Sains Malaysiana 47(9)(2018): 1961–1967

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2018-4709-03

Termite Associated to Oil Palm Stands in Three Types of Soils in Ladang Endau Rompin, Pahang, Malaysia

(Sekutuan Anai-anai dengan Pokok Sawit dalam Tiga Jenis Tanah di Ladang Endau Rompin, Pahang, Malaysia)

NUR-ATIQAH JALALUDIN¹, FASZLY RAHIM² & SALMAH YAAKOP^1*

¹School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Permata Insan College, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, PERMATA Insan Complex, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Malaysia

Received: 14 September 2017/Accepted: 23 May 2018

ABSTRACT

Termites are found in various habitats, particularly diverse communities occurring in tropical forest and peatlands. Termites are beneficial insects, which function as soil engineers, improving the soil quality. However, in peatlands converted to commercial oil palm plantations, they are considered as pests. There is lack of studies on termite communities in converted peatlands in Peninsular Malaysia. Thus, this study investigated termite species associated with oil palm stands in three soil types (clay, shallow peat and deep peat) in Endau Rompin Plantation. The stand scouting method was used to record the numbers and types of termites associated with palm trees in the individual stands on different soil types. A total of 29 termite species associated with the palm stands were identified morphologically. All the species belonged to the families Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae. Twenty-three of the 29 species were found in the shallow peat, 16 in clay soil and 15 in deep peat. The community structure was synthesized by two-way cluster analysis with Sorensen (Bray Curtis) distance measure. Five termite groups associated with two soil types (clay soil and shallow/deep peat) were generated. Moisture levels and organic content were likely to determine the presence of soil feeders identified in the presence study. This study provides information on the status of termite species in oil palm plantation areas. Such information may be useful in future planning strategies by the plantation management.

Keywords: Oil palm; peatland; Peninsular Malaysia; termite census; termite diversity

ABSTRAK

Anai-anai banyak direkodkan di pelbagai habitat terutamanya di hutan tropika dan tanah gambut. Anai-anai adalah serangga yang penting sebagai jurutera ekosistem yang berfungsi dalam meningkatkan kualiti tanah. Walau bagaimanapun, anai-anai dianggap sebagai perosak di kawasan tanah gambut yang ditukar status kepada tanah komersial. Sehingga kini, kurang kajian mengenai komuniti anai-anai di tanah gambut tersebut di Semenanjung Malaysia. Oleh itu, kajian ini dijalankan untuk mengkaji anai-anai yang bersekutu dengan pokok sawit di tiga jenis tanah di Ladang Endau Rompin. Kaedah stand scouting digunakan untuk merekod jumlah kehadiran dan jenis anai-anai yang bersekutu dengan setiap pokok sawit di jenis tanah yang berbeza. Sejumlah 29 spesies anai-anai telah direkodkan dan telah dikenal pasti dengan ciri-ciri morfologi. Kesemua spesies yang direkodkan adalah daripada famili Rhinotermitidae dan Termitidae. Dua puluh tiga daripada 29 spesies direkodkan di tanah jenis tanah gambut cetek, 16 spesies di tanah liat dan 15 spesies direkodkan di tanah gambut dalam. Struktur komuniti anai-anai ini telah dihasilkan dengan pengukuran jarak Sorensen (Bray-Curtis). Lima kumpulan anai-anai yang bersekutu dengan dua jenis tanah (tanah liat dan tanah gambut dalam/cetek) telah dihasilkan. Tahap kelembapan dan kandungan organik tanah dilihat dapat menentukan kehadiran anai-anai pemakan tanah dalam kajian ini. Kajian ini dapat memberikan status kehadiran spesies anai-anai di ladang sawit yang berguna untuk perancangan strategi bagi pihak pengurusan ladang.

Kata kunci: Kelapa sawit; kepelbagaian anai-anai; Semenanjung Malaysia; sensus anai-anai; tanah gambut

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*Corresponding author; email: salmah78@ukm.edu.my