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Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms

Termites are the major decomposers in tropical region but yet their occurrences in oil palm plantation especially in peat soil are generally treated as pest. Study of termite species in peat land was conducted in selected oil palm plantations in North Sarawak with 5-7 years old palms and South Saraw...

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Main Author: King, Patricia Jie Hung
Format: Article
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Termites
Peat soils
Agricultural - Research
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/113320/
https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=pjbs.2012.108.120
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spelling my.upm.eprints.1133202024-11-25T07:05:19Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/113320/ Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms King, Patricia Jie Hung Termites are the major decomposers in tropical region but yet their occurrences in oil palm plantation especially in peat soil are generally treated as pest. Study of termite species in peat land was conducted in selected oil palm plantations in North Sarawak with 5-7 years old palms and South Sarawak with 13-15 years old palms with two sites in each area. Results of quadrate (25x25x30 cm) sampling showed termite was significantly higher in relative density with increasing depth of soil (0-10 = 21.23, 10-20 = 42.52 and 20-30 cm = 81.12%) which could be advantaged from being predated by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) which were higher in density from soil surface to 10 cm soil depth with relative density of 31.84%. Modified transect sampling (50x6 m) had successfully sampled 18 species of termites from 2 families (Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae), 5 subfamilies (Rhinotermitinae, Coptotermitinae, Termitinae, Macrotermitinae and Nasutitermitinae) and 11 genera (Coptotermes, Schedorhinotermes, Termes, Macrotermes, Nasutitermes, Globitermes, Amitermes, Parrhinotermes, Pericapritermes, Havilanditermes and Prohamitermes). Both plantation sites have termite dominantly feeding on rotten wood as a result of abundant dead woods. However, Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren was identified to feed on the living tissues of oil palm causing damage or death of the tree. Study showed higher encounter of soil-feeding termite in longer established plantation. It indicates the gradually shifting of soil condition towards a stabilized environment which favors the successful settlement of soil feeder termite species. Termite control should be more targets specific to avoid harming beneficial termites. 2012 Article PeerReviewed King, Patricia Jie Hung (2012) Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 15 (3). pp. 108-120. ISSN 10288880 https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=pjbs.2012.108.120 Termites Peat soils Agricultural - Research 10.3923/pjbs.2012.108.120
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
building UPM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Putra Malaysia
content_source UPM Institutional Repository
url_provider http://psasir.upm.edu.my/
topic Termites
Peat soils
Agricultural - Research
spellingShingle Termites
Peat soils
Agricultural - Research
King, Patricia Jie Hung
Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms
description Termites are the major decomposers in tropical region but yet their occurrences in oil palm plantation especially in peat soil are generally treated as pest. Study of termite species in peat land was conducted in selected oil palm plantations in North Sarawak with 5-7 years old palms and South Sarawak with 13-15 years old palms with two sites in each area. Results of quadrate (25x25x30 cm) sampling showed termite was significantly higher in relative density with increasing depth of soil (0-10 = 21.23, 10-20 = 42.52 and 20-30 cm = 81.12%) which could be advantaged from being predated by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) which were higher in density from soil surface to 10 cm soil depth with relative density of 31.84%. Modified transect sampling (50x6 m) had successfully sampled 18 species of termites from 2 families (Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae), 5 subfamilies (Rhinotermitinae, Coptotermitinae, Termitinae, Macrotermitinae and Nasutitermitinae) and 11 genera (Coptotermes, Schedorhinotermes, Termes, Macrotermes, Nasutitermes, Globitermes, Amitermes, Parrhinotermes, Pericapritermes, Havilanditermes and Prohamitermes). Both plantation sites have termite dominantly feeding on rotten wood as a result of abundant dead woods. However, Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren was identified to feed on the living tissues of oil palm causing damage or death of the tree. Study showed higher encounter of soil-feeding termite in longer established plantation. It indicates the gradually shifting of soil condition towards a stabilized environment which favors the successful settlement of soil feeder termite species. Termite control should be more targets specific to avoid harming beneficial termites.
format Article
author King, Patricia Jie Hung
author_facet King, Patricia Jie Hung
author_sort King, Patricia Jie Hung
title Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms
title_short Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms
title_full Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms
title_fullStr Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms
title_full_unstemmed Biodiversity of Termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms
title_sort biodiversity of termite (insecta: isoptera) in tropical peat land cultivated with oil palms
publishDate 2012
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/113320/
https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=pjbs.2012.108.120
_version_ 1817844624936402944
score 13.222552

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