Biodiversity and Forest Change in Malaysian Borneo

T he rainforests of the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the northwest coast of Borneo have among the most diverse animal and plant life of any Old World site (Whitmore 1984). These forests are home to such rare and important species as the orangutan, the rhinoceros hornbill (a bird), giant-flowered Rafflesia, and the durian fruit. The species richness of this area makes it a natural staging ground for investigations of the factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of biological diversity in tropical forests. We have been examining these factors since 1980; however, recent economic and political developments in Sarawak have begun to affect our study of forest change. We have observed a tremendous increase in the impact of human-induced change on the composition of the rainforest as Sarawak has become a leading exporter of tropical logs. At present, human factors have a greater impact on Sarawak's forests than do natural processes. As a result, our research is increasingly oriented toward forest management and conservation issues.