Monitoring Diptera diversity using sticky trap between different vegetation structure

• Main Author: Hasan, Azyyati
• Format: Project Paper Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/91413/1/FH%202018%20122%20IR.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/91413/

Tropical forests are facing massive land use changes for agricultural expansion. This has become a major concern for overall biodiversity decline and require improved effort for biodiversity conservation especially in agricultural landscape. The current study aimed to investigate Diptera abundance and family richness between monoculture and polyculture systems. Three agricultural landscapes of orchard, rubber and oil palm plantations were selected and compared to understand the impacts of different agricultural systems on Diptera assemblages. The study was carried out in Kampung Sungai Lalah, Pedas, Negeri Sembilan. Diptera communities were sampled using sticky traps at 45 sampling points at all agricultural landscapes. From the results, a total of 1585 individuals belonging to 7 families of Diptera were recorded. Monoculture rubber plantations recorded the greatest abundance and family richness of Diptera followed by orchard and monoculture oil palm plantations. Diptera abundance and diversity in monoculture rubber plantations is explained by their important functions as pollinators for rubber trees. While, polyculture orchard showed greater Diptera abundance compared to monoculture oil palm plantations due to its diverse plant community that provide more shelter and food resources. Overall, polyculture and monoculture showed different habitat heterogeneity, however, the impacts of different agricultural systems on Diptera communities is difficult to measure. Thus, further research is required by including suitable insects as ecological indicators to highlight the impacts of agricultural systems on insects biodiversity.