Gunung Belumut Biodiversity Scientific Expedition

1. This morning concluded the Scientific Expedition to Gunung Belumut (Mount Moss), Johor, organised jointly by the Department Forestry Peninsular Malaysia & Forestry Department Johor. It was officially opened by YB Tuan Tan Kok Hong, on the morning of 10th, an Exco of State Government Johor, representing the Chief Minister Johor.

2. More than 150 scientists and support staffs took part representing Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysian Nature Society (Johor), Forestry Research Institute Malaysia, SIRIM Bhd., Putrajaya Botanic Gardens, PERHILITAN Johor, and the various state forestry departments.

3. Dr. Maketab UTM and his team looked at watershed issues & water issues while Dr. Mohd Kamil and his team investigated the water quality of the rivers and streams in the area. Dr Shahir UTM and his team looked at the area in the aspects of GIS and land-use.

4. Dr. Fauziah UM studied beetles diversity, Dr. Norela UKM studied the moths and butterflies diversity, Dr. Shahrul Annuar USM & Nor Zalifah UMT as usual investigated the small mammals, birds and bats diversity; the SIRIM Bhd team collected leaf litter & soil for actinomycetes and bacteria screening. Dr. Alex Ng UKM and his team studied the thrips and wasps; Prof. Jambari UPM and En. Khairulnizam JPNPahang studied spiders; others collected cicadas etc.

5. The flora group consists of En. Damanhuri UKM and his team collected mosses and liverworts; Dr. Haja Maideen UKM and his team studied ferns and fern-allies; Dr. Rusea Go UPM and her team and En. A Rahman Jalil JPNPahang studied orchids; En. Nasir PLKepong surveyed the dipterocarps; Shamsul & Tajuddin UPM and En. Mohd Rahim Rani JPSM surveyed the ethnobotany; Dr. Nazre UPM studied garcinias; the team from FRIM surveyed the lianas among others;

6. A dozen of participants climbed Gunung Belumut and on the first night they were greeted by heavy rains and thunders. They were wondering how come the mountain is called "mossy" where there was not much moss on the floor of the mountain peak. According to Damanhuri there were sands! The mountain should be re-named Gunung Berpasir.

7. Other team members did other studies and surveys. These findings will be presented in a seminar next year to be organised by Forestry Department Johor.
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