Pasoh Research, Past and Present

Abstract

The Pasoh forest reserve (Pasoh FR), albeit in an atypically dry region of Peninsular Malaysia, is now one of the most extensive remaining examples of the mixed dipterocarp forests which once covered the lowlands west of the main range. Its gentle topography provides the most extensive relatively homogeneous terrain, and thereby opportunity to examine large scaIe community patterns. The Pasoh FR has become the paradigm for lowland dipterocarp forest through publications emanating from a succession of independent research projects there, and is now the leading center for international field research in the Asian tropical forest. We here describe the history of this work and its present status.