BackgroundSoutheast Asia is known for its rich linguistic, cultural and biological diversity. While ethnobiology in the west has benefitted greatly from intellectual and methodological advances over the last decades, the status of Southeast Asian ethnobiology is largely unknown. This study aims to provide an analysis of the current status of ethnobiology in Southeast Asia and outlines possibilities for future advancements.MethodsWe accessed papers cited in the Scopus and Web of Science databases for the period of 1960 to 2014 using the current as well as previous names of the 11 Southeast Asian countries and various disciplines of ethnobiology as key words. We juxtaposed the number of publications from each country against its number of indigenous groups and languages, to see if ethnobiology research has addressed this full spectrum of ethnical diversity. The available data for the last ten years was analysed according to the five phases concept to understand the nature of studies dominating Southeast Asian ethnobiology.Results and conclusionsA total number of 312 publications were recorded in the databases for the period 1960–2014. Indonesia ranks highest (93 studies), followed by Thailand (68), Malaysia (58) Philippines (42), Vietnam (31), Laos (29), and other Southeast Asian countries (44). A strong correlation was found between the number of publications for each country, the number of indigenous groups, and the number of endangered languages. Comparing the data available for the period 2005–2009 with 2010–2014, we found a strong increase in the number of phase 5 publications. However, papers with bioprospecting focus were also on the rise, especially in Malaysia. Our study indicates that ethnobiologists still need to realise the full potential of the Biocultural Diversity of Southeast Asia, and that there is a strong need to focus more on socially relevant research.

This article demonstrates the potential of using ethnotaxonomy and nomenclature to assess the vitality status of indigenous languages and traditional knowledge at the ecosystem level. We collaborated with the Vaie people of Sarawak, Malaysia, applying a mixed methodology approach that relies on free-listing to a large extent. We applied the Traditional Knowledge and Language Vitality (TraLaVi) index to assess traditional knowledge and language vitality against five major parameters, specifically: language priority, retrieval of information, knowledge erosion, lexical recognition, and social support for exchange of traditional knowledge.  The results show that with a TraLaVi score of 0.84, the Vaie language can be considered “safe”. Individuals practicing the traditional occupation of fishing fared better (mean=0.90) than those of the non-fishermen group (mean=0.77). However, when the language vitality was assessed using the Language Vitality and Endangerment assessment tool of UNESCO, the results indicate that the Vaie language could potentially be in the “unsafe” zone, highlighting the differences between the ecosystem based approach of the TraLaVi and the macro-approach of UNESCO. However, these approaches can be applied in a complementary manner to generate a more accurate portrayal of the language vitality scenario.

Abstract. Hartoyo APP, Sunkar A, Ramadani R, Faluthi S, Hidayati S. 2021. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis for vegetation cover in Leuser Ecosystem area, Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 1160-1171. About 2 Mha of 24.3 Mha degraded area in Indonesia is inside conservation area. The Leuser Ecosystem Area (LEA) is the largest conservation area in Malesian forest that plays essential role in biodiversity and ecosystem services conservation efforts. It is the last habitat on earth where Sumatran tigers, elephants, orangutans, and rhinoceros are found together. However, LEA faces many threats, such as infrastructure development, and industrial palm oil plantation. Additionally, vegetation cover data as an approach to monitor forest cover changes in LEA is still lacking and baseline data regarding composition, structure as well as vegetation diversity in LEA is very limited. The objectives of this study were to analyze vegetation cover using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in LEA and its relation to agroforestry structure, composition and diversity in Agusen Village, Gayo Lues District and Alur Durin Village, East Aceh District, Aceh Province belonging to LEA. Based on the NDVI analysis, the largest area in LEA belonged to class 5, meaning that the most area in LEA was dominated by high dense vegetation (1,870,116.40 ha). The average accuracy and standard error of NDVI analysis were 83.33% and 2.62. LEA is an effective buffer for maintaining forest ecosystems and increasing the local communities' welfare through agroforestry system. Agroforestry structures in agroforestry practices, both in Agusen Village and Alur Durin Village did not reflect reverse-J curve, meaning that enrichment planting for increasing numbers of individual and species was necessary. Management of agroforestry system depends on the landowners or managers and their selection of shade tree species with high economic value with market demand such as C. arabica, T. cacao with A. moluccanus, L. leucocephala, H. brasiliensis, D. zibethinus, etc. Trees that produce non-timber products are also an alternative way for conservation strategy and sustainable utilization.

The distribution of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in the Cibodas Biosphere Reserve (CBR) area is enormous. Controlling IAS distribution is essential to be carried out, for the high potential threat to the native plant species. Generally, IAS species invade an open area of the forest. A review has been conducted with a literature study regarding recorded data about invasive alien species and studies about the utilization of plants by communities around CBR, especially the Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park area. The selected IAS list was further analyzed by using Index Cultural Significant (ICS). Recent studies concluded that 88 species of IAS spread out in the CBR area. On the other hand, many studies showed that IAS is widely used by the related communities in the CBR area. About 41 species out of 88 IAS were used by the communities, mainly for medicinal purposes. Utilisations of the medicinal plant were rooted in their traditional knowledge and culturally important for the communities’ livelihood. Additional input or recommendation for IAS management and policy in CBR was formulated by considering these conditions.

The forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) sector in Indonesia is expected to contribute 60% of the greenhouse gas emission reduction. The priority location for enhancing carbon stock as the mitigation action is natural forests, such as Mount Halimun Salak National Park (MHSNP). The objectives of this research were to estimate vegetation cover changes in 2016, 2019, 2022, and to analyze the forestry programs affecting forest cover in MHSNP. This research used Landsat 8 satellite imagery. NDVI was categorized into five classes, specifically class 1 (the clouds/non-vegetation), class 2 (very low dense vegetation), class 3 (low dense vegetation), class 4 (moderately dense vegetation), and class 5 (highly dense vegetation). MHSNP vegetation cover consecutive in 2016, 2019 and 2022 is dominated by class 1 (35,94% or 31.508,45 ha), class 2 (30,86% or 27.053,73 ha), and class 5 (58,76% or 51.543,18%), respectively. In general, the large vegetation cover from 2016 to 2022 is increasing from 87.662,06 ha to 87.716,88 ha and is significantly denser. It might be caused by the success of the forestry program in MHSNP, such as increasing the rehabilitation area, tree adoptions, and restoration in collaboration with communities and companies.