No abstract

Sarawak is endowed with numerous pristine and estuarine mangroves. However, information pertaining to the species composition and diversity of pristine mangroves of Sarawak is scanty. Hence, this study was carried out to assess the plant composition and diversity of Sibuti mangrove forest, Miri, Sarawak to investigate the current status and diversity of vegetation. Nine mangrove plant species were recorded employing the line transect (100À240 m) survey method. Major mangrove species were Rhizophora apiculata, Xylocarpus granatum, and Nypa fruticans. The stand density was recorded as 1938.46 § 482.24 trees ha ¡1 , 1722.22 § 254.58 saplings ha ¡1 , and 6222.22 § 384.90 seedlings ha ¡1 . The mean diameter, height, and basal area for the whole forest stand were 20.83 § 13.79 cm, 13.53 § 5.55 m, and 201.83 § 12.68 m 2 ha ¡1 , respectively. The mean diameter of the dominant species R. apiculata was 24.10 § 13.90 cm, height 15.18 § 5.09 m, and basal area 176.13 § 12.73 m 2 ha ¡1 . The importance value index (IVI) of R. apiculata was 202.24 followed by 63.85 for X. granatum. Shannon diversity indices (H 0 ), Margalef richness (D), and Peilou evenness (J 0 ) of the forest stand were 1.18, 1.41, and 0.54, respectively. Similarity of species composition showed two major clusters for the whole forest stand. The findings of this study suggest that Sibuti mangrove forest stand is undisturbed and healthy. This forest could be managed and conserved for multi-sectoral uses such as ecotourism, biodiversity, research, and education rather than solely as a wildlife sanctuary.

Cancer is the second-ranked disease and a cause of death for millions of people around the world despite many kinds of available treatments. Phytochemicals are considered a vital source of cancer-inhibiting drugs and utilize specific mechanisms including carcinogen inactivation, the induction of cell cycle arrest, anti-oxidant stress, apoptosis, and regulation of the immune system. Family Fabaceae is the second most diverse family in the plant kingdom, and species of the family are widely distributed across the world. The species of the Fabaceae family are rich in phytochemicals (flavonoids, lectins, saponins, alkaloids, carotenoids, and phenolic acids), which exhibit a variety of health benefits, especially anti-cancer properties; therefore, exploration of the phytochemicals present in various members of this family is crucial. These phytochemicals of the Fabaceae family have not been explored in a better way yet; therefore, this review is an effort to summarize all the possible information related to the phytochemical status of the Fabaceae family and their anti-cancer properties. Moreover, various research gaps have been identified with directions for future research.

The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected over 200 countries, forcing governments to impose lockdowns to contain the spread of the disease. Although effective in reducing infection rates, the lockdowns have also resulted in a severe negative impact on mental health throughout the world; Setting the foundation for mental illnesses to become the next “silent” pandemic. This study attempts to determine a self-care method of ensuring mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for those living under lockdown. We evaluated the potential of physical exercise (in a nature setting) and nature therapy in improving mental wellbeing, among young adults with either stress, anxiety or depression symptoms. The study involved thirty subjects, who were equally divided into a nature-exercise group and a nature therapy group. The participants were briefed on the activities that they were to perform on a daily basis, and both groups performed their assigned activities concurrently for one week (27th April 2020 to 3rd May 2020) at urban greeneries accessible to them (rooftop parks, neighbourhood parks, home gardens). We used the depression, anxiety and stress scale – 21 items (DASS-21) to evaluate the mental health status of participants, once before beginning the study (baseline readings) and once at the end of the study (after a week of nature-exercise/nature therapy). There was a statistically significant reduction in stress, anxiety and depression symptoms for both the nature-exercise and nature therapy groups. However, when evaluating the effectiveness of exercise and nature therapy in treating stress, anxiety and depression symptoms on a case-by-case basis, it was discovered that nature therapy was more effective in treating mental health issues. Hence, nature therapy has the potential to be a form of preventive medicine, namely in preserving mental health during the COVID-19 crisis.

Forest fragmentation results in a loss of forest interior and an increase in edge habitat. As a result, these changes may affect the bird species distribution and composition. We studied how understorey bird community composition and habitat variables changed along an edgeto-interior gradient in a fragmented lowland rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia. Birds and environmental variables were recorded at each of the 93 sampling points distributed along the 14 parallel transects that were systematically placed across the gradient of distance from the forest edge to the forest interior. Species composition was different along the edge-interior gradient, although only a few species were strictly confined to either edge or interior habitat. Based on bird-habitat associations along the edge-interior gradient, some of these edgepreferred species occurred in high numbers at the matrix surrounding the patch. In contrast, the interior-specialist group, mainly terrestrial insectivores, avoided the forest edge and was positively associated with humidity, canopy cover, the number of dead trees, percentage of litter cover, and depth of the litter layer. Species endemic to the Sunda subregion were more abundant in the interior of the forest. From a conservation perspective, forest remnants in the lowlands of Peninsular Malaysia that have a deep leaf litter layer, dense canopy cover, high number of dead trees, and high relative humidity are able to support understorey bird species that are sensitive to edge effects. The forest has important conservation value even though it is fragmented and isolated.