RESEARCH  INTERESTS

Diversity, Community Ecology and  Conservation Biology of small mammals with a focus on bats.

CURRENT PROJECTS

1. I am currently studying the community ecology and population genetics of forest-dependant insectivorous bats in collaboration with Dr. Tigga Kingston (Texas Tech University),  Dr. Stephen J.Rossiter (Queen Mary University of London), Professor Dr. Thomas H. Kunz (Boston University) and Dr. Adura Mohd. Adnan (University Kebangsaan Malaysia). We are comparing species assemblages of bats from different sites in Malaysia to identify biotic and abiotic factors that promote diversity and shape community structure of bats on the local scale. Given the widespread fragmentation of once contiguous landscapes, biodiversity in future will be conserved in multi-use managed landscapes. Thus it is important to determine as to how the bats respond to habitat perturbations.This is being done using a variety of techniques such as harp trapping, radiotelemetry, ultrasound recording and DNA analysis. Standardized protocols will allow for direct comparison at a regional, and ultimately global scale via the SEABCRU network.
2. A similar study, as above, focusing on small mammals,  understorey forest birds and water birds is being undertake in the Tasik Chini Catchment. The lake catchment consists of a mosaic of  forest reserves, oil palm and rubber plantations. Tasik Chini was declared Malaysia’s first Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB) by UNESCO in 2009.

The Malaysian Bat Conservation Research Unit (MBCRU)

With Dr Tigga Kingston (Texas Tech University),  I founded the Malaysian Bat Conservation Research Unit (MBCRU) in 2001, to promote the conservation of Malaysia’s unique bat fauna through long term conservation research, capacity building and environmental education. The MBCRU is a collaboration among Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Texas Tech University (USA), Boston University (USA) and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Malaysia. The research focuses on the patterns and processes affecting diversity in insectivorous bat communities in undisturbed rainforest in Krau Wildlife Reserve and the surrounding fragmented landscape. With support from National Science Foundation  DEB (USA) the MBCRU provided full funding for 4 graduate students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, supervised jointly by Dr Kingston and myself (3 MSc and 1 PhD) and in-kind support for 6 International postgraduate students. The MBCRU also conducted numerous technical workshops and outreach events, and produced the book “Bats of Krau Wildlife Reserve” (Kingston, T., Lim, B.L. & Zubaid, A. 2006). The success of the MBCRU was the inspiration for the region-wide organization the South East Asian Bat Conservation Research Unit (SEABCRU) in 2007.
Web site: http://seabcru.org/

TEACHING

Undergraduate courses: Animal  Diversity, Basic Ecology, Field Methods, Vertebrate Biology, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy & Conservation  Biology
Postgraduate courses: Conservation Biology & Natural Resource Prospecting

AWARDS

Recipient of the Third World Academy of Sciences Prize to Young Scientists 1993 (in Biology) by the TWAS/TWNSO National Committee for Malaysia.

PUBLICATIONS

International Journals

1.  Hill, J.E., A. Zubaid & G.W.H. Davison. (1986). The taxonomy of  the leaf-nosed bats of the Hipposideros bicolor group (Chiroptera :Hipposideridae) from southeastern Asia. Mammalia, 50(4):535-40.

2.  Zubaid, A. & G.W.H. Davison. (1987).  A comparative study of the baculum in Peninsular Malaysian hipposiderines. Mammalia,51(1):139-144.

3.  Zubaid, A. (1988). Food habits of Hipposideros pomona (Chiroptera:Rhinolophidae) from Peninsular Malaysia. Mammalia, 52(1):134-37.

4.  Zubaid, A. (1988). Food habits of Hipposideros armiger (Chiroptera:Rhinolophidae) from Peninsular Malaysia. Mammalia, 52(4):585-588.

5.  Hill, J.E. and Zubaid, A. (1989). The Dyak leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros dyacorum Thomas, 1902 (Chiroptera : Hipposideridae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Mammalia, 53(2): 307-308.

6.  Zubaid, A. (1990). Food and roosting habits of the black-bearded  Tomb bat, Taphozous melanopogon from Peninsular Malaysia. Mammalia, 54 (1):159-162.

7.  Zubaid, A. and Fatimah, A.M. (1990). Hair  morphology in Malaysian pteropodids. Mammalia, 54(4):627-632.

8.  Zubaid, A. and Gorman, M.L.(1991). The diet of wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, living in a sand dune habitat. Journal of Zoology, London, 225:227-232.

9.  Davison, G.W.H. and Zubaid, A. (1992). Food habits of the lesser false vampire, Megaderma spasma, from Kuala Lompat, Peninsular Malaysia. Zeitschrift fur Saugetierkunde, 57:310-312.

10. Gorman, M.L. and Zubaid, A. (1993). A comparative study of the ecology of woodmice Apodemus sylvaticus in two contrasting habitats: deciduous woodland and maritime sand-dunes. Journal of Zoology, London, 229:385-396.

11. Zubaid, A. (1993). A comparison of the bat fauna between a primary and fragmented secondary forest in Peninsular Malaysia. Mammalia, 57(2):201-206.

12. Zubaid, A. and Gorman, M.L. (1993) The effect of supplementary feeding upon the demography of a population woodmice, Apodemus sylvaticus, living on a system of maritime sand-dunes. Journal of Zoology, London, 230:609-617.

13.  Zubaid, A. and Gorman, M.L. (1993). The effect of supplementary feeding upon the sizes of the home ranges of woodmice, Apodemus sylvaticus, living on a system of maritime sand-dunes.  Journal of Zoology, London, 231:233-237.

14. Zubaid, A. (1994). Vertical stratification of pteropodid bats in a Malaysia lowland rainforest. Mammalia 58(2):309-311.

15. Funakoshi, K., Zubaid, A. and Matsumura, S. (1995). Evidence for clicks emitted by some megachiropteran bats. Zoological Science, 12:503-505.

16. Zubaid, A. and Gorman, M.L. (1996). The effect of supplementary food upon  the activity patterns of wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, living on a system of maritime sand-dunes. Journal of Zoology, London, 238:759-768.

17. Tan, K.H., Zubaid, A. and Kunz, T.H. (1997). Tent construction and social organisation in Cynopterus brachyotis (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Journal of Natural History, 31:1605-1621.

18. Funakoshi, K. and Zubaid, A. (1997). Behavioural and reproductive ecology of  the dog-faced fruit bats Cynopterus brachyotis and C. horsfieldi in a Malaysian rain forest. Mammal Study, 22:95-108.

19. Tan, K.H., Zubaid, A. and Kunz, T.H. (1998). Food habits of Cynopterus brachyotis (Muller) (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 14: 299-307.

20. Kingston, T., Jones, G., Zubaid, A. and Kunz, T.H. (1999). Echolocation  signal design in Kerivoulinae and Murinae (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Malaysia. Journal of Zoology, London, 249: 359-374.

21. Rajamani, L., Aminah, A., Zubaid, A., Tan, K.H. and Kunz, T.H. (1999).  Chemical composition of leaves consumed by the lesser dog-faced fruit bat, Cynopterus brachyotis in Peninsular Malaysia. Acta Chiropterologica, 1 (2): 209-214.

22. Kingston, T., Jones, G., Zubaid, A. and Kunz, T.H. (2000).  Social calls in clear-winged woolly bats (Kerivoula pellucida) from Malaysia. Bioacoustics, 11: 1-16.

23. Kingston, T., Jones, G., Zubaid, A. and Kunz, T.H. (2000). Resource partitioning in rhinolophid bats revisited. Oecologia, 124: 332-342.

24. Kingston, T., Lara, M.C., Jones, G., Zubaid, A., Kunz, T.H. and Schneider, C.J. (2001). Acoustic divergence in two cryptic Hipposideros species: a role  for social selection. Proceedings Royal Society London B, 268: 1381-1386.

25. Mohd-Azlan, J., Zubaid, A., & Kunz, T.H. (2001). Distribution, relative  abundance, and conservation status of the large flying fox, Pteropus  vampyrus, in Peninsular Malaysia: a preliminary assessment. Acta
Chiropterologica, 3(2):149-162.

26. Kingston, T., Francis, C.M., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H. (2003). Species richness in an insectivorous bat assemblage from Malaysia. Journal of  Tropical Ecology, 19: 67-79.

27. Kingston, T., Jones, G., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H. (2003). Alternation of  echolocation calls in 5 species of aerial-feeding insectivorous bats  from Malaysia. Journal of Mammalogy, 84 (1): 205-215.

28. Hodgkison, R., Balding, S.T., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H. (2003). Fruit bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) as seed dispersers and pollinators in a lowland Malaysian rain forest. Biotropica, 35(4): 491-502

29. Campbell, P., Schneider, C.J., Adnan, A.M., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H,. (2004).  Phylogeny and phylogeography of Old World fruit bats in the Cynopterus  brachyotis complex. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 33: 764-781.

30. Hodgkison, R., Balding, S.T., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H. (2004). Temporal variation in the relative abundance of fruit bats (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae) in relation to the availability of food in a lowland
Malaysian rain forest.  Biotropica, 36(4):522-533.

31. Hodgkison, R., Balding, S.T., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H. (2004). Habitat  structure, wing morphology, and the vertical stratification of Malaysian fruit bats (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae). Journal of Tropical Ecology,
20:667-673.

32. Campbell, P., Schneider, C.J., Adnan, A.M., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H,. (2006). Comparative population structure of Cynopterus fruit bats in peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand.  Molecular Ecology, 15: 29-47.

33. Tabah, A., Rossiter, S.J., Kingston, T., Zhang, S., Parsons, S., Mya, K.M.,  Zubaid, A., & Jones, G. (2006). Genetic divergence and echolocation call frequency in cryptic species of Hipposideros  larvatus s.l. (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) from the Indo-Malayan region). Biological Journal of  the Linnean Society, 88: 119-130.

34.  Campbell, P.,  A. Zubaid,  A. M. Adnan, and  T. H. Kunz.  2006.   Resource distribution and social       structure in two harem-forming species of old world fruit bats: variations on a polygynous theme.  Animal Behaviour, 72:687-698.

35. Campbell, P.,  N. M. Reid,  A. Zubaid,  A. M. Adnan, &  T. H. Kunz.  2006.   Comparative roosting         ecology of Cynopterus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) fruit bats in peninsular Malaysia. Biotropica, 38:725-734.

36.  Cosson, L., Grassman, L.I., Zubaid, A., Vellayan, S., Tillier, A. & Veron, G. 2007. Genetic  diversity of captive binturongs (Arctictis binturong, Viverridae, Carnivora): Implications for  conservation.  Journal of Zoology, London, 271: 386-395.

37.  Campbell, P., C. J. Schneider, A. Zubaid, A. M. Adnan, & T.H. Kunz. 2007. Morphological and  ecological  correlates of coexistence in Malaysian fruit bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae).  Journal of Mammalogy,  88(1): 105-118.

38. Hodgkison, R., Ayasse, M., Kalko, E.K.V., Haberlein, C., Schulz, S., Wan Aida, W.M., Zubaid, A. & Kunz, T.H. 2007. Chemical ecology of fruit bat foraging behaviour in relation to the fruit  odors of two species of Paleotropical bat-dispersered figs (Ficus hispida and Ficus scortechinii).  Journal of  Chemical Ecology, 33: 2097-2110.

39. Francis, C.M., Kingston, T. & Zubaid, A. 2007. A new species of Kerivoula (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from peninsular Malaysia. Acta Chiropterologica, 9(1): 1-12.

40. Patou, M.L., Debruyne, R., Jennings, A.P., Zubaid, A., Rovie-Ryan, J.J. & Veron, G. 2008.        Phylogenetic relationships of the Asian palm civets (Hemigalinae & Paradoxurinae, Viverridae, Carnivora). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 47: 883-892.

41. Imansyah, M.J., Jessop, T.S., Ciofi, C. & Zubaid, A. 2008. Ontogenetic differences in the spatial       ecology  of  immature Komodo dragons. Journal of Zoology, London, 274:107-115.

42.  Struebig, M.J., Horsburgh, G.J., Pandhal, J., Triggs, A., Zubaid, A., Kingston, T., Dawson, D.A. &        Rossiter, S.J. 2008. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the papillose woolly bat,        Kerivoula papillosa (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Conservation Genetics, 9:751-756.

43. Struebig, M.J., Kingston, T., Zubaid, A., Mohd-Adnan, A & Rossiter, S.J. 2008. Conservation value of forest fragments to Palaeotropical bats. Biological Conservation, 141:2112-2126.

44. Streubig, M.J., Kingston, T., Zubaid, A., Le Comber, S.C., Mohd-Adnan, A., Turner, A., Kelly, J.,        Monika, B. & Rossiter, S.J. 2009. Conservation importance of limestone karst outcrops for Paleotropical bats in a fragmented landscape. Biological Conservation, 142: 2089-2096.

 45. Epstein, J.H., Olival, K..J., Pulliam, J.R.C., Smith, C., Westrum, J., Hughes, T., Dobson, A.P.,  Zubaid, A., Rahman, S.A., Basir, M.M., Field, H.E. & Daszak, P. 2009. Management of Pteropus  vampyrus, a hunted migratory species with a multinational home-range. Journal of Applied  Ecology, 46: 991-1002.

46.  Jennings, A.P., Zubaid, A. & Veron, G. 2010. Ranging behavior, activity, habitat use, and morphology of the Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga) on Peninsular Malaysia and comparison with studies on Borneo and Sulawesi. Mammalian Biology, 75: 437 – 446.

47.  Jennings, A.P., Zubaid, A. & Veron, G. 2010. Home ranges, movements and activity of the short-        tailed mongoose (Herpestes brachyurus) on Peninsular Malaysia. Mammalia. Mammalia, 74: 43 – 50.

48.  Voigt., C.C., Zubaid, A., Kunz, T.H. & Kingston, T.  2011. Sources of assimilated proteins in Old and New World phytophagous bats. Biotropica, 43: 108-113.

National Journals

1.  Zubaid, A. & K.I. Sudderuddin.(1982).The laboratory evaluation of  diflubenzuron against Plutella xylostella. Malaysian Journal of  Science, 7:53-59.

2.  Hill, J.E., A. Zubaid & G.W.H. Davison.(1985). Hipposideros  lekaguli, a new leaf-nosed bat recorded in Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal, 39:147-148.

3.  Zubaid, A. & G.W.H. Davison.(1986). Taburan ektoparasit pada kelawar dalam genus Hipposideros. Sains Malaysiana, 15:345-348.

4.  Zubaid, A., G.W.H. Davison & J.E. Hill.(1986). Morphological variation in bats. Sains Malaysiana, 15:325-328.

5.  Davison, G.W.H. & Zubaid, A.(1987). The abundance of bats in selected forest types at Ulu Endau, Johore, Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal, 41:441-446.

6.  Zubaid, A. & G.W.H. Davison.(1988). Rhinolophus marshalli, a new horseshoe bat recorded in Peninsular Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana,  17:367-368.

7.  Zubaid, A.(1988). Morfologi bulu kelawar dalam genus Hipposideros di Semenanjung Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana, 17:293-299.

8.  Zubaid, A.(1988). The second record of a trident horseshoe bat,  Aselliscus stoliczkanus (Hipposiderine) from Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal, 42(1):29-30.

9.  Zulkifli, B.M.S., A. Zubaid & G.W.H. Davison. (1992). Satu kajian terhadap mollusk purba di tapak arkeologi Kuala Selingsing, Pulau Kelumpang, Perak. Jurnal Arkeologi Malaysia, 5:55-96.

10. Kamis, A.B., Nordin, M. and Zubaid, A.(1994) A review of the biology of the lesser mouse deer, Tragulus javanicus from Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana, 23:1-8.

11. Zubaid, A. (1994). Bornean Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus borneensis  newly recorded in Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal, 48:37-38.

12.  Zubaid, A. and Lim, S.P. (1995).  Home range of Whitehead’s rat, Maxomys whiteheadi. Wallaceana, 76:13-15.

13. Zubaid, A. and Rizal, M. (1995). The relative abundance of rats  between two forest types in Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature  Journal, 49: 139-142.

14. Lim, S.P. and Zubaid, A. (1995). Determination of habitat use in some Malaysian rats using fluorescent powder tracking. Malayan Nature Journal ,49:143-146.

15. Zubaid, A. and Khairul, E.A. (1997). A comparison of small mammal abundance between a primary and disturbed lowland rain forest in  Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal, 50:201-206.

16. Kingston, T., Kunz, T.H., Hodgkison, R. and Zubaid, A. (1997).  Phoniscus jagorii, a vespertilionid bat newly recorded from Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal, 50: 363.

17. Dakog, A.K. Senik, M.S., Zubaid, A. and Davison, G.W.H. (1997). Understorey avifauna of the UKM forest reserve, a fragmented and  disturbed lowland rainforest. Malayan Nature Journal, 50:337-46.

18. Syakirah, S. and Zubaid, A. 1997. Space use and activity patterns  of 3 species of diurnal small mammals in the Bangi Forest Reserve, UKM, Bangi. Sains Malaysiana,  26(3&4):39-44.

19. Kong, K.H., Zubaid, A. and Kamis, A.B. 1997. Aras hormon testosteron dan  progesteron dalam kelawar Cynopterus brachyotis di kampus Universiti  Kebangsaan Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana, 26(3&4):47-52.

20. Husni, I.H. dan Zubaid, A. 1998. Space use by the long-tailed  giant rat (Leopoldamys sabanus) in the UKM Forest Reserve. Malaysian Applied Biology, 27: 116-118.

21. Tan, K.H., Zubaid, A. and Kunz, T.H. (1999). Roost selection and social organisation in Cynopterus horsfieldi (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). Malayan Nature Journal, 53: 105-110.

22. Bong, S.M., Yew, G.S., Zubaid, A and Kamis, A.B. (1999). The reproductive  cycle of male insectivorous bats, Scotophilus kuhlii, from Peninsular  Malaysia. Malaysian Applied Biology,28(1&2): 93-97.

23. Asogan, A., Zubaid, A. and Kamis, A.B. (1999). Notes on oxygen consumption and some related blood parameters in two species of bats (Cynopterus brachyotis and Scotophilus kuhlii) found in Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysian  Applied Biology,  28(1&2): 123-124.

24. Tan, K.H., Zubaid, A. and Kunz, T.H. (2000). Fruit dispersal by the lesser  dog-faced fruit bat, Cynopterus brachyotis (Muller)(Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). Malayan Nature Journal, 54 (1): 57-62.

25. Syakirah, S., Zubaid, A., Prentice, C., Lopez, A., Azmin, M.R. and Mohd-Yusuf, A. (2000). A small mammal survey at Tasek Bera, Pahang, Malaysia’s first Ramsar site. Malayan Nature Journal, 54(1): 31-41.

26. Tay, T.W., Marina, M.T., Wong, C.H., Zubaid, A. and Kamis, A.B. (2001). The reproductive pattern of Hipposideros larvatus and Cynopterus horsfieldi  from an agricultural habitat. Malaysian Applied Biology, 30 (1 & 2): 81-92.

27. Tay, T.W., Marina, M.T., Wong, C.H., Zubaid, A. and Kamis, A.B. (2001).  Reproductive cycle of Hipposideros larvatus from an undisturbed tropical  forest. Malaysian Applied Biology, 30 (1 & 2): 93-98.

28. Wong, C.H., Gee, Y.L., Zubaid, A. & Kamis, A.B. (2002). Twinning  Scotophilus kuhlii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from peninsular  Malaysia. Malaysian Applied Biology, 31(1): 71-73.

29. Yeap, C.A. and Zubaid, A. (2002). Harpiocephalus mordax (Thomas 1923),  a new record for Taman Negara, Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature  Journal, 56 (2): 195-197.

30. Marina, M.T., Tay, T.W., Wong, C.H., Zubaid, A. & Kamis, A.B. (2003).  Sperm counts, abnormalities and viability in an insectivorous bat,  Hipposideros larvatus. Malaysian Applied Biology, 32: 29-34.

31. Zubaid, A., Idris, A.G., & Tan, D. (2004). Feeding habits of selected  insectivorous bats in Perlis, Malaysia. Malaysian Applied Biology, 33: 69-72.

32. Fletcher, C., Shukor, M.N. & Zubaid, A. (2004). An elevational study of  insectivorous bats at Gunong Nuang, Selangor, Malaysia. Malaysian Applied  Biology,  33: 41-49.

33. Siti-TafzilMeriam, S.A.K., Azila, M.Y.R., Zubaid, A., & Kamis, A.B. (2004).  Sperm abnormalities in insectivorous and frugivorous bats from a fragmented  Forest. Malaysian Applied Biology, 33: 67-69.

34. Yeap, C.A., Zubaid, A., Prentice, C., Lopez, A. & Davison, G.W.H. (2004).   Avifauna in a peat swamp forest at Tasek Bera, Malaysia’s first Ramsar  site. In Mansor, M., Ali, A., Rieley, J., Ahmad, A.H. & Mansor, A. (Eds.. Tropical peat swamps: safe-guarding a global natural resource. Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

35. Ginny-Ng, S.L., Shahrim-Senik, M., Zubaid, A. & Davison, G.W.H. (2005).  A comparison of the bird fauna of a forest fragment and a contiguous  forest: lessons for avian conservation. Malayan Nature Journal, 57 (2): 209-220.

36. Azila, M.Y.R., Siti-Tafzilmeriam, S.A.K., Sharena, S., Kamis, A.B. & Zubaid, A. (2005). Sperm abnormalities in frugivorous bats in peninsular  Malaysia – A preliminary assessement. Malaysian Applied Biology,  34(1):75-76.

Books

1. Zubaid, A., McCracken, G.F. & Kunz, T.H. (2006).  Functional and  Evolutionary Ecology of Bats. Oxford University Press, New York.  ISBN 0-19-515472-X

2. Kingston, T., Lim, B.L. &  Zubaid, A. (2006).  Bats of Krau Wildlife  Reserve. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan  Malaysia, Bangi. ISBN 967-942-756-0

3. Zubaid, A., Shahrim-Senik, M., Davison, G.W.H., Nagata, H. & Md-Dali, S. (1997). Burung sekitar kampus Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. (Birds in the vicinity of the UKM campus). Fakulti Sains Hayat.    ISBN: 983-9647-26-1.

4. Zubaid, A., Noran, A.M. dan Dali, M.S. 1996. Panduan Teknik Taksidermi Vertebrat. (Guide to Techniques in Vertebrate Taksidermy) Muzium  Zoologi,Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. ISBN 983-9647-21-0.

5. Zainal, B.A.H. and Zubaid, A. (1996). Conservation and Faunal Biodiversity in Malaysia. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. ISBN 967-942-356-5.

Last update: 10th January 2011