Five species of slow lorises were once considered to comprise a single strongly polymorphic species, Nycticebus coucang, ranging throughout South and Southeast Asia. The cryptic nature of these nocturnal primates has led to a lack of understanding of their distribution patterns and abundance. In short surveys, often few if any lorises are detected, meaning that the few available density estimates are from long-term studies. Based on new research in Sebangau National Park, Borneo, and compilation of survey data from other areas, we provide the Wrst comparative abundance estimates for all Wve slow loris species: N. coucang occurred in signiWcantly higher abundances (median encounter rate 0.80/km: n = 15), than N. bengalensis (0.26/km; n = 12), or N. javanicus (0.11/km: n = 2), N. menagensis (0.02/km: n = 3), and N. pygmaeus (0.13/km: n = 4). Abundance estimates in Sebangau (0.19/km) did not increase with increasing survey eVort, but for all species and studies combined, study duration was positively correlated with abundance estimates. We did not Wnd a relation between abundance and body mass, nor between abundance and latitude. Long-term studies are more likely to be conducted at sites where the species of interest is particularly plentiful. The data suggest that slow lorises occur at low abundances throughout much of their range, and some in larger social groups than previously assumed. We recommend taking into account the species' heterogeneous distribution (potentially requiring larger survey eVort), their social structure, the use of red lights as opposed to white lights whilst surveying, and to make use of their vocalisations when surveying slow lorises.
Forested tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia are being rapidly converted to
agriculture or degraded into non-forest vegetation. Although large areas have been
abandoned, there is little evidence for subsequent forest recovery. As part of a
study of forest degradation and recovery, we used seed removal experiments and
rodent surveys to investigate the potential role of post-dispersal seed predation in
limiting the regeneration of woody plants. Two 14-day seed removal trials were done
in deforested and forested peatland habitat in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Seeds
of Nephelium lappaceum, Syzygium muelleri, Artocarpus
heterophyllus (all animal-dispersed) and Combretocarpus rotundatus
(wind-dispersed) were tested. Significantly more seeds (82.8%) were removed in
forest than non-forest (38.1%) and Combretocarpus had the lowest removal in
both habitats. Most handled seeds were eaten in situ and little caching was
observed. Six species of rodents were captured in forest and five in non-forest. The
most trapped taxa were three Maxomys spp. in forest (85.5% of individuals)
and Rattus tiomanicus in non-forest (74.8%). Camera traps confirmed that
rodents were responsible for seed removal. Seed predation in deforested areas, which
have a much lower seed rain than forest, may contribute to the low density and
diversity of regenerating forest.
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