Centre for Biodiversity Conservation

Following decades of underinvestment in the education sector, biodiversity conservation in Cambodia is severely hampered by a shortage of trained conservationists and reliable biodiversity data. Located in the Department of Biology, the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (CBC) aims to respond to these challenges by providing “A national hub for postgraduate education, original biodiversity research, information dissemination and inter-agency collaboration”.

The CBC strives to provides essential knowledge, skills and experience in contemporary conservation biology and in the management and sustainable use of natural resources. To this end, the centre presently undertakes activities in four areas, as follows:

Masters of Science in Biodiversity Conservation

Established in 2005, the Masters of Science in Biodiversity Conservation was created to address the urgent need for qualified conservationists to guide Cambodia towards sustainable development, address existing knowledge gaps, and uphold the nation’s commitments to conserving its biodiversity. Presently on its sixth student intake, the postgraduate course provides university students and staff with:

• A firm grounding in contemporary ecological and conservation management theory, and knowledge of project management and strategic planning
• Real life and transferable experience in designing and undertaking field research, data analysis and interpretation, reporting and presentation
• Outstanding opportunities to conduct original research and conservation projects with government agencies, non-government organisations (NGOs) and overseas universities and institutions.

Students completing the Masters are ideally equipped to enter the fast-growing sectors of biodiversity conservation and natural resource management in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. On completion of the programme, students with outstanding potential are also eligible for employment with the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation.

Zoological and Botanical Reference Collections

Linked to the postgraduate course, the CBC established zoological and botanical collections in purpose-built rooms at the Department of Biology in 2007. Still the only natural history museums in Cambodia, these collections are an important step in reversing the historical pattern of biological material from the country being lodged in western institutions, which few Cambodian scholars can afford to visit.

The purpose of the collections is to promote studies on Cambodia’s little known biodiversity by university staff and students, as well as researchers from other organisations. As a consequence, these have become an important national asset for cataloguing Cambodian biodiversity and will facilitate the development of much needed species identification guides and sytematic revisions. The collections are also regularly used in teaching on the Masters programme and by students undertaking course assignments and thesis projects.

Cambodian Journal of Natural History

Cambodia’s first peer-reviewed scientific journal was launched in 2008 by Fauna & Flora International and the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Aimed at helping Cambodian scientists to share their findings and improve their writing skills, it addresses the critical need for information on the conservation status and management requirements of Cambodian biodiversity.

The journal publishes original work by Cambodian and foreign scientists on all aspects of Cambodian natural history, including species behaviour, new species records, landscape ecology, management policies and the use of natural resources. All papers are peer-reviewed by leading national and international scientists and published in English, with summaries in Khmer language. More than half of the authors are Cambodians.

Guidelines for authors and previous issues of the journal can be freely downloaded at: http://www.fauna-flora.org/publications/cambodian-journal-of-natural-history/

Conservation Research

More recently in 2009, the CBC established an initiative to assist Cambodian scholars to undertake original lines of research on contemporary scientific and conservation questions. The biological studies undertaken by CBC staff frequently emphasize lesser known taxa, and as the centre already provides training to the postgraduate level through its Masters programme, the initiative further assists its scholars to secure financial support for doctoral studies and applied research projects.

To the same end, the CBC undertakes collaborative projects with the Cardamom Mountains Research Group of Fauna & Flora International, whose goal is to “Undertake scientific research to provide a sound basis for the monitoring and management of the biophysical assets of Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary and other globally important conservation areas in Cambodia”. Research projects presently being undertaken by CBC staff include:

• A taxonomic review of the Rhinolophus megaphyllus group (Rhinolophidae) in Southeast Asia with particular reference to Rhinolophus affinis. Principal investigator: Mr. Ith Saveng (PhD candidate), in association with Dr Sara Bumrungsri (Prince of Songkla University, Thailand), Dr Nikky Hammond (Harrison Institute, UK), Dr Gabor Csorba (Hungarian Natural History Museum) and Dr Neil Furey (Fauna & Flora International - Cambodia).
• Use and ecology of medicinal plants of the Cardamom Mountains in Thmar Bang District in Cambodia. Principal investigator: Mr. Ly Viboth (PhD candidate), in association with Dr Jean-louis Devineau (IRD, France), Dr Hul Sovanmoly (Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, France), Dr David Bruno (Pierre-Fabre Research Institute, France), Dr Anne Fournier (IRD, France) and Prof. Cheng Sun Kaing (Faculty of Pharmacy, Cambodia).
• Cambodian bats: systematics and taxonomy. Principal investigator: Mr. Chheang Sarak (MSc), in association with Dr Neil Furey (Fauna & Flora International – Cambodia).
• Cambodian birds: assemblage-level responses to habitat disturbance. Principal investigator: Mr. Chhin Sophea (MSc), in association with Mr. Paul Nielson (Freelance Ornithologist, Cambodia) and Dr Robert Thompson (Turku University, Finland).
• Cambodian butterflies: species composition and biogeography. Principal investigator: Mr. Hun Seiha, in association with Dr Alexander Monastyrskii (Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre, Vietnam).
• Cambodian rotifers: species diversity and distribution in the upper part of the Cambodian Mekong River Basin. Principal investigator: Ms. Meas Seanghun (MSc), in association with Dr Ken Wong (freelance scientist).
• Cambodian herpetofauna: systematics and conservation. Principal investigator: Mr. Neang Thy (MSc), in association with Dr Lee Grismer (La Sierra University, USA) and Dr Bryan Stuart (North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, USA).
• Monitoring of landscape change and population trends of large mammals in Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary, Southwest Cambodia. Principal investigator: Mr. Seng Rathea (MSc), in association with Mr. Neang Thy (Fauna & Flora International - Cambodia).
• Comparison of the rotifer fauna of lakes and reservoirs in Cambodia. Principal investigator: Mr. Sor Ratha (MSc), in association with Dr Hendrik Segers (Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences) and Ms. Meas Seanghun (Royal University of Phnom Penh).