Abstract:
The conversion of peat swamp forest into industrial pulpwood (Acacia crassicarpa)
plantation forest (“HTI”) has been suspected to cause substantial change in biodiversity,
such as might be reflected in termite assemblages. This study was carried out to
investigate how such conversion affects subterranean termites diversity and biomass.
The study area was conducted at Bukit Batu District, Riau Province. Termite sampling
was done in September and October 2011 at four natural forest sites in Bukit Batu
Wildlife Reserve and four HTI sites situated near the former. Termites were
systematically sampled with the help of a transect of 100 m drawn on each site. We
used 10 square subplots (1 m x 1 m) situated along the transect with a regular interval of
10 m, and termites were extracted down to 10 cm deep beneath the peat surface. Nine
species were found, consisting of eight genera, four subfamilies and two families.
Termite species found only under natural forest were Microcerotermes dubius,
Bulbitermes flavicans, Nasutitermes proatripennis and Ceylonitermes indicola. Species
encountered only under HTI was Coptotermes curvignathus. Four species occurring in
both land use types were Capritermes semarangi, Capritermes mohri,
Schedorhinotermes malaccensis and Parrhinotermes aequalis (Sørensen Similarity
Index = 61.54%). Termite biomass was relatively small, with only 0.53 ± 0.41 gr/m2
and 0.29 ± 0.19 gr/m2 under natural forest and HTI, respectively, and there was no
significant difference between them
