COMPARISON OF TERMITE ASSEMBLAGES ALONG A LANDUSE GRADIENT ON PEAT AREAS IN SARAWAK, MALAYSIA

Abstract

VAESSEN T, VERWER C, DEMIES M, KALIANG H & VAN DER MEER PJ. 2011. Comparison of termite
assemblages along a landuse gradient on peat areas in Sarawak, Malaysia. In this study we assessed the species
density and relative abundance of termites in peat land in Sarawak, Malaysia. Termites were sampled in nearnatural peat swamp forest, logged-over peat swamp forest, young oil palm plantation and a cleared and burned
site. Species density and relative abundance were calculated for each site. Both species density and relative
abundance differed significantly between sites. Near-natural peat swamp forest had the highest termite density,
followed by logged-over peat swamp forest, young oil palm plantation and the cleared site. In contrast, the
relative abundance of termites was highest in the young oil palm plantation due to the omnipresent genus
Schedorhinotermes. Most of the species found in the cleared site and young oil palm plantation did not occur
at the other sites. We conclude that ongoing forest degradation and conversion in tropical peat land result
in shifting termite assemblages and declining species density. Species that originally occur at low densities in
peat swamp forests are typically lost as a result of peat swamp forest conversion.