Termite Assembledges, Niche Partitioning And Infestation In Natural, Disturbed And Plantation Forest In Northern Peninsular Malaysia
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Date
2016-04
Authors
Jasmi, Aiman Hanis
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Forest conversion causes the destruction of natural habitat, fragmentation and
degradation of an ecosystem functioning. Diversity and assemblages of organisms are
often negatively affected by the land conversion. The expansion of plantation forest such
as oil palm, rubber tree and forest plantations (e.g. Teak, Pinus and Araucaria) inflicts a
greater threat to our natural forest. Termites as the main decomposer of organic matter in
the tropical forest ecosystem are very much affected by the disturbances in their habitat.
The present study was conducted mainly to investigate the community structure and
assemblages of termites in the selected sites with different type of land-use and
disturbances. Forest disturbance was found to have negatively affecting termite diversity
and assemblages. The general trend of declining pattern of species richness can be
observed along the increasing disturbance gradient of Primary forest (ave: 16.5 sp.) >
Secondary forest (ave: 15.5 sp.)> Disturbed forest with building (ave: 13.5 sp.) >
Plantation forest (ave: 6 sp.). The wood feeders were the dominant feeding group found
in this study, contributing up to 70.3 % of the total species collected while the
Nasutitermitinae was represented with 13 species that make up the largest subfamily of
the overall species composition in this study. This study also aimed to investigate the
impact of area management on the termite community structure within a plantation forest
(Araucaria cunninghamii) over a three year period (2009 – 2011). The diversity and composition of termite in the managed area were found to be relatively stable while the
unmanaged area showed increasing species richness. A total of five species were
collected in year 1 followed by eight and 14 species in year 2 and 3 respectively. Four
feeding groups (wood feeders, soil-wood interface feeders, wood-litter feeders and
epiphyte feeders) were found in the plantation forest. The wood feeders were the most
important feeding guild represented by 12 species (75%). The final objective of this study
was to identify local termite species that are emerging as economically important pests of
structures built in the forest area and an Araucaria tree plantation. Sixteen species of
termites were identified infesting structures consisting of 10 genera from two families;
Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae. The higher termites of Termitidae made up the majority
with 13 species in which Globitermes sulphureus (18% of occurrences), Odontotermes
sarawakensis (16%) and Ancistrotermes pakistanicus (14%) were identified as the main
pest of structures in the study sites. In plantation forest area, three species were found
occurring on the Araucaria trees; C. curvignathus, Schedorhinotermes medioobscurus
and O. sarawakensis. Among these species, C. curvignathus was the dominant species
responsible for about 74% of the total number of infested trees.
Description
Keywords
Forest