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About IBER
- Message from Director
- Staff
Research Centres
- KBFSC
- BRC
Research
Education
Publications

About IBER
- Message from Director
- Staff
Research Centres
- KBFSC
- BRC
Research
Education
Publications

Seminar Series 2025

IBER Seminar Series 2025

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

About IBER
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ubd.iber.kbfsc

🌱 Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research, UBD
🌱 Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre
#iber #kbfsc
Check out the link⤵️

On February 13, 2025, His Excellency Michael Hoy,

On February 13, 2025, His Excellency Michael Hoy, the Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, visited the UBD's Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre (KBFSC).

During the visit, he was given a tour of Ashton Trail, and later joined a group of students from the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), Australia, who were conducting fieldwork at the Earthwatch Plot. Associate Professor Dr Alison Shapcott, the leader of the UniSC group, shared her research on Pinanga at KBFSC. The visit also included a tour of the centre.

Accompanying His Excellency were Mr Teddy Chua (KBFSC Supervisor) and Mr Farid Abdullah (IBER Research Assistant).

We thank His Excellency for coming to our centre. Hope you enjoyed your visit!

@duta.oz.bn

TREx 2025 is coming! 🌿🔬 🐾 Step into the

TREx 2025 is coming! 🌿🔬

🐾 Step into the muddy shoes of a field scientist and explore the hidden wonders of pristine rainforest biodiversity.

More details coming soon—stay tuned!

#TREx2025 #fieldresearch #iber #ubd #Biodiversity #brunei #borneo

IBER Seminar Series: SEMINAR 1: Discovery of nove

IBER Seminar Series:

SEMINAR 1: Discovery of novel pollination mutualisms in the Asian tropics

Presented by:
Professor Atsushi Kawakita
Botanical Gardens of the University of Tokyo, Japan.

SEMINAR 2: Hidden story on the pollination systems: fly pollination and diversity of pollination of Asian Asclepiadoideae

Presented by:
Dr Ko Mochizuki
Botanical Gardens of the University of Tokyo, Japan.

#iber #iberseminar #ubd #UBDBRC #botanicalgardens #pollination #Asclepiadoideae #ubd #UBDSDG

Nankeen night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus). Thi

Nankeen night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus).

This is a juvenile nankeen night heron. When it is mature, it develops a distinctive reddish-brown colour. It is commonly referred to as the rufous night heron because it is primarily nocturnal and is observed in a broad range of habitats, including forests, meadows, shores, reefs, marshes, grasslands, and swamps. This species is widespread in South East Asia, Australia and Oceania.

Photographed at the banks of Damuan river, Brunei Darussalam.

We would like to thank everyone for visiting IBER

We would like to thank everyone for visiting IBER booth during the UBD Open Day (9 - 10 February 2025) at the UBD Library.

The UBD Open Day, which showcased UBD’s programmes, admissions and scholarships, was held in conjunction with the UBD Discovery Week 2025 (9 - 15 February 2025).

In conjunction with the UBD Discovery Week 2025, our UBD Botanical Research Centre (UBD BRC) also offers a guided tour of UBD's botanic garden. Please check @ubd.botanicalgarden for more information.

Associate Professor Dr Volker Herzig from the Univ

Associate Professor Dr Volker Herzig from the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) delivered an insightful talk at IBER on "Breakthroughs by Biobanking – Exciting Discoveries from Arthropod Venoms," highlighting his work on the world’s largest arthropod venom biobank.

With venoms collected from over 850 species of spiders, scorpions, insects, and centipedes, his research has led to the discovery of new therapeutic candidates for pain and epilepsy, bio-insecticides, and key insights into ion channel physiology. His work has been instrumental in understanding how venom-derived compounds can be used as selective pharmacological tools to address various medical and scientific challenges. His talk shed light on the potential of venom-derived compounds in biomedical applications, sparking discussions on future collaborations and innovations in the field.

AP Dr Herzig is currently in Brunei for a field course at the Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre with AP Dr Alison Shapcott, Professor Cathy Yule and a group of UniSC students. The field course is part of a long-running collaboration between IBER and UniSc, supported by the UBD’s Office of Assistant Vice Chancellor (Global Engagement) under the Global Discovery Programme.

We thank AP Dr Herzig for contributing to IBER Seminar Series!

#IBERBrunei #VenomResearch #IonChannelBiology #ArthropodVenoms #BiomedicalDiscovery #Pharmacology #ToxinScience #PainResearch #EcologicalBiochemistry #UniversityOfSunshineCoast #ScientificCollaboration #IBER #UBD #UBDSustainability

Dr Salwana Jaafar, Assistant Lecturer at IBER, and

Dr Salwana Jaafar, Assistant Lecturer at IBER, and Hazimah Haji Mohd. Din, IBER research assistant visited the Forest Research Centre (FRC) in Sandakan from 3–7 February 2025.

This visit provided an opportunity to discuss potential research collaborations with the Sabah Forestry Department while exploring the FRC’s extensive research facilities.

As part of the visit, Dr Salwana toured the Scientific Reference Collection, which includes the herbarium, xylarium, chemistry lab, phytochemistry lab, pathology lab, seed lab, and insect museum.

Hazimah, who is actively involved in herbarium and forest plots research at IBER, collaborated with FRC’s herbarium staff to identify plant voucher specimens collected by the IBER Forest Ecology Team.

Both of them also visited the Rainforest Discovery Centre, gaining further insights into Sabah’s rich biodiversity and ongoing conservation efforts.

The visit underscores the importance of fostering scientific partnerships in forestry and ecological research, paving the way for future collaborations.

We thank the Forest Research Centre for hosting our team!

#ForestResearch #ScientificCollaboration #BiodiversityConservation #EcologicalResearch #TropicalForests #IBER #UBD #UBDSustainability

Sysmia Shafrin, a Final Year Project student from

Sysmia Shafrin, a Final Year Project student from the UBD's Faculty of Science (FOS) recently carried out her research project on freshwater fishes at the UBD's Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre (KBFSC).

The student is co-supervised by Dr Rafhiah Kahar from IBER and Prof Takaomi Arai from FOS. Shifana, a volunteer also provided assistance with the fieldwork.

#UBDStudent #biodiversity #freshwaterfish #research #kbfsc

Today, IBER celebrated the retirement of Ms. Ramla

Today, IBER celebrated the retirement of Ms. Ramlah Anak Sapoh, one of our beloved colleagues at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre (KBFSC). Ms. Ramlah has been with KBFSC from 1992 until 2025, dedicating an incredible 33 years of service. We are deeply grateful for her unwavering commitment and contributions throughout these years. As she embarks on this new chapter of life, we wish her continued good health, joy, and success. Thank you, Ms. Ramlah, for being such an amazing colleague! Your presence will truly be missed.

Today, we also celebrated the Lunar New Year especially for our Chinese colleagues in IBER.

🌿🌊 Brunei Darussalam Conference and Expediti

🌿🌊 Brunei Darussalam Conference and Expedition on Forest to Reef! 🌊🌿

IBER is proud to be selected as partner, representing UBD, for the Brunei Darussalam Conference and Expedition on Forest to Reef, in conjuction with Brunei MYCE 2025!

From towering forest canopies to thriving coral reefs, our tropical ecosystems are deeply interconnected—playing a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development. Join us as we explore groundbreaking solutions for protecting these vital habitats.

📅 Expedition: 19 - 25 May 2025
📅 Conference: 16 - 18 June 2025
📍 Co-organized by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, in partnership with Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

This conference will bring together experts, researchers, and policymakers to discuss how forests, coastal ecosystems, and blue carbon habitats work together to shape a sustainable future. Be part of the conversation on cutting-edge conservation strategies, nature-based climate solutions, and the link between biodiversity and economic resilience.

More details will be shared soon—stay tuned! 🌍💙

#ForestToReef #BruneiDarussalam #SustainableFuture #Conservation #BlueCarbon #ClimateSolutions #MYCE2025

Calling nature enthusiasts to sign up as a volunte

Calling nature enthusiasts to sign up as a volunteer today!

Sign up here:
https://forms.gle/HvGpBk5R6mWHLKot6

Volunteers will be given a certificate.

Details about the volunteering schedule, tasks and venue are available from the QR code/link.

Open to anyone over 18 years of age.

#ubd #ubdvolunteers #brunei #biodiversity

Throwback: The UBD Botanical Research Centre (UBD

Throwback: The UBD Botanical Research Centre (UBD BRC) in 2014, during its early development phase.

On February 3rd, 2018, the centre was officially inaugurated by His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam. This February marks the 7th anniversary of its launch.

We thank you for your support and look forward to your continued involvement as we strive to be a centre of excellence in botanical research, education, and conservation.

#UBD #UBDBRC #botanicgarden #conservation #UBDFuturingTogether #UBDSustainability

IBER Seminar Series: “Breakthroughs by biobankin

IBER Seminar Series:
“Breakthroughs by biobanking - exciting discoveries from arthropod venoms”

Presented by:
Associate Professor Volker Herzig
University of Sunshine Coast

#iber #iberseminar #ubd #biobank #arthrpods #biodiversity

Today - 2 February - we commemorate World Wetlands

Today - 2 February - we commemorate World Wetlands Day!

Wetlands are land habitats that are permanently or seasonally covered by water. They are biodiversity havens, provide important ecosystem services such as carbon storage, climate regulation and water purification, storage and flood control, and contribute natural products for our daily lives and economies.

This year’s theme “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future” highlights the need for a concerted effort to sustainably manage and protect our wetlands.

Brunei Darussalam holds significant wetland areas comprising of peatlands, mangrove and freshwater swamps, most of which are still in pristine condition.

Hazimah Hj Mohd Din, a research assistant at IBER, explains the importance of our peat swamp forests.

Interested to find out more and do your part in protecting these vital ecosystems? Contact the IBER Forest Ecology Group for volunteering and collaborative opportunities!

#WorldWetlandsDay #wetlands #peatswamp #conservation #UBDSustainability #SDG

A new species of silurid catfish, Pterocryptis vor

A new species of silurid catfish, Pterocryptis vorax, has been described in the upper catchment of Brunei’s Temburong River.

Previously, only Pterocryptis furnessi had been recorded in Borneo, found in the Kemena and Baram River drainages. A detailed comparison revealed key differences in jaw shape, eye position, and colour patterns, confirming that Pterocryptis vorax is a distinct species.

This discovery brings the number of endemic Pterocryptis species in Borneo to two.

Interestingly, Pterocryptis vorax exhibits sexual dichromatism, in which males and females display different colour patterns — a phenomenon reported for the first time in the Pterocryptis genus.

This finding enhances our understanding of catfish diversity in Southeast Asia and underscores the need for further research into the region’s river systems.

This study is a collaboration between Dr Rafhiah Kahar from the UBD's Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER) with Dr Heok Hee Ng and Dr Heok Hui Tan from the Lee Kong Chian National History Museum at the National University of Singapore.

The study (Ng et al. 2025) has recently been published in Zootaxa 5575 (4): 535-544.

Photo credits: Ng et al. 2025

@lkcnhm

#biodiversity #catfish #newspecies #temburong

Green Wonders: UBD Botanical Research Centre's Flo

Green Wonders: UBD Botanical Research Centre's Flora Fest (25 - 26 January 2025).

We would like to thank everyone for your participation and support!

This morning, Friday, 24th January 2025, at 8:30 A

This morning, Friday, 24th January 2025, at 8:30 AM, Ms Nurul Hazlina Hj. Zaini (Assistant Curator and Botanist) and Dr Salwana Md. Jaafar (Assistant Lecturer) appeared on RTB's Rampai Pagi to give an exciting preview of the upcoming Green Wonders: UBD Botanical Research Centre's Flora Fest.

They highlighted the event’s plant-focused activities, workshops, guided tours and learning experiences and shared details about plant, food, and UBD BRC merchandise pop-up sales planned for the festivities.

Don’t miss out—join us at the Green Wonders Event this weekend for a fun and enriching experience!

Can you spot the proboscis monkey? #biodiversity

Can you spot the proboscis monkey?

#biodiversity #monkey #mangroves #tropicalforest

Our researchers on a field outing to conduct a sur

Our researchers on a field outing to conduct a survey on mushrooms of Brunei Darussalam.

Multiple species were found thriving on dead branches and come in various shapes, sizes, and colours, adding to the forest's vibrant ecosystem. As natural decomposers, they play a vital role in nutrient cycling.

Watch this space for more mushroom related activities!

Photo credit: Elizerberth Minggat

#biodiversity #mushrooms #fungi #tropicalforest

Nephila pilipes (northern golden orb weaver or gia

Nephila pilipes (northern golden orb weaver or giant golden orb weaver). This is a species of golden orb-web spider. It resides all over Southeast Asia as well as Oceania. It is commonly found in primary and secondary forests and gardens. Females are much larger than males (females 20–50 mm and males 5–6 mm). Photographed at a forest in Temburong, Brunei Darussalam.

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