Guest guest Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 ***************************Advertisement*************************** eCentral - Your Entertainment Guide http://www.star-ecentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/5/3/nation/20050503105955 & sec=na\ tion ________________________ Tuesday May 3, 2005 Finding a way for fireflies <b>BY TEOH TEIK HOONG</b> KUALA SELANGOR: A multi-disciplinary team set up by the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) has been given a year to come up with recommendations on the best way to conserve and rehabilitate the world-renowned fireflies habitat in Kuala Selangor. The conservation and rehabilitation plan, to be implemented in stages, will look at the whole river ecosystem, from the water quality, to the riverbank and the fireflies habitat at Kampung Kuantan. FRIM director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Mohamad Ali said the team, led by its forest plantations (biotechnology division) director Dr Abdul Rasip Abdul Ghani, would come up with recommendations by the end of the year. He also said research efforts by FRIM to find ways to protect the fireflies in Kuala Selangor would cost RM1.5mil over the next three years. He added that funds were needed to carry out a thorough assessment of the area. “A multi-disciplinary team in FRIM has been set up since January this year to look at various aspects of the area, from soil to the hydrological cycle of the area,” he added. Dr Abdul Rasip said the team had been allocated RM100,000 to carry out a preliminary assessment of the issue. “We are working closely with the Kuala Selangor District Council to come up with the best possible way to protect, and at the same time rehabilitate, the area. “We need to understand the threat to the fireflies better before coming up with recommendations,” he said after the launch of a FRIM-organised seminar with local boatmen from Kampung Kuantan. During the seminar, the boatmen were given a briefing on the fireflies, their ecology and what they needed to survive in the area. Dr Abdul Rasip said the task force comprised experts in Geographical Information System, mangroves, hydrology, soil, sociology, psychology, plantations and biology. “They will also compare disturbed and undisturbed habitats as part of their work,” he added. Dr Abdul Rasip said snails, which the firefly larvae fed on, were crucial to the survival of the fireflies. “Our team will look at what is conducive for the snails in terms of soil types and water quality. “Land use along the upper stretches of Sungai Selangor is also being looked at as it has a direct bearing on what happens to the fireflies in Kampung Kuantan,” he added. The berembang tree is the main congregation point for adult fireflies, which live for a month. However, the nesting ground for the fireflies and their larvae lie behind the berembang trees, in the midst of the nipah and sago trees. FRIM entomology research officer Nada Badruddin, who has been assigned to carry out more research on the ground, said the team believed the fireflies congregated on the berembang tree to feed on nectar produced by the tree. “We are carrying out more tests to ascertain this, although we know the sago and nipah trees are very important for the fireflies to breed and for the larvae to survive,” she added. <b>Related stories:</b> <a href= " http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/5/3/nation/20050503110128 & \ sec=nation " >Selangor Sultan to visit firefly colony </a><p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2004 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 ***************************Advertisement*************************** ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/5/3/nation/20050503105955 & sec=na\ tion ________________________ Tuesday May 3, 2005 Finding a way for fireflies <b>BY TEOH TEIK HOONG</b> KUALA SELANGOR: A multi-disciplinary team set up by the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) has been given a year to come up with recommendations on the best way to conserve and rehabilitate the world-renowned fireflies habitat in Kuala Selangor. The conservation and rehabilitation plan, to be implemented in stages, will look at the whole river ecosystem, from the water quality, to the riverbank and the fireflies habitat at Kampung Kuantan. FRIM director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Mohamad Ali said the team, led by its forest plantations (biotechnology division) director Dr Abdul Rasip Abdul Ghani, would come up with recommendations by the end of the year. He also said research efforts by FRIM to find ways to protect the fireflies in Kuala Selangor would cost RM1.5mil over the next three years. He added that funds were needed to carry out a thorough assessment of the area. “A multi-disciplinary team in FRIM has been set up since January this year to look at various aspects of the area, from soil to the hydrological cycle of the area,” he added. Dr Abdul Rasip said the team had been allocated RM100,000 to carry out a preliminary assessment of the issue. “We are working closely with the Kuala Selangor District Council to come up with the best possible way to protect, and at the same time rehabilitate, the area. “We need to understand the threat to the fireflies better before coming up with recommendations,” he said after the launch of a FRIM-organised seminar with local boatmen from Kampung Kuantan. During the seminar, the boatmen were given a briefing on the fireflies, their ecology and what they needed to survive in the area. Dr Abdul Rasip said the task force comprised experts in Geographical Information System, mangroves, hydrology, soil, sociology, psychology, plantations and biology. “They will also compare disturbed and undisturbed habitats as part of their work,” he added. Dr Abdul Rasip said snails, which the firefly larvae fed on, were crucial to the survival of the fireflies. “Our team will look at what is conducive for the snails in terms of soil types and water quality. “Land use along the upper stretches of Sungai Selangor is also being looked at as it has a direct bearing on what happens to the fireflies in Kampung Kuantan,” he added. The berembang tree is the main congregation point for adult fireflies, which live for a month. However, the nesting ground for the fireflies and their larvae lie behind the berembang trees, in the midst of the nipah and sago trees. FRIM entomology research officer Nada Badruddin, who has been assigned to carry out more research on the ground, said the team believed the fireflies congregated on the berembang tree to feed on nectar produced by the tree. “We are carrying out more tests to ascertain this, although we know the sago and nipah trees are very important for the fireflies to breed and for the larvae to survive,” she added. <b>Related stories:</b> <a href= " http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/5/3/nation/20050503110128 & \ sec=nation " >Selangor Sultan to visit firefly colony </a><p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2004 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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