Pasoh: A new tree species, ‘Timonious pasohensis,’ has been discovered at the Pasoh Forest Reserve in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Director-General Datuk Dr Ismail Parlan announced the discovery, which was initially collected during the first re-census of the Pasoh 50-hectare plot in 1985 and recently published as a new species in 2024.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the establishment of permanent ecological plots allows researchers to study the demographics and dynamics of forests over long periods. The Pasoh 50-hectare long-term demographic plot is the second oldest large dynamic plot among the 78 plots worldwide. Dr. Ismail highlighted that all trees with a diameter at breast height (dbh) of 1 cm and above are measured, mapped, tagged, and identified, with tree censuses carried out every five years.
Research at Pasoh Forest Reserve began in 1964, with the FRIM Pasoh Research Station (SPF Pasoh) established in 1970 to study forest ecology in tropical lowland forests. An area of 1,840 hectares of the reserve was gazetted as a research forest by the Forestry Department of Negeri Sembilan in 1977. Dr. Ismail expressed gratitude to the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia and the Negeri Sembilan State Forestry Department for their continuous support.
Collaboration with local and international research institutions, such as the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, Forest Global Earth Observatory, and several Japanese universities, has led to an increase in research activities at Pasoh. These collaborations have expanded research focus from ecology to hydrology, climate, and zoology.
In addition to tree ecology, fauna monitoring studies have been conducted through the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) research project. Since 2011, 60 camera traps have captured images of various fauna species, including endangered ones, as categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
The Carbon Initiative Research Project at Pasoh aims to determine the amount of carbon in the forest and understand the mechanisms leading to variations in the carbon pool over time and space. Another ongoing project is the Seed and Seedling Monitoring Project, a joint venture with National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan, CTFS-ForestGEO, and STRI.
A new initiative under ForestGEO, the NGEE Tropics project, seeks to integrate physiological and demographic data to improve predictions of tropical forest dynamics in an Earth System Model, focusing on the effects of environmental changes on plant physiology. Dr. Ismail emphasized the growing importance of ecological studies in addressing environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
To support research efforts, a 52-meter high aluminum tower was built at SPF Pasoh to install equipment that records temperature, wind, rain, and sunlight radiation. These data help study the effects of climate change on the forest environment. Since its establishment, research at Pasoh has resulted in over 411 publications, including journals, books, and technical papers.
Infrastructure at the Pasoh station has been improved, with a new building under construction to support various research and workspace activities. Meanwhile, Dr. Mohd Zaki Abdullah, Director of FRIM’s Forestry and Environment Division, welcomed 108 participants from 12 local and international agencies to the Pasoh Seminar 2025, aimed at showcasing the wide range of research conducted at the reserve.