Forest spill over effects of butterfly community into different agriculture landscapes
Forest conversion into agricultural land has become a major concern in South East Asia due to its negative impact on overall biodiversity specifically insects. Insects may adapt and survive under human dominated landscapes as seen in some species of butterflies (Insecta:Lepidoptera). However, mos...
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| Format: | Project Paper Report |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2019
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/84770/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/84770/1/FH%202019%2042%20IR.pdf |
| Summary: | Forest conversion into agricultural land has become a major concern in South
East Asia due to its negative impact on overall biodiversity specifically insects.
Insects may adapt and survive under human dominated landscapes as seen
in some species of butterflies (Insecta:Lepidoptera). However, most butterfly
species experience population decline as a result of land use changes. The
present study was conducted to investigate forest spillover effect of butterfly
community into different agricultural landscapes namely rubber plantation, oil
palm plantation and fruit orchard. The study was conducted at Kampung Ulu
Sepri, Kampung Empangan Batu and Kampung Batang Sepri located in
Pedas, Negeri Sembilan. Butterfly sampling was conducted using active and
passive sampling. in all study sites (a total of 90 sampling points). For active
sampling, butterflies were observed based on point count method using
binocular and camera for 10 minutes at each point. Meanwhile, for passive
sampling, butterfly trap with fruit bait were placed at two meter above ground
for all sampling points. Habitat quality characteristics between agricultural
landscape were also assessed by measuring canopy openness and closure,
vegetative structure, air temperature, relative humidity and proximity to forest
between different agricultural landscape. In overall, a total of 1608 Lepidoptera
individual belonging to 61 species and 5 families were recorded. The results
recorded the highest butterfly abundance in oil palm with 600 individuals
followed by rubber plantations and fruit orchard with 585 and 423 individuals,
respectively. For butterfly species richness, rubber plantation represent the
highest species recorded with 24 species followed by orchard and oil palm with
22 and 15 butterfly species, respectively. Greater butterfly abundance and
species richness in monoculture plantations compared to polyculture
landscapes indicates spillover of butterfly community into adjacent agricultural
landscapes. This study provide evidence of butterfly spill over from forest into
agricultural lands. Therefore, agricultural management in monoculture
plantations should emphasize on biodiversity friendly management systems by
reducing agrochemical applications to help maintain butterfly resilience in
human dominated landscape. |
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