Opportunities exist for BSc/MSc projects or dissertations to be undertaken on any aspect of peat swamp forest ecology. Projects must be original; contribute to the existing body of knowledge and have a conservation application; must be well-planned and planned well-in-advance; be feasibly completed within ten weeks; and be approved by your academic supervisor. We can only assist two to three student projects per expedition group, so prospective volunteers wishing to do this should let us know as soon as possible. We can then work together to develop the objectives and methods.

Over the past five years we have strived to produce interesting and novel research titles. We expect that the field research carried out by OuTrop be as accurate and indepth as possible. We have decided that the most effective way to do this is to require all students undertaking research to join the expedition for 10 weeks rather than the usual 7 weeks.

The reason for this is that it removes some of the pressure on the researcher to get things done in a short time span and allows for the unpredictable nature of field research. The researcher can pilot and refine their methods, test more hypotheses and obtain a larger dataset. Wherever possible, it will also allow the researcher time to enjoy some of our other projects, which is an integral part of joining the OuTrop expedition, and to take part in activities such as the trip to Tanjung Puting National Park.

If you are interested in undertaking your undergraduate or postgraduate research with us please contact us for more details.

Previous Projects

A number of undergraduate and post graduate students have undertaken research projects on diverse and varied aspects of peat swamp forest ecology, continuing to increase our understanding of this unique and understudied ecosystem. Several have resulted in presentations at symposia/conferences, been published in peer-review journals, and some have been so successful that they have now been integrated into our long-term research goals.

Reports from several of these projects are available online on our website. To see the list of reports available please click here. If you would like to see the report of a project listed below that is not on our website, please write to info@orangutantrop.com

Post-graduate Projects

Masters Thesis research

1999

Assessment of the effects of the 1997/1998 forest fires and anthropogenic deforestation on the vegetation and Coleoptera found within the Tropical Peat Swamp forest habitat of Central Kalimantan Indonesia - Laura D'Arcy, Manchester Metropolitan University

Orangutan density and distribution in the Northern Sebangau- Claire McLardy, University of Nottingham

2000

Changes in orangutan density and distribution 1999-2000 in the Sebangau catchment - Rebecca Driscoll, University of Nottingham

Habitat factors affecting orangutan density - Nick Fear, University of Leicester

2001

Impact of logging disturbance o orangutan density and distribution - Andrew Hearn, Manchester Metropolitan University

2002

Investigation into the human communities of the Sebangau peat swamp forests: demography, attitudes and impacts - Victoria Smith, Oxford Brookes University

2004

Density of agile gibbon ( Hylobates agilis albobaris ) in a Tropical Mixed Peat Swamp Forest - Cara Buckley, Oxford Brookes University

Determining factors that affect Orang-utan nest-site choice - Andrea Gibson, University of East Anglia

2005

Estimating the density of four sympatric primate species using line transects  - Marcela Ley Vela, Roehampton University

The distribution and ecology of nocturnal primates in the Sebangau National Park - Grace Blackham, Oxford Brookes University

2006

Agile gibbon locomotion in a disturbed peat swamp forest - Clare Thompson, University of Cambridge

Undergraduate Projects

Honours dissertation research

2001

Extent, effects and consequences of illegal logging extraction canals on orangutan distribution in the upper Sungai Sebangau catchment - Nick Baker, University of Nottingham

Spatial distribution of fruit abundance and diversity, at the height of the dry season relative to the to the river and the potential link with the orangutan ( pongo pygmeaus ) distribution - Michelle Nesbitt, University of Leeds

2002

Effects of the construction of logging railways on forest structure, diversity and regeneration - Tris Allinson, University of East Anglia

Effects of the construction of logging skids on forest structure, diversity and regeneration - Nick Dyer, University of Nottingham

Importance of non-timber forest products to local livelihoods and forest conservation - Anna Lyons, University of East Anglia

Effects of the construction of logging canals on forest structure, diversity and regeneration - Anna Swift, University of Aberdeen

2003

An examination of the orangutan nest-count survey method - Martin Muir, University of Glasgow

How does the beetle (Coleoptera) fauna change at the edge of a mixed peat swamp forest in Borneo? - Jon Sydney, University of East Anglia

2004

Habitat diversification of Nymphalidae butterflies in peat swamp forest - Katie Brady, University of Southampton

Analysis of seed predation rates and secondary seed dispersal by small mammals - Laura Graham, University of Cambridge

Bird nest predation and forest edge-effects - Anna Lucas, University of Plymouth

Survey of the primates of the Sebangau Ecosystem - Alice Teixeira, Anglia Polytechnic University

Agile gibbon ( Hylobates agilis) vocalisations: genetics vs. geography - Claire Thompson, Anglia Polytechnic University

In collaboration with OuTrop

To investigate the presence of dialect in the great call of the Bornean agile gibbon ( Hylobates agilis) - Hugh Sturock and Anna Lewis Edinburgh University