochia transtillifera and Aristolochia argilophila. The findings also provide the first floral description of A. transtillifera, and highlight the importance of floral characteristics over leaf shape for accurate species identification.

The newly described A. argilophila is the first Brunei-endemic Aristolochia known from Brunei’s lowland forests and has been assessed as Vulnerable under the IUCN Red List criteria.

Congratulations to all co-authors on this important contribution to the understanding and conservation of Borneo’s extraordinary plant diversity! 🌱✨

@ubdbuzz

@forestry.brunei

#KewBulletin #Aristolochia #NewSpecies #PlantTaxonomy #FloraOfBorneo

We are pleased to announce the rediscovery of a my

We are pleased to announce the rediscovery of a mycoheterotrophic plant species, Thismia bifida, that was last described from a single Sarawak collection in 1963 and has now been discovered in Brunei Darussalam. Extensive field surveys in Sarawak and Brunei, including at the type locality, was conducted by an international team of researchers from Palacký University (Assoc Prof Dr Martin Dancak and his team), IBER UBD (Dr Salwana Jaafar and Assoc. Prof Dr Rahayu Sukri), the Brunei National Herbarium (Azlan Pandai), and the Sarawak Forest Department (Dr Ling Chea Yiing).

The paper, published in Phytotaxa, documents the remarkable rediscovery of Thismia bifida, a rare, fully mycoheterotrophic plant endemic to Borneo. Through extensive field surveys across Brunei Darussalam and Sarawak, combined with detailed morphological examinations and molecular phylogenetic analyses, the research team confirmed new populations in Brunei and Sarawak, clarified the species’ taxonomy, and revealed that it is more widespread than previously believed.

The study also highlights the ecological importance of conserving Borneo’s forests, as these unique “fairy lantern” plants rely on intact forest ecosystems and underground fungal networks to survive. By revisiting historical collection sites and conducting new biodiversity surveys, this work provides valuable insights into the evolution, distribution, and conservation of one of Borneo’s most fascinating plant groups.

Congratulations to all co-authors on this significant contribution to the taxonomy and conservation of Southeast Asia’s extraordinary plant diversity!

@ubdbuzz

@forestry.brunei

#Phytotaxa #Thismia #PlantTaxonomy #Botany #Mycoheterotroph

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