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TREx Pilot Programme

TREx Pilot Programme

Post author:iber
Post published:12/08/2020
Post category:Events / Highlights / Stories

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

The Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) delegation,

The Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) delegation, led by Vice Chancellor Dr Hazri Hj Kifle, was honoured to attend a dinner meeting hosted by Acting British High Commissioner, Catherine Pochkhanavala-Cleeve, at the official Residence of the British High Commissioner.

Also present were representatives from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and the UK Mission to ASEAN, who are currently visiting Brunei Darussalam for the Brunei Darussalam Conference on Forest to Reef.

We extend our sincere thanks to the British High Commission for the warm hospitality and meaningful discussions. We look forward to strengthening future collaborations.

@ukinbrunei
@catherinecleeve

🌿 IBER at the Brunei Darussalam Conference on F

🌿 IBER at the Brunei Darussalam Conference on Forest to Reef 🌊

Our researchers proudly showcased their research outputs from the Expedition to Pulau Selirong mangroves through a poster exhibition, with a special presentation to the Guest of Honour of the Brunei Darussalam Conference on Forest to Reef, the Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Brunei Darussalam.

Featured studies covered flora and fauna diversity, soil and microbial ecology, and chemical composition of native tree species — highlighting the rich and unique ecosystem of Pulau Selirong.

The exhibition continues at the UBD IBER booth, where visitors can explore IBER and UBD BRC publications, research highlights, and exclusive nature-inspired merchandise. Thank you to UBD's Vice Chancellor and Assistant Vice Chancellor IEED for visiting our booth! 🌱📚🎁

@forestry.brunei
@fisheries.brunei
@ponidivers

A day full of hope for our planet! Today, 16 June

A day full of hope for our planet! Today, 16 June 2025, IBER attended two inspiring events.

First was the Ocean Sustainability Conference, organised by Poni Group and LAUT Brunei in partnership with the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism. The event brought together passionate ocean advocates, students, and communities to discuss and support ocean conservation and sustainability.

Next was the UBD-AUN Summer Camp hosted by Universiti Brunei Darussalam and organised by the Office of AVC Global Engagement. This year's theme is 'Green Stewardship: Preserving Biodiversity and Advancing Sustainable Development'. Seeing young minds from across ASEAN commit to protecting our environment gives us real hope for the future.

Dr Salwana Jaafar represented Universiti Brunei Da

Dr Salwana Jaafar represented Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER) on behalf of Associate Professor Dr Rahayu Sukri, a member of the ACB Scientific Advisory Committee, at the 2025 Biodiversity Science Forum held from 10–11 June 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The forum was jointly organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia, and Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), with support from the UK Government through the EnCORE Wetlands project.

The two-day event brought together scientists, policymakers, and community leaders to explore the role of biodiversity in climate change mitigation. Discussions covered nature-based solutions, indigenous knowledge, and emerging tools such as DNA barcoding, eDNA, and bioacoustics.

The forum concluded with a field visit and seed planting activity at the Jakarta Mangrove Resort, Taman Wisata Alam Angke Kapuk, highlighting local conservation efforts and blue carbon solutions in action.

#IBER #BiodiversityScienceForum2025 #ACB #WRIIndonesia #BRIN #ClimateAction #NatureBasedSolutions #ASEANBiodiversity #MangroveRestoration #BlueCarbon #JakartaMangroveResort

IBER was proud to be part of the UBD STEAM Festiva

IBER was proud to be part of the UBD STEAM Festival 2025!

The festival's opening ceremony was held on 12 June 2025 at the Chancellor Hall in UBD, with Yang Berhormat Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications, as the Guest of Honour.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who visited our booth and showed their support. Special thanks to SHBIE for organising this amazing event and for including IBER in this celebration of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics!

@shbie.ubd

Wildlife of Brunei Darussalam: Short-tailed Mongoo

Wildlife of Brunei Darussalam: Short-tailed Mongoose (Herpestes brachyurus)

The short-tailed mongoose is a small, agile carnivore found in Southeast Asia. Known for its short and bushy tail, this mongoose has a slender body and a coat of grizzled brown fur. Its sharp claws and keen senses make it an excellent hunter of small vertebrates, insects, and birds.

Typically found in dense forests, it is known for its solitary nature, often venturing out at dawn or dusk to hunt and forage.

Video credits: Salwa Khalid and Ulmar Grafe

Hawk Moth (Eupanacra psaltria) – New to Brunei D

Hawk Moth (Eupanacra psaltria) – New to Brunei Darussalam.

The hawk moth (Eupanacra psaltria) is a rare species originally thought to be endemic to Sumatra. It was later recorded in Sabah, and this marks the first official record of the species in Brunei Darussalam.

This nocturnal moth belongs to the family Sphingidae, commonly known as hawk moths. It was first described in 1923. Hawk moths are known for their strong flying abilities and rapid wing beats, which enable them to hover near flowers while feeding on nectar. Their slender bodies and elongated wings, often adorned with intricate patterns, help them blend seamlessly into their surroundings.

#insect #hawkmoth #moth #biodiversity #ubdresearch #BruneiBiodiversity #BruneiForests

Celebrating World Ocean Day 2025! Universiti Brune

Celebrating World Ocean Day 2025! Universiti Brunei Darussalam, including IBER, was thrilled to be invited to the World Ocean Day Celebration on Sunday, 8 June 2025, at One City Shopping Centre!

The Guest of Honour was YM Dyg Hjh Tutiaty binti Hj Abdul Wahab, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.

Held as part of the Brunei Ocean Exhibition (BEX) and Ocean Week Brunei 2025, this event brought together ocean advocates and the community to celebrate and protect our blue planet.

Big thanks to Poni Group and LAUT Brunei, in partnership with the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, for making it all happen—and for having us be part of the celebration!

@ponidivers
@lautbrunei
@mprt_brunei
@oceanweekbrunei

🌊 World Oceans Day 2025 🌍💙 Theme: “Wond

🌊 World Oceans Day 2025 🌍💙
Theme: “Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”

Today we celebrate the ocean — a powerful force that supports all life on Earth. This year’s theme reminds us to reflect on the wonder of the ocean and the need to protect what sustains us.

The ocean regulates our climate, produces most of the oxygen we breathe, and is home to an incredible diversity of life — from tiny plankton to great whales.

Biodiversity is one of the main research thrusts in Universiti Brunei Darussalam, contributing towards sustainability and conservation. One of the biodiversity studies is on oysters by our postgraduate student, Ms Lee Huan Chiao.

Oysters typically colonise hard structures along the coastlines of Brunei Darussalam, in particular the South China Sea shorelines where they can form thick and dense aggregations. Despite obscurity, these oyster beds support more than a hundred resident species, forming a biodiverse ecosystem as productive as coral reefs on the hostile rocky shores where temperatures can be very high..

But marine biodiversity is under threat. Now more than ever, we must act to sustain what sustains us.

Photo credit: Lee Huan Chiao

#WorldOceansDay #Wonder2025 #ProtectOurOceans #MarineBiodiversity #SustainableFuture #OceanConservation #UNWorldOceansDay

🍄 That’s a wrap on our Mushroom Discovery Wee

🍄 That’s a wrap on our Mushroom Discovery Week!

A heartfelt thank you to Assoc. Prof. Jaya Seelan and his amazing team from the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, as well as our dedicated local collaborators at the Forestry Department. Your support made this week a true success.

Until we meet again—on our next great discovery!

@umsofficial
@forestry.brunei

The 'Mushroom Discovery Week: Spore to Science' fo

The 'Mushroom Discovery Week: Spore to Science' foray activities at the Tropical Biodiversity Centre in Sungai Liang featured on RTB news. The feature included footage of the mushroom collection in the field by workshop participants and facilitators.

Video credits: @rtbnews

Highlights of the 'Mushroom Discovery Week: Spore

Highlights of the 'Mushroom Discovery Week: Spore to Science' opening event featured on RTB news.

Video credits: @rtbnews

Every year on June 5th, World Environment Day brin

Every year on June 5th, World Environment Day brings people together worldwide to protect our planet and raise awareness about urgent environmental issues. This year’s focus is Ending Plastic Pollution — a threat that’s harming our planet Earth and its inhabitants.

Did you know that many scientists including our UBD researcher, Prof Takaomi Arai, have found microplastics inside fish, revealing just how widespread this problem is.

Microplastics come from everyday plastic waste like bags, bottles, and wrappers breaking down into tiny particles that float in the water and get mistaken for food by fish. When fish ingest microplastics, these tiny particles may enter the human food chain when we eat seafood, posing potential health risks scientists are still working to fully understand.

This World Environment Day, let’s commit to making better choices — reduce single-use plastics, opt for natural fabrics, and protect our oceans for the future.

UBD publications on microplastics in fish:
- Pingki et al. (2025) J. Food Compos. Anal. 139: 107053.
- Hossain et al. (2024) Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 8: 1372059.

Cover art: AI generated (Copilot)

#WorldEnvironmentDay2025 #EndingPlasticPollution #Microplastics #BeatPlasticPollution

Six of our students from the UBD's Faculty of Scie

Six of our students from the UBD's Faculty of Science — Ms Raudhatun Hj Samsul (PhD), Mr Abdul Zul’Adly Hj Mohaimin (PhD), Mr Muhd Nukman Hj M Marali (MSc), Ms Nur ‘Aziyah Sofriazmi (MSc), Ms Nurhafizah Nadhirah Hj Ridzuan (BSc), and Ak. Muhd Abd Rahman Ali (MSc) — participated in the Borneo Studies Network Conference 2025 held on the 3rd and 4th of June 2025 in Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

1) Ms Raudhatun Hj Samsul (PhD) presented her research titled “In vivo analysis of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of Litsea elliptica Blume leaf extracts”, highlighting the therapeutic potential of a local medicinal plant traditionally used in Brunei Malay medicine.

2) Mr Abdul Zul’Adly Bin Haji Mohaimin (PhD) presented his research titled "Laccase Production from Lentinus sajor-caju Using Agricultural Waste", which explores the unique enzyme produced by a mushroom.

3) Mr Muhd Nukman Hj M Marali (MSc) presented his paper titled “An Evaluation of Wound Healing Activity of Asplenium nidus in a diabetic animal model”, a study exploring the regenerative properties of native ferns in diabetic wound management.

4) Ms Nur ‘Aziyah Sofriazmi (MSc) presented “Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activity of Anisophyllea disticha Leaves”, which investigates the pharmacological value of another understudied local species.

5) Ms Nurhafizah Nadhirah Hj Ridzuan (BSc) presented her final year research project titled "Production of Carbonic Anhydrase and Lipid Quantification from Dysmorphococcus Species", which explores enzyme and lipid production from microalgae.

6) Ak Muhd Abd Rahman Ali (MSc) presented his poster titled “Anti-Parkinson Effects of Metal Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Local Medicinal Plant Extracts”, which explores a novel nanotechnology-based approach to neurodegenerative disease treatment using Brunei’s natural resources.

We thank the organiser for the amazing opportunity given to our students.

@ubdglobaloffice

Three IBER staff participated in the Borneo Studie

Three IBER staff participated in the Borneo Studies Network Conference 2025 held on the 3rd and 4th of June 2025 in Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

1) Dr Roshanizah Rosli presented her research titled 'Host Selectivity and Distribution of Cassytha filiformis in the Coastal Bornean Heath Forests'.

2) Dr Salwana Md Jaafar presented her research titled 'Echoes of Disturbance: How Logging and Drainage Influence Peat Swamp'.

3) Mr Farid Abdullah presented his research titled 'Differences in Diversity and Communities of PinangaPalms in Contrasting Lowland Tropical Forests in Brunei Darussalam, Borneo'.

We thank the organiser for the amazing opportunity given to our researchers.

@ubdglobaloffice

Our postgraduate students, Ms. Syakirah Azmey and

Our postgraduate students, Ms. Syakirah Azmey and Ms. Lee Huan Chiao participated in the 'Hands-On Practical Training Specifically for the Breeding of Red Snapper' organised by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.

Through this workshop, our young UBD researchers are gaining valuable hands-on experience and advancing their expertise in marine research.

Pictured here with Ms. Khoo Tek Ying, Acting Director of Fisheries.

Big thanks to the Department of Fisheries for the kind invitation and this meaningful opportunity.

@fisheries.brunei

Kicking off an inspiring visit with a warm welcome

Kicking off an inspiring visit with a warm welcome dinner for our friends from Universiti Malaysia Sabah! Great conversations, great company, and even better food.

We are pleased to share a new plant species discov

We are pleased to share a new plant species discovery in Brunei! In a publication co-authored by Associate Professor Dr Rahayu Sukri and Dr Salwana Md. Jaafar from IBER, together with international collaborators from the Czech Republic, a new orchid species, Gastrodia microchila, from the Belait district, Brunei Darussalam, is described.

This new mycoheterotropic plant species was discovered in a lowland mixed dipterocarp forest in 2024 and is distinct from other Gastrodia species in western Malesia by its small lip and column, and the presence of smooth cushion-like tissue on the inner side of the lateral sepals. Gastrodia microchila is only the second recorded Gastrodia species for Brunei Darussalam and the seventh known for Borneo. A key to all Gastrodia species in western Malesia is also provided in this paper.

This research highlights the rich yet understudied biodiversity of Borneo’s tropical forests and the importance of continued botanical exploration in the region.

#UBDResearch #BorneoOrchids #NewSpecies #TropicalBotany #ForestBiodiversity #IBERResearch #BruneiForests

In Brunei’s lush tropical forests, look closely—nature hides its treasures well. 🌿🍄 Like this stunning mushroom, beauty and biodiversity often reveal themselves to the observant eye.

Photo credit: Elizerberth Minggat

#BruneiNature #TropicalForest #HiddenGems #MushroomHunting #Biodiversity #NatureLovers #ForestFinds

Dr Salwana Md. Jaafar from IBER recently visited P

Dr Salwana Md. Jaafar from IBER recently visited Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic from 6 to 15 May 2025 under the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training Programme. She was warmly hosted by IBER collaborators from the Faculty of Science at Palacký University (Associate Professor Dr Martin Dančák, Dr Michal Hrones and Ms. Alena Uvírová) and at the Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences (Dr Radim Hédl and Dr Markéta Chudomelová.

During this enriching visit, she participated in fieldwork on Alchemilla species in Moravia, survey of Ornithogalum sp. in the Devínska Kobyla Special Area of Conservation in Bratislava, Slovakia, and visited ecological research sites in the woodlands in Znojmo. She also explored the labs, greenhouses, botanical garden, herbarium, and walk-in growth chambers at Palacký University, where tissue culture experiments and flow cytometry analyses were underway. A short visit to the beautiful mixed birch and fir forests of Ratiboř was a perfect end to this meaningful and inspiring experience.

Thank you to Palacký University and the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training Programme for supporting Dr Salwana’s visit, and to everyone who made this visit so insightful and memorable!

#ErasmusPlus #StaffMobility #PalackyUniversity #IBER #BotanyAbroad #PlantResearch #FieldworkDiaries

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