PRESS RELEASE : 4th Nov 2008
Some of the Earth’s most spectacular limestone formations can be found in Malaysia. For example, the world’s largest natural underground chamber, Gua Nasib Bagus, can be found in the limestone karsts of Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak.
Recognized as ‘arks of biodiversity’, karsts are home to many unique species of birds, bats, insects, snails, fish, mammals and plants. Animals inhabiting karsts provide important ecosystem services such as pollination and pest control in surrounding areas.
Unfortunately, many karsts in Malaysia are being quarried for cement and marble, with logging activities and land clearance around it also degrading these biodiversity havens.
A team of biologists have come up with a scientific basis to identify limestone karsts for protection.
Using data from 43 karsts across Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, the study discovered that larger karsts, particularly those more than 1 km sq., deserve greater protection as they contain higher numbers of endemic land snails, and potentially other endemic plants and animals.
“Larger areas tend to have greater habitat diversity, which enables them so support a higher number of unique species.” says Reuben Clements, lead author of the study published in the November issue of the journal Biological Conservation.
“The protection of karsts has been mainly ad hoc and they are usually spared from quarrying by virtue of being situated within state and national parks, or if they possess some form of aesthetic or cultural value.” says Clements.
In addition, groups of karsts that have been isolated from other groups by geographical barriers such as mountains and rivers potentially contain significantly distinct species compositions.
“Taking Peninsular Malaysia for example, our results now suggest that we should aim to set aside larger karsts on both sides of the Titiwangsa mountain range for protection if we want to maximize the conservation of endemic species” added Clements. “Protecting large karsts in Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu is not enough. We have to ensure that the larger karsts in Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Perlis are protected as well”.
Concerns were recently highlighted regarding the potential quarrying of Gunung Jebak Puyuh, a pristine karst located in Pahang.
“This study shows that our concerns over the quarrying of Jebak Puyuh are warranted because its area is more than 1 km sq.” says Hymeir Kamarudin, President of the Malaysian Karst Society.
Indeed, the study found seven species of snails restricted to that area, compared to just one species on a much smaller karst measuring 0.06 km sq. located further south.
“It is not surprising that a large number of unique species of plants and animals have been and continue to be recorded from Jebak Puyuh.” added Hymeir.
Pressure to mine karsts for limestone is likely to increase. A previous study by Clements showed that Southeast Asia has the greatest annual average increases in limestone quarrying - 5.7 percent a year.
“With our findings, we hope that state governments would reconsider issuing mining concessions for larger karsts as they tend to be more biologically important.” says Clements.
“Mining companies should also look towards extracting abundant limestone deposits below ground instead of leveling Earth’s precious biodiversity arks”.
For further information, please contact Reuben Clements at: rclements@wwf.org.my or call +60132183992.
Previous press on studies on limestone karst conservation and biodiversity authored by Reuben Clements:
news.nationalgeographic.com/news
www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/science
www.nature.com/nature/journal
