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Field biology is an area of research that involves working directly with living organisms in situ through a practice known as “fieldwork.” Conducting fieldwork often requires complex logistical planning within multiregional or multinational teams, interacting with local communities at field sites, and collaborative research led by one or a few of the core team members. However, existing power imbalances stemming from geopolitical history, discrimination, and professional position, among other factors, perpetuate inequities when conducting these research endeavors. After reflecting on our own research programs, we propose four general principles to guide equitable, inclusive, ethical, and safe practices in field biology: be collaborative, be respectful, be legal, and be safe. Although many biologists already structure their field programs around these principles or similar values, executing equitable research practices can prove challenging and requires careful consideration, especially by those in positions with relatively greater privilege. Based on experiences and input from a diverse group of global collaborators, we provide suggestions for action-oriented approaches to make field biology more equitable, with particular attention to how those with greater privilege can contribute. While we acknowledge that not all suggestions will be applicable to every institution or program, we hope that they will generate discussions and provide a baseline for training in proactive, equitable fieldwork practices.

Temperature, rainfall and extreme weather have been indicated to affect the phenological patterns and forest productivity by shifting flowering and fruiting seasons and patterns, as well as crop production. Dipterocarpaceae are high value trees for both timber and non-timber forest products. This study aims to determine the response of phenological patterns of flowering and fruiting of Dipterocarps to climate variables. The study was conducted at Way Canguk PHKA/WCSIP Research Station of the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP), Lampung during May-November 2012 by analyzing 14 years (1998-2012) of phenological data of Dipterocarps. The phenology surveys were carried out on monthly basis by estimating the percentage of flowering, fruiting (divided into 0-4 scoring) and the crop production. The results indicated that the phenological patterns of Dipterocarps in the area depicted major and minor patterns without mass-flowering time, different from what have been reported for Kalimantan or North Sumatra. Minor peak flowering season showed regular flowering, particularly during March to July every year. However, there were major flowering seasons in November 2002 (20.2%), September 2006 (21%), and October-November 2011 (20.3%). Average monthly fruit production showed a peak at the end of the dry season. Major flowering season seemed to coincide with the period of major El Nino events in November 2002 and September 2006, while others associated with La Nina. This study suggest that phenology and climate change may have implications in designing strategies for collection of seed materials to support the conservation and plantation programs of the Dipterocarps.

Most of the tropical lowland dipterocarp forests in Indonesia have been fragmented and isolated due to excessive logging and forest fire. In addition, the growth of dipterocarp is generally slow. If these conditions persist, it will eventually decrease the dipterocarp’s population. Information on phenological patterns and community structure are one of the basic pieces of knowledge for conservation management. We conducted research to answer these questions: what was the phenological pattern and population dynamics of Dipterocarpaceae, and to what extent did phenological pattern affect population dynamics of Dipterocarpaceae?

Bali Barat National Park was assessed for its suitability to receive RFS Protected Area CreditsTM. Part of the requirement is to select indicator groups from among 5 terrestrial taxa, within the eligible forest in the park boundaries, (1) insects - butterflies, (2) amphibian, (3) reptiles, (4) birds, and (5) mammals that can serve as r indicators for the overall ecosystem health of the TNBB. To select indicator groups, a biodiversity survey was conducted for during August-September 2015 in 3 study sites within Bali Barat National Park, Lebak Buah, Megatransect, and Brumbun. Different taxa were surveyed using peer-reviewed methods. The best indicator species within each taxa group (plants, butterflies, herpetofauna, birds and mammals) were defined based on their abundance and distribution in the eligible forest of the project area using Indicator Value method. Potential animal and plant indicator species were then assessed empirically for their cost-effectiveness based on survey effort and cost during the initial survey. Then they were evaluated for generality, functional importance, available scientific knowledge, and cross-taxon representation. Our results suggested that birds would be the best indicator species group, followed by butterflies, and plants. Such indicator is important surrogate for ecosystem health which can be used for conservation management priorities within protected area.

Pinus merkusii (Jungh. & de Vriese), the only pine species native to Indonesia, is threatened by land-use change, resource extraction, and fire. P. merkusii forests in Sumatra are subject to mixed-severity wildfires that can change forest structure over time. This project is only the second study to quantify differences between burned and unburned P. merkusii forests in Sumatra. We measured six burned-unburned paired sites for forest characteristics, regeneration, forest floor and woody debris, and effects of resin tapping. Fires killed more than 60% of P. merkusii trees and reduced tree biomass and carbon by about 40%. Fire killed trees of all sizes up to 60 cm diameter at breast height (DBH), but preferentially killed small trees with DBH less than 10 cm. Seedling regeneration of P. merkusii in the burned forest was higher on average than in the unburned forest, but the difference was not statistically significantly different and P. merkusii regeneration was low overall. Unlike continental Asian P. merkusii forests, the insular populations did not have a seedling grass stage or evidence of fire-stimulated germination. Forest floor and woody debris values were relatively low by the standards of global pine forests but comparable data do not exist for Indonesia. Recent tapping of trees for P. merkusii resin affected most trees over 20 cm DBH and was associated with high mortality in fires, suggesting that the interaction between resin tapping and fire could be lethal. Further research is needed to evaluate longer-term forest dynamics, especially for regeneration and the effects of resin tapping.