Diversity of Soil Surface Insects in Three Land Use Types in Sintang District, West Kalimantan

Abstract

Soil surface insects are organisms that have an important role in the process of decomposing soil organic matter, serving as indicators of soil fertility, and maintaining ecosystem balance. This study aimed to determine the diversity and abundance of soil surface insects on three types of land, namely rubber plantations, rubber agroforestry, and secondary forests and the insect that attacks rubber stems in Sintang District, West Kalimantan. The research method used was field observation, sampling with pitfall traps and measurement of environmental conditions, identification, and data analysis on three types of land. The results showed that 649 individuals were found which were divided into 8 orders of 11 families of 14 species. The highest abundance was found in rubber agroforestry land, the highest insect diversity was in secondary forests. The types of insects found attacking the rubber tree trunks, both dead and alive, were Coptotermes curvignathus in rubber agroforestry and Reticulitermes flavipes in secondary forest and rubber plantations.