Abstract:
Deforestation and conversion of peatlands into plantations have promoted the
proliferation of ground dwelling ants (class Insecta, order Hymenoptera, family
Formicidae) in peatland environments. The insects, which build belowground nests,
potentially affect the physical characteristics of peat through pedoturbation activity. We
conducted the present study to know the species assemblages of ground-nesting ants
and to assess the significance of peat displacement made by the insects. Surveys were
carried out in oil plam plantations and acacia plantations (“HTI”) in Bukit Batu area,
Bengkalis District, Riau Province. Ants were directly sampled at the nest’s holes that
occurred within sampling transects (4 locations/plantation type and 4
transects/location). In a total of 190 nests, we encountered 16 ants spesies belonging to
five subfamilies (Dolichoderinae, Ectatomminae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae, and
Ponerinae). There were 14 species found in oil palm plantations and seven species in
acacia plantations. Most abundant nests in the former belonged to Pheidole sp1 (262.5
nests/ha), Odontoponera trasversa (212.5 nests/ha), Dolichoderus sp. (187.5 nests/ha)
in oil palm plantations. In acacia plantation, Anoplolepis gracilipes (612.5 nests/ha),
Paratrechina longicornis (212.5 nests/ha) had the most abundant nests. The overall nest
density was 1250 nests/ha in oil palm plantations and 1125 nests/ha in acacia
plantations. In oil palm plantations, ants soil species that carried out peat in the biggest
total is Pheidole sp.1 (1101,8 kg/ha/year), Dolichoderus sp. (807.6 kg/ha/year) and
Irydomyrmex sp. (677.1 kg/ha/year) and in acacia plantations Anoplolepis gracilipes
(3688.8 kg/ha/year), Odontomachus sp.(1002.8 kg/ha/year), dan Paratrechina
longicornis (698.1 kg/ha/year). Total of peat transport rate in oil palm plantations is 4.4
ton/ha/year and in acacia plantation (5.9 ton/ha/year)
