DIVERSITY OF ANTS ACROSS GROWTH STAGES AND MONTHS IN RESEARCH FIELD, FASSB P. P.P TUN RAZAK, ULU TEKAM, PAHANG

Abstract

The study on the diversity and abundance of ants in oil palm
plantation of different plot ages (1 to 3, 6, 18 and 23 years old) at
the Research Field FELDA Agricultural Services Sdn. Bhd, in
Ulu Tekam, Jerantut Pahang was conducted. The sample was
collected from June to October 2013, using several traps namely
malaise trap, pitfall trap and pit-light trap. A total of 57,316
individuals of ants consisting 4 subfamilies, 23 genera and 32
morphospecies were successfully collected. The most abundant
and dominant species was Tetramorium sp. (30,975 individuals).
Plot 6 years recorded the highest number of ants encountered
(22,144) followed by plot 3 years (18,198), plot 1 year (7,011),
plot 18 years (5188) and the least was plot 23 years (4775). In
term of the species diversity, plot 18 years old recorded the
highest diversity (H'=2.51, E'=0.41, R=2.9), while plot 3 years
(H’=1.13, E’=0.11, R=2.65) was the least diverse. According to 

the month of sampling event, September recorded the highest
diversity (H'=2.011, E’=0.275, R=3.177) of ant while July
recorded the lowest diversity (H’=1.58, E’=0.16, R=2.87). The
two-way ANOVA show significant differences in abundance of
ants per different plot (ages of plantation) as well according to
different month. This study is expected to enhance the
information about the diversity of ants in different age of oil
palm, especially in Peninsular Malaysia.