No abstract

, has an area of 544 km2 and a wide range of rain forest formations on several soil types and at altitudes of 5G2376 m. It has an annual rainfall of about 5000 mm. (2) Sites of 1 ha were established in each of four contrasting types of primary lowland rain forest: alluvial forest (AF); dipterocarp forest (DF); heath forest (HF) and forest over limestone (LF). All trees (210 cm dbh) were measured for dbh and height, except for the LF where height was calculated using a regression equation based on height and diameter measurements of a sample of thirty-four trees. Estimates of numbers or biomass or both of small trees (< 10 cm dbh), lianes, ground herbs and ferns, and epiphytes (including ferns) < 3 m from the ground were also made. Epiphytes > 3 m from the ground and bryophytes were not ennumerated. The total above-ground forest biomass (t ha-' dry weight) was calculated as: AF, 250; DF, 650; HF, 470; LF, 380. (3) Leaf and branch material were collected from each tree and, as far as possible, identified to species. There were at least 223 species ha-' in the AF; 214 in the DF; 123 in the HF; and seventy-three in the LF. (4) Soil analyses were carried out using standard methods on twenty-five samples from each site. The A F soil was heterogenous, with gley soils of high base status in the lower, occasionally flooded, part and podzols and peats in the higher part. The D F soil was acid and very low in calcium. It was lower in total exchangeable bases than the very acid podzolic soils of the HF. The LF soils were shallow, highly organic, of high base status, and neutral to mildly acid pH. (5) It was demonstrated that the species-rich D F occurred on very poor soils but there was no simple relationship between soil nutrient element concentrations and biomass or species richness. Many factors are probably involved in controlling these attributes. (6) The causes of the distinctive sclerophyllous leaves of the heath forest are discussed. It is suggested that extreme soil acidity (in the absence of a buffering effect of Alt++) in the organic soils limits nitrogen mineralization and that low levels of biologically active nitrogen favour sclerophylly. Those features of heath forest which reduce transpiration may be important in reducing the mass flow of soil toxins to the root surfaces.

The clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa has already disappeared from part of its range in southern Asia; it is classified as vulnerable by IUCN and is on Appendix I of CITES. Little is known about this secretive forest-dweller anywhere in its range, and the sparse information needs to be augmented so that effective conservation measures may be taken if necessary. In early 1986 the senior author travelled through the interior of Malaysian Borneo, staying at villages and timber camps, to assess the status of the species in the region and to find out more about its behaviour.

No abstract

The production of flowers and fruit below ground (geoflory and geocarpy, respectively) is a paradoxical reproductive strategy that seemingly hinders pollination and dispersal. Though rare, these phenomena occur in 33 angiosperm families. Plants that flower and fruit entirely below ground are exceptionally unusual. Pinanga subterranea (Arecaceae), a species new to science from Borneo, is the first member of the palm family recorded to flower and fruit almost exclusively below ground. This raises many questions about its evolution, pollination and dispersal, which we discuss here. Strikingly, this remarkable species is widespread across western Borneo and valued by the local people for its edible fruits but has escaped the attention of scientists until now.