PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

 

e-ISSN 2231-8542
ISSN 1511-3701

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A Preliminary Study on the Diversity and Abundance of Onthophagus Species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in an Oil Palm Plantation, Peninsular Malaysia in Relation to Carbon Dioxide and Soil Organic Matter

Nur Hasyimah Ramli, Nor Atikah Abdul Rahim, Abdullah Muhaimin Mohammad Din, Wan Nur Madihah Wan Abd. Halim and Salmah Yaakop

Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science, Volume 42, Issue 1, February 2019

Keywords: CO2, correlation, diurnal, Malaysia, nocturnal, Onthophagus, Scarabaeidae, SOM

Published on: 25 Feb 2019

Dung beetles are important bioindicator species in an ecosystem. The relationship between the CO2 concentration and percentage of soil organic matter (SOM) with the diversity and abundance of Onthophagus species was investigated as a model genus in a model sampling area in an oil palm plantation in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia. In total, 554 samples belonging to 25 species of Onthophagus were collected. No significant differences in CO2 concentration during the day and night across the stations were found, except DCO2S1 vs DCO2S2 (p = 0.014, p < 0.05). Also, the diversity and abundance of species did not differ significantly (H'= 2.250 [diurnal] and H'= 1.854 [nocturnal]; p > 0.05). The dung beetle species recorded specifically during the day were O. aphodiodes, O. denticollis, O. cf. pacificus, O. dayacus, O. sp. 1, O. penicillatus, O. peninsulocupreus, and O."hairy group" (H'= 1.739), while O. babirussoides, O. phaenids, O. insicus, O. paraphamaeomorphos, O. peninsularis, and O. parachandrai (H'= 1.677) were observed at night. Furthermore, no relationship was discerned between % SOM vs diversity indices (r = 0.348), evenness (r = -0.289), and richness (r = 0.972) of dung beetles. This is the first study in Malaysia to illustrate a lack of relationship between CO2 concentration and SOM with Onthophagus spp. The preliminary data of this research can be used for future studies on diversity and ecology of dung beetles in relation to CO2 and SOM.

ISSN 1511-3701

e-ISSN 2231-8542

Article ID

JTAS-1326-2017

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