Tree Diversity Enhance Species Richness of Beneficial Insect in Experimental Biodiversity Enrichment in Oil Palm Plantation

Abstract

Integrating plantation landscape with vegetation/tree diversity has been proposed as a strategy to maintain crop production (for livelihood) while increasing biodiversity, habitat complexity and ecological functions. The objective of this research was to investigate the influence of tree biodiversity in experimental biodiversity enrichment in oil palm plantation to beneficial insects, especially ants and parasitoid wasps in the EFForTS-BEE research plot. Beneficial insects in experimental enrichment oil palm plantation are very important to be studied so that ecosystem services that are related with the changes of the plant structures over time can be understood better. Insect collections were done in two years, 2018 and 2019. Direct sampling was used to collect actual insects, pitfall traps to trap ground dwelling insects, yellow pan traps and malaise trap to trap low-flying insects, and sweep net to collect general insects. Overall, we collected 76 species of 6423 individual ants, and 174 morphospecies of 867 parasitoid wasps in this research. Abundance of ants and parasitoid wasps were not influenced either by tree diversity level in the plot nor the various plant diversity. In contrast, tree diversity level has strongly influenced species richness of ants and partially affected species richness of parasitoid wasps. In conclusion, there are positive correlation between ants’ and parasitoid wasps’ species richness and vegetation abundance.

Bees and wasps in the tropical lowland rainforest transformation in Jambi, Sumatra

“…The abundance and species richness of bees and wasps were also positively correlate with home garden heterogeneity in Jambi [30]. Moreover, the tree diversity and species richness of beneficial insects in the monoculture plantations showed that habitat abundance significantly leveled up the species richness of ants and parasitoid wasps [31].…”

Arthropod Community Structure in Oil Palm Nurseries

“…The predatory insects consisted of 7 families and 9 species, namely Carabidae, Coccinellidae, Asilidae, Dolichopodidae, Formicidae, Vespidae, and Thespidae (Table 2). The insect families that act as predators in oil palm plantations have previously been reported by Azhar et al (2022), consisting of Formicidae, Coccinellidae, Carabidae, Reduviidae, Anthocoridae, Mantidae, Chrysopidae, Staphylinidae, Mantispidae, and Libellulidae. Means that only three families of predatory insects are not found in oil palm nurseries.…”

Diversity of hymenoptera parasitoid wasp in oil palm with the presence and absence of non crop vegetation

“…[7] stated that the presence of flowering vegetation in an ecosystem could increase the survival and survival of insects. In addition, the positive correlation between the diversity of parasitoids wasp is strongly influenced by the abundance of lower vegetation [10]. Therefore, the diversity and abundance of Hymenoptera parasitoids wasp followed the diversity and abundance of alternative hosts and food sources for parasitoids in the form of flowering vegetation.…”