Problem statement: Peat covers 1.6 million ha (13%) of the 12.4 million ha land area of Sarawak and some of peat swamp forests have been logged. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of logging operation on peat swamp forest in this area. Approach: The study used a remote sensing technique to assess vegetation cover in a peat swamp forest areas in Sarawak as result of logging practice and land clearing activities for oil palm plantation.

An important question for the conservation of species dwelling in fragmented habitats is whether changes to the intervening landscape create a barrier to gene flow. Here, we make use of the spatial distribution of the granite outcrop-dwelling lizard, Ctenophorus ornatus, to compare inferred levels of gene flow between outcrops in a nature reserve with that between outcrops in the adjacent agricultural land. Genetic variation, relatedness and subdivision were compared within groups of individuals from different outcrops similar in size and distance apart at each site.

Labile soil C and N play vital roles in soil-plant nutrient dynamics, especially in the low input cropping system and are vulnerable to perturbation. Surface (0-0.15 m) soils from three land clearing methods (slash and burn, bulldozed non-windrowed and bulldozed windrowed) and each with two cropping systems (5-and 4-year cropping/2-year cassava fallow) were collected in the humid forest ecosystem of Nigeria.

Measurement of CO2 flux and arthropod biodiversity were carried oue at three areas of peatland ecosystems NP (natural peatland ecosystem), LOP (least developed peatland ecosystem) and MDP (maximum disturbed pearland ecosystem). All areas were located at MARDI Peat Research Station, Sessang, Sarawak. The CO2 flux was measured using static chamber method connected to a portable CO2 infrared gas analyser. Soil CO2-C flux exhibited diurnal pattern with peak rates as high as 950 mg/m2/h occurred during the mid afternoon (1100-1300).

During the last two decades Indonesia has experienced immense forest and land fires. Often these fires are associated with extended drought and widespread use of fire to clear previously logged forest and other degraded land in preparation for oil palm, rubber, or pulpwood plantations. There are many reasons for the use of fire in land clearing activities, but probably the most important one is economics. There is still acceptance that fire is the cheapest, fastest, and most effective land clearing method with the added benefit of providing nutrients from ash residues.