Dampak Penyaradan Kayu dengan Traktor terhadap Keanekaragaman Semut (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) di Hutan Produksi Alam, Kalimantan Tengah (Impacts of Tractor Logging on the Diversity of Ground Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Natural Production Forest)

Abstract

Tractor logging in tropical forest concession disturbs the life of soil surface organisms, including ground ant. Ground ant has an important role in determining soil fertility. The study aimed to analyze the impact of tractor logging on the diversity of ground ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the natural production forest. Two transect lines of 100 m length and 200 m distance between lines were placed in four different cutting compartments, i.e., currently logged, one month after logging, two months after logging, and unlogged. Ground ant was collected using a pitfall trap. The environmental factors (density of understorey plants, canopy cover, soil compaction, litter thickness, temperature, and humidity) were measured at the setting location of pitfall trap. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the mean difference between treatments. Pearson correlation test was used to determine the correlation between insect abundance and environmental factors. The results of the study indicated that there was a significant difference in the abundance of the ground ant after logging and before logging. The abundance of ground ants after logging was lower than before logging. The abundance of ground ants among skidded plots was not significantly different. Soil compaction due to tractor logging, litter thickness, and temperature did not significantly affect the abundance of ground ants. The ground ant composition did not change due to tractor logging. Keywords: environment impact, forest conservation, forest disturbance, forest ecosystem