GROUND-DWELLING INSECT ASSEMBLAGES IN A SECONDARY FOREST ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN KOTA KINABALU, SABAH, MALAYSIA
Abstract
Insect diversity in urban areas is gaining interest as people realise the influence of anthropogenic activities on these insects. However, ground insects are understudied compared to flying insects, despite their important role in ecological functions and maintaining the health of a forest ecosystem. Hence, a study on ground insect diversity was conducted in the Sustainable Forest Education and Research Area (SFERA), a forest located within a university campus in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The sampling was conducted from December 2023 until May 2024 using the Berlese-Tullgren funnel trap. A total of 3050 individuals of 85 insect species were recorded from 11 orders. The top three species-rich insect orders were Hymenoptera (44 species), Coleoptera (17 species) and Blattodea (9 species), while the Shannon-Wiener index showed that the two most diverse insect orders were Coleoptera (H’ = 2.50) and Hymenoptera (H’ = 2.12). In terms of feeding guild, there were four feeding guilds identified, comprising predator, decomposer, herbivore and mixed. The predatory feeding guild was the most dominant, comprising of 28.24% of the identified ground insect species. Some non-native species, consisting of the ant group, and forest specialists (ants, beetle and cockroach) groups, were also recorded in the study site. Results of this study demonstrate the importance of SFERA as an urban sanctuary for the insect communities despite the escalating pressures from landscape transformation and anthropogenic activities.
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Agrawal, A.A. & Maron, J.L. 2022. Long-term impacts of insect herbivores on plant populations and communities. Journal of Ecology 110(12): 2800-2811.
AntWeb. n.d. Version 8.114. California academy of science.
https://www.antweb.org [10 April 2025].
Azevedo, R., Ferreira, R.N.C. Azevedo, F.R., Nascimento, L.S., Santos, J.R.P., Ferreira, R.C.A.B. & Mesquita, F.O. 2020. Anticipated or delayed responses to rainfall: Effects of rainfall on arthropods assemblage in an enclave of evergreen forest. Research, Society and Development 9(12): e47291210923.
Bakhtiar, E.Y. & Chiang, S.L. 2015. Leptogenys ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) of Sabah. Serangga (1-2): 37-54.
Ballerio, A. & Maruyama, M. 2010. The Ceratocanthinae of Ulu Gombak: High species richness at a single site, with descriptions of three new species and an annotated checklist of the Ceratocanthinae of Western Malaysia and Singapore (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Hybosoridae). ZooKeys 34: 77-104.
Baruah, A. & Bera, T. 2024. Recent advances in biological control in India: A sustainable approach to insect pest management. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 12(6): 49-53.
Biggs, C.R., Yeager, L.A., Bolser, D.G., Bonsell, C., Dichiera, A.M., Hou, Z., Keyser, S.R., Khursigara, A.J., Lu., K., Muth, A.F., Negrete Jr., B. & Erisman, B.E. 2020. Does functional redundancy affect ecological stability and resilience? A review and meta-analysis. Ecosphere 11(7): e03184.
Bluthgen, N. & Fiedler, K. 2002. Interactions between weaver ants Oecophylla smaragdina, homopterans, trees and lianas in an Australian rain forest canopy. Journal of Animal Ecology 71(5): 793-801.
Brassard, F., Chan, H.H., Leong, C.M. & Guénard, B. 2021. High diversity in urban areas: How comprehensive sampling reveals high ant species richness within one of the most urbanized regions of the world. Diversity 13(8): 358.
Byeon, U.-J., Cho, Y.-C., Kim, J.-M., Kang, J.-W., Kang, C., Park, J.-S. & Joo, Y. 2025. Unveiling the hidden impact: Urbanisation disproportionately reduces belowground insect functional group richness. Diversity and Distributions 31(5): e70020.
Chao, A., Gotelli, N.J., Hsieh, T.C., Sander, E.L., Ma, K.H., Colwell, R.K. & Ellison, A.M. 2014. Rarefaction and extrapolation with Hill numbers: A framework for sampling and estimation in species diversity studies. Ecological Monographs 84: 45-67.
Chao, A., Ma, K.H. & Hsieh, T.C. 2016. iNEXT (iNterpolation and EXTrapolation). Software for Interpolation and Extrapolation of Species Diversity. Program and User's Guide. http://chao.stat.nthu.edu.tw/wordpress/software_download/inext-online/ [18 April 2025].
Choe, J.C. 2019. Colony founding in social insects. In Choe, J.C. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Animal Behaviour, 2nd Edition, pp. 310-316. UK: Academic Press.
de Andrade, A.C. 2019. Metropolitan lizards? Urbanization gradient and the density of lagartixas (Tropidurus hispidus) on a tropical city. Ecology and Evolution 10(4): 1740-1750.
Dejean, A., Orivel, J., Cerda, X., Azemar, F., Corbara, B. & Touchard, A. 2024. Foraging by predatory ants: A review. Insect Science 32(4): 1096-1118.
Exelis, M.P., Ramli, R., Idris, A.H., Ibrahim, R.W., Clemete-Orta, G.M., Ayra-Pardo, C. & Sani, M.S.A. 2025. Distribution and nest occupancy patterns of Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) colonies in Southeast Asian oil palm plantations. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology 28(3): 102451.
Fayle, T.M., Yusah, K.M. & Hashimoto, Y. 2014. Key to the ant genera of Borneo in English and Malay.
https://www.tomfayle.com/Ant%20key.htm [8 April 2025].
Fischer, F.M. & de Bello, F. 2023. On the uniqueness of functional redundancy. npj Biodiversity 2: 23.
Gan, W.X. & Homathevi, R. 2023. Termites composition and activities in altered landscape: A case study from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Proceedings of 5th International Symposium on Insects (ISoI 2023), Kuching,11-13 September 2023.
Greer, J.A. & Moreau, C.S. 2021. Phylogenetic analysis and trait evolution of ant cocoons. Insect Systematics & Evolution 53(1): 60-77.
Guenard, B. & Lucky, A. 2011. Shuffling leaf litter samples produces more accurate and precise snapshots of terrestrial arthropod community composition. Environmental Entomology 40(6): 1523-1529.
Guezen, J.M. & Anand, M. 2025. Combined effects of temperature change and natural habitat on the abundance of arthropod trait syndromes in agroecosystems. Ecography 2025(9): e07815.
Hamid, S.A., Salleh, M.S. Thevan, K. & Hashim, N.A. 2016. Distribution and morphometrical variations of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) in urban and forest areas of Penang Island, Malaysia. Journal of Tropical Resources and Sustainable Science 4: 1-5.
Ho, J.K.I., Foo, M.S., Yeo, D. & Meier, R. 2019. The other 99%: Exploring the arthropod species diversity of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 71(Suppl. 1): 391-417.
Hovestadt, T., Kohl, P. & Mitesser, O. 2024. Optimal fissioning strategies of social insects with respect to colony dynamics and nest founding probability. Insect Sociaux 71: 171–183.
Huang, Y-H., Escalona, H.E., Sun, Y-F., Zhang, P-F., Du, X-Y., Gong, S-R., Tang, X-F., Liang, Y-S., Yang, D., Chen, P-T., Yang, H-Y., Chen, M-L., Huttel, B., Hlinka, O., Wang, X., Meusemann, K., Slipinski, A., Zwick, A., Waterhouse, R.M., Misof, B., Niehuis, O., Li, H-S. & Pang, H. 2025. Molecular evolution of dietary shifts in ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): From fungivory to carnivory and herbivory. BMC Biology 23: 67.
Jain, A., Chan, S.K.M., Vlasanek, P. & Webb, E.L. 2020. Impacts of habitat on butterfly dispersal in tropical forests, parks and grassland patches embedded in an urban landscape. Biotropica 52(5): 404–409.
Jain, A., Khew, S.K., Cheong, W.G. & Webb, E.L. 2018. Butterfly extirpations, discoveries in Singapore over 28 years. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 66: 217-257.
Jain, A., Zeng, Y. & Webb, E.L. 2021. Critical dependence of butterflies on a non-native host plant in the urban tropics. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9: 655012.
Jasmani, Z., Lamit, H. & van den Bosch, C.C.K. 2022. Assessing small urban parks as habitats for butterflies in Malaysia. In Maruthaveeran, S., Chen, W.Y. & Morgenroth, J. (eds.). Urban Forestry and Arboriculture in Malaysia, pp. 293–315. Singapore: Springer.
Jusoh, W.F.A. & Hashim, N.R. 2016. Ground arthropods in urban forest fragments, Peninsular Malaysia. Ecology, Environment and Conservation 22(1): 31-40.
Khadijah, A.R., Azidah, A.A. & Meor, S.R. 2013. Diversity and abundance of insect species at Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve, Selangor. Scientific Research and Essays 8(9): 359-374.
Koparde, P., Payra, A. & Deshpande, A. 2025. Odonata diversity in the timescape of Pune district adjoining the Western Ghats Biodiversity hotspot. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 45: 193-205.
Kotze, D.J., Lowe, E.C., Maclvor, J.S., Ossola, A., Norton, B.A., Hochuli, D.F., Mata, L., Moretti, M., Gagne, S.A., Handa, I.T., Jones, T.M., Threlfall, C.G. & Hahs, A.K. 2022. Urban forest invertebrates: How they shape and respond to the urban environment. Urban Ecosystems 25: 1589-1609.
Kristensen, J.A., Rousk, J. & Metcalfe, D.B. 2019. Below-ground responses to insect herbivory in ecosystems with woody plant canopies: A meta-analysis. Journal of Ecology 108(3): 917-930.
Kulkarni S.S., Dosdall, L.M. & Willenborg, C.J. 2015. The role of ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in weed seed consumption: A review. Weed Science 63: 355-376.
Lee, C.H.Y., Tang, A.M.C., Lai, D.Y.F., Tai, A.P.K., Leung, A.S.L., Tao, D.K.C., Leung, F., Leung, S.S.M., Wu, C., Tong, S.C.S. & Ng, K.T.K. 2021. Problems and management of Acacia-dominated urban forests on man-made slopes in a subtropical, high-density city. Forest 12(3): 323.
Lee, G.Z.Y., Atom, A. & Lourdes, M.L.T. 2024. Lepidoptera checklist in Sustainable Forest Education & Research Area (SFERA), Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Tropical Forestry 2024, Kota Kinabalu, 5-7 March 2024.
Li, H-P, Wickham, J.D., Bushley, K., Wang, Z.-G., Zhang, B. & Sun, J-H. 2020. New approaches in urban forestry to minimize invasive species impacts: The case of Xiongan New Area in China. Insects 11(5): 300.
Lim, W.S., Mojiol, A.R., Bernard, H., Matunjau, C.A. & Nair, G.V.G. 2023. Viewable terrestrial mammals along the nature trails at the lowland tropical forests of western Sabah, Malaysia Borneo. HAYATI Journal of Biosciences 31(2): 404-413.
Loke, P.Y. & Lee, C.Y. 2004. Foraging behaviour of field populations of the big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology 43(2): 211-219.
Lövei, G.L. & Magura, T. 2022. Body size and the urban heat island effect modulate the temperature–size relationship in ground beetles. Journal of Biogeography 49: 1618-1628.
Louzada, J.N.C. & Nichols, E.S. 2012. Detritivorous insects. In Panizzi, A.R. & Jose, R.P.P. (eds.). Insect Bioecology and Nutrition for Integrated Pest Management, pp. 397–415. USA: CRC Press.
Majuakim, L., Lee, A.M.L. & Gisil, J. 2018. An inventory of flora in urban forests of Universiti Malaysia Sabah Campus, Sabah, Malaysia. Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation 15: 173-188.
Mahmood, S., Iqbal, R., Akhtar, M., Ansar, R., Razzaq, M., Masih, A. & Fayyaz, M. 2026. Ecological role of detritivorous insects: Impacts and challenges in climate change scenarios. Spectrum of Engineering Sciences 4(3): 512-523.
Martelli, M.G., Ward, M.M. & Fraser, A.M. 2004. Ant diversity sampling on the southern Cumberland Plateau: A comparison of litter shifting and pitfall trapping. Southeastern Naturalist 3(1): 113-126.
McKinney, M.L. 2006. Urbanization as a major cause of biotic homogenization. Biological Conservation 127(3): 247-260.
Mohamed, M. 1999. Key to the Terrestrial Invertebrates. Kota Kinabalu: Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
Moriyama, M. & Numata, H. 2015. Urban soil compaction reduces cicada diversity. Zoological Letters 1: 19.
Morpurgo, J., Huurdeman, M.A., Oostermeijer, J.G.B. & Remme, R.P. 2024. Vegetation density is the main driver of insect species richness and diversity in small private urban front gardens. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 101: 128531.
Muhaimin, A.M.D., Hazmi, I.R. & Yaakop, S. 2015. Colonisation of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of smaller body size in the Bangi Forest Reserve, Selangor, Malaysia: A model sampling site for a secondary forest area. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 38(4): 519-532.
Na, J.P. & Lee, C.Y. 2001. Identification key to common urban pest ants in Malaysia. Tropical Biomedicine 18(1): 1-17.
Naim, A.L., Abdul Rahman, A.A.H., Sapian, S., Gerusu, G.J. & Empin, G.B. 2019. Natural control on insects biodiversity under rehabilitation and regenerated secondary forest canopies, Sarawak, Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Multidisciplinary Research 3(6): 82-87.
Nordin, N.A.F., Kedri, F.K., Sukri, N.S., Amir, A. & Christianus, I. 2025. Species diversity of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) in an urban ecosystem, Hutan Bandar Jeli, Kelantan. Journal of Tropical Resources and Sustainable Science 1: 102-109.
Perfecto, I. & Philpott, S.M. 2023. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and ecosystem functions and services in urban areas: a reflection on a diverse literature. Myrmecology News 33: 103-122.
Perlik, M., Kraus, D., Bubler, H., Neudam, L., Pietsch, S., Mergner, U., Seidel., D., Sebek, P. & Thorn, S. 2023. Canopy openness as the main driver of aculeate Hymenoptera and saproxylic beetle diversity following natural disturbances and salvage logging. Forest Ecology and Management 540: 121033.
Potapov, A.M., Beaulieu, F., Birkhofer, K., Bluhm, S.L., Degtyarev, M.I., Devetter, M., Goncharov, A.A., Gongalsky, K.B., Klarner, B., Korobushkin, D.I., Liebke, D.F., Maraun, M., Mc Donnell, R.J., Pollierer, M.M., Schaefer, I., Shrubovych, J., Semenyuk, I.I., Sendra, A., Tuma, J., Tumova, M., Vassilieva, A.B., Chen, T.-W., Geisen, S., Schmidt, O., Tiunov, A.V. & Scheu, S. 2022. Feeding habits and multifunctional classification of soil-associated consumers from protists to vertebrates. Biological Reviews 97(3): 1057-1117.
Rahim, N.A.A., Muhammad, A.A. & Abdullah, N.A. 2024. An insight into the distribution of pygmy grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Serangga 29(2): 96-109.
Ridzuan, N.H., Farouk, S.A., Razak, S.A., Avicor, S.W., Taib, N. & Hamzah, S.N. 2021. Insect biodiversity of urban green spaces in Penang Island, Malaysia. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 42(1): 275-284.
Rinker, B.H. & Lowman, M.D. 2004. Insect herbivory in tropical forest. In Rinker, B.H. & Lowman, M.D. (eds.). Forest Canopies, pp. 431-455. United States: Academic Press.
Rupali, J.S., Hadimani, B.N., Vidya Madhuri, E., Barath Kumar, B.M., Karthick Mani Bharathi, B. & Raikwar, S. 2024. A study to access the significant role of insects in decomposition and nutrient recycling. International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research SP-8(9S): 110-114.
Ryalls, J.M.W., Langford, B., Mullinger, N.J., Bromfield, L.M., Nemitz, E., Pfrang, C. & Girling, R.D. 2022. Anthropogenic air pollutants reduce insect-mediated pollination services. Environmental Pollution 297: 118847.
Samal, I. & Kumar, V. 2024. Asian weaver ants, Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius, 1775) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): A natural solution for orchard pest management. Indian Entomologist 5(2): 65.
Sanchez-Bayo, F. & Wyckhuys, K. 2020. Further evidence for a global decline of the entomofauna. Austral Entomology 60(1): 9–26.
Santana, D.J., Ferreira, V.G., Crestani, G.N. & Neves, M.O. 2019. Diet of the Rufous Frog Leptodactylus fuscus (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from two contrasting environments. Herpetozoa 32: 1-6.
Seress, G., Sándor, K., Evans, K.L. & Liker, A. 2020. Food availability limits avian reproduction in the city: An experimental study on great tits Parus major. Journal of Animal Ecology 89(7): 1570-1580.
Schmitz, J.E. & Rahmann, S. 2025. A comprehensive review and evaluation of species richness estimation. Briefings in Bioinformatics 26(2): bbaf158.
Schuldt, A., Both, S., Bruelheide, H., Härdtle, W., Schmid, B., Zhou, H. & Assmann, T. 2011. Predator diversity and abundance provide little support for the enemies hypothesis in forests of high tree diversity. PloSOne 6(7): e22905.
Shimoji, H., Suwabe, M., Kikuchi, T., Ohnishi, H., Tanaka, H., Kawara, K., Hidaka, Y., Enoki, T. & Tsuji, K. 2022. Resilience of native ant community against invasion of exotic ants after anthropogenic disturbances of forest habitats. Ecology and Evolution 12(7): e9073.
Silva, I.L.H., Centeno-Alvarado, D., Pena, J.C., Arnan, X. & Leal, I.R. 2026. Increased urbanisation promotes winner-loser species replacement and shifts in foraging behaviour among ant species in a large neotropical metropolis. Insect Conservation and Diversity 19(1): 106-119.
Sing, K-W., Jusoh, W.F.A., Hashim, N.R. & Wilson, J-J. 2016. Urban parks: Refuges for tropical butterflies in Southeast Asia? Urban Ecosystem 19(3): 1131-1147.
Sompud, J., Sahar, N., Adros, C., Richard, E. & Sompud, C.B. 2023. Notes on a new distribution record of the critically endangered Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Biodiversitas 24: 975-981.
Sugawara, A., Mahmud, S., Idris, M.S., Suleiman, M., Gisil, J. & Sundaling, D. 2009. Buku Panduan Hutan Bukit UMS: Tumbuh-tumbuhan. Kota Kinabalu: Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
Tan, M.K. & Kamaruddin, K.N. 2014. Orthoptera of Fraser’s Hill, Peninsular Malaysia. Singapore: National University of Singapore.
Tan, M.K. 2012. Orthoptera in the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves (Part 1): Suborder Caelifera. Singapore: National University of Singapore.
Tan, S.K. & Lim, K.K.P. 2013. Dried leaf cockroach Pseudophoraspis nebulosa brooding behaviour. Singapore Diversity Records 2013: 114.
Thanuja, A., Dori, B., Panigrahi, C.K., Gautam, S.K., Gawaria, J., Sarangi, S., Chaware, G.G. & Mandal, I. 2025. Ecology of soil-dwelling insects and their influence on crop health: A review. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change 15(6): 285-296.
Ulrich, J. & Sargent, R.D. 2025. Estimating the ecological drivers of insect abundance when detection is imperfect. Journal of Animal Ecology 94(12): 2641-2654.
Vaz, S., Manes, S., Khattar, G., Mendes, M., Silveira, L., Mendes, E., de Morais Rodrigues, E., Gama-Maia, D., Lorini, M.L., Macedo, M. & Paiva, P.C. 2023. Global meta-analysis of urbanization stressors on insect abundance, richness, and traits. Science of Total Environment 903: 165967.
Wetterer, J.K. 2008. Worldwide spread of the longhorn crazy ant, Paratrechina longicornis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 11: 137-149.
Wetterer, J.K. 2009. Worldwide spread of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 12: 23-33.
Wetterer, J.K. 2010a. Worldwide spread of the flower ant, Monomorium floricola (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 13: 19-27.
Wetterer, J.K. 2010b. Worldwide spread of the pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 13: 115-129.
Wetterer, J.K. 2012. Worldwide spread of Emma’s dacetine ant, Strumigenys emmae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News 16: 69-74.
Wetterer, J.K. 2017. Geographic distribution of the weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina. Asian Myrmecology 9: 1-12.
Yamane, S., Tanaka, H.O., Hasimoto, Y., Ohashi, M. & Itioka, T. 2018. A list of ants from Lambir Hills National Park and its vicinity, with their biological information: Part I. Subfamilies Myrmicinae and Pseudomyrmecinae. Contributions from the Biological Laboratory, Kyoto University 30: 173-235.
Yamane, S., Tanaka, H.O., Hasimoto, Y., Ohashi, M., Meleng, P. &, Itioka, T. 2021. A list of ants from Lambir Hills National Park and its vicinity, with their biological information: Part II. Subfamilies Leptanillinae, Proceratiinae, Amblyoponinae, Ponerinae, Dorylinae, Dolichoderinae, Ectatomminae and Formicinae. Contributions from the Biological Laboratory, Kyoto University 31: 87–157.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.