INTERNATIONAL AMPHIBIAN SYMPOSIUM AND PHILATELIC EXHIBITION
27.04.2017 0800-1700 hours PITAS Conference Hall,UNIMAS
The Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation will be organising an international scientific symposium on the biology of amphibians in the Indo-Pacific Region and a philatelic exhibition on the same theme, on 27 April 2017. The same will commemorate both the 25th year of establishment of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and the 6th International Bornean Frog Race. The Symposium would be a follow-up of “Biology of the Amphibians in the Sunda Region, South-east Asia”, organised between 28 September and 1 October 2009 here. A printed proceeding of the same has published, and the Conference has led to greater synergy amongst research groups, student training and publications. |
Several research groups have been interested in amphibians, and have conducted active research in the Indo-Pacific region in parallel. These results show that the biodiversity of the region’s amphibians has been underestimated, making the region one of the richest in amphibian species in the world. Most of the new discoveries have been made from montane regions and offshore islands, but important findings have also been made from areas once considered well-sampled. Parts of south-east Asia were not glaciated and served as refugia during the heights of the Pleistocene glaciation events. The region has a complex history of sea-level fluctuations that attached and detached islands to the Asian mainland. The Indo-Pacific region shows a high diversity of geology and climate, and therefore, supports diverse ecological conditions; and the area still holds relatively large unbroken tracts of primary forests, such as tropical rainforests and montane forests. It is expected that the new species recently described from the region are just a beginning of the recognition of cryptic species, and that further application of more advanced techniques will show reveal the existence of many additional lineages.
Despite the intensified interest in amphibians in the region, it has also become evident that for known species even baseline data about life history, reproduction, larval life, and ecological needs of many known species are missing. Lack of these data is of particular concern for conservation biology. The activities of the research groups so far have been mostly separate from each other, thus, limiting synergy and scientific progress across groups and borders. The recent advances published, however, document that the Indo-Pacific region holds a wealth of research opportunities for the future, some of which can only be addressed if research groups synergize their efforts and resources. The meeting outlined here intends to give various research groups in the region a platform for exchange information, collaborate and network.
An exhibition of stamps will be held at the venue. It will feature postal stamps depicting amphibians of the world, and will be an official attempt for the Guinness Book of World Records. Inaugurating the exhibition will be the President of the Philatelic Society of Kuching Sarawak, Dr. Ong Liap Teck of Swinburne University.
In this Symposium, we hope to bring together recent research activities in a series of talks and presentations. We intend to
• bring together research groups,
• discuss future options for collaboration such as joint research, data access and resource sharing,
• promote student work and bring students in touch with scientists and park administrators,
• invite National Parks management staff to observe how research, conservation management and ecotourism could integrate better,
The theme of the Symposium will be science (systematics, ecology, taxonomy, biodiversity, morphology, biogeography) and conservation related to amphibians of south-east Asia and adjacent regions of the Indo-Pacific. Participants will include researchers from multidisciplinary fields, such as systematics, taxonomy, ecology, morphology, behaviour, biogeography, ethnobiology and conservation which are related to amphibians of South-east Asia and the Indo-Pacific. The Symposium would be attracted to researchers worldwide, especially those attending the 6th International Bornean Frog Race, as either speakers/resource persons or participants.
Speaking slots are limited to 10, and we are under pressure to select those most appropriate for the theme. Applications for a speaking slot and/or a poster presentation should be made through emailing to the Organizing Committee or to a member of the Technical Committee (idas@ibec.unimas.my). There will be no registration fees for speakers or poster presenters. Other participants have to pay a nominal registration fee (RM50), which includes a symposium kit, coffee and lunch. Presentations will be in the form of lectures and poster papers.
FINAL SYMPOSIUM PROGRAMME
Venue: Pusat Islam Tun Abang Salahudin (PITAS) Auditorium
UNIMAS campus, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak
Date: 27 April 2017
08:00AM- Registration
09:00AM- Opening Ceremony – Director, IBEC & Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), UNIMAS
09:15AM- Session 1 (Chair: Andrew Alek Tuen):
Plenary Lecture: Phillip John Bishop- The biology and conservation of the unique and ancient New Zealand frogs
10:00AM- Coffee Break
10:30AM- Ramlah Zainudin, Elvy Quatrin Deka, Nur Amirah Sungif and Ahmad Hata Rasit – Beyond molecules: lessons learnt from Bornean frogs
11:00AM- Taha bin Wahab, Suhaili bin Mokhtar, Yong Min Pui and Indraneil Das - Amphibians: potential nature tourism product for Sarawak’s National Parks
11:30AM- Ulmar Grafe - Threats to biodiversity from forest conversion: amphibians are at risk
12:00PM- Ong Liap Teck - Introduction to philately and stamp exhibition
12:30PM- Lunch Break / Frog Stamp Exhibition
13:30PM- Session 2 (Chair: Jongkar Grinang)
Seshadri Kadaba Shamanna – Reproductive ecology and conservation of a bamboo breeding frog of the Western Ghats, India
14:00PM- Pang Sing Tyan and Indraneil Das – How do frogs race? Public and community outreach for amphibian conservation
14:30PM- Amaël Borzée – How can Korean amphibians benefit from agricultural practices?
15:00PM- Coffee break
15:15PM- Session 3 (Chair: Gabriel Tonga Noweg)
Muhammad Fadzil Amram, Ramlah Zainudin and Marly Matleen Augustine Agoh – Notes on advertisement call playback by selected Bornean frogs
15:45PM- Elvy Quatrin Deka, Aida Shafreena and Ramlah Zainudin – Habitat utilisation by the Bornean Horned Frog (Megophrys nasuta) in Sarawak
16:15PM- Pui Yong Min Pui, Taha bin Wahab, Ulmar Grafe and Indraneil Das – Temporal and spatial analysis of amphibian vocalization in tropical rainforests of Sarawak, north-western Borneo
16:45PM- Summary and Closing Remarks by Lim Boo Liat
17:00PM- End of Symposium
Venue: Pusat Islam Tun Abang Salahudin (PITAS) Auditorium
UNIMAS campus, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak
Date: 27 April 2017
08:00AM- Registration
09:00AM- Opening Ceremony – Director, IBEC & Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), UNIMAS
09:15AM- Session 1 (Chair: Andrew Alek Tuen):
Plenary Lecture: Phillip John Bishop- The biology and conservation of the unique and ancient New Zealand frogs
10:00AM- Coffee Break
10:30AM- Ramlah Zainudin, Elvy Quatrin Deka, Nur Amirah Sungif and Ahmad Hata Rasit – Beyond molecules: lessons learnt from Bornean frogs
11:00AM- Taha bin Wahab, Suhaili bin Mokhtar, Yong Min Pui and Indraneil Das - Amphibians: potential nature tourism product for Sarawak’s National Parks
11:30AM- Ulmar Grafe - Threats to biodiversity from forest conversion: amphibians are at risk
12:00PM- Ong Liap Teck - Introduction to philately and stamp exhibition
12:30PM- Lunch Break / Frog Stamp Exhibition
13:30PM- Session 2 (Chair: Jongkar Grinang)
Seshadri Kadaba Shamanna – Reproductive ecology and conservation of a bamboo breeding frog of the Western Ghats, India
14:00PM- Pang Sing Tyan and Indraneil Das – How do frogs race? Public and community outreach for amphibian conservation
14:30PM- Amaël Borzée – How can Korean amphibians benefit from agricultural practices?
15:00PM- Coffee break
15:15PM- Session 3 (Chair: Gabriel Tonga Noweg)
Muhammad Fadzil Amram, Ramlah Zainudin and Marly Matleen Augustine Agoh – Notes on advertisement call playback by selected Bornean frogs
15:45PM- Elvy Quatrin Deka, Aida Shafreena and Ramlah Zainudin – Habitat utilisation by the Bornean Horned Frog (Megophrys nasuta) in Sarawak
16:15PM- Pui Yong Min Pui, Taha bin Wahab, Ulmar Grafe and Indraneil Das – Temporal and spatial analysis of amphibian vocalization in tropical rainforests of Sarawak, north-western Borneo
16:45PM- Summary and Closing Remarks by Lim Boo Liat
17:00PM- End of Symposium
Please make payment (student= RM 30, non-student = RM 50, fee inclusive meals) immediately after submitting the registration form to guarantee your participation, since the symposium is limited to 150 participants only.
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Payment can be made at:
IBEC, UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK 94300, KOTA SAMARAHAN, KUCHING SARAWAK (OFFICE HOURS) or Bank Transfer to RHB BANK BERHAD Account no. : 2-11128-5000150-5 SWIFT CODE: RHBBMYKL Payee name: UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK or Telegraphic transfer to PAYABLE TO: UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK ACCOUNT NUMBER: 2-11128-5000150-5 SWIFT CODE: RHBBMYKL ADDRESS: RHB Bank Bhd. SUBLOT 12 & 13 UNISQUARE COMMERCIAL CENTRE 94300 KOTA SAMARAHAN. Please submit proof of payment to Miss Pang Sing Tyan Email: 14010019@siswa.unimas.my Contact Person Prof. Indraneil Das : idas@ibec.unimas.my |