Citation
Nor Zalipah Mohamed, . and Tan, Hui Ting and Nurul Izzah Azuan, . and Mohd Shuhaimi Muhammad Haffidzie, . and Faiq Zulfaqar Zairy, . and Muhamad Azrul Shaiful Lizam, . and Asraf Mohamad Idrus, . and Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah, . and Nur Fariza M Shaipulah, . and Norasmah Basari, . (2024) Arthropod fauna of oil palm inflorescence (Elaeis guineensis), with notes on their ecological roles in a plantation in Terengganu, Malaysia. Journal of Oil Palm Research (Malaysia), 36. pp. 82-93. ISSN 2811-4701
Abstract
Arthropod communities at oil palm inflorescence, specifically the insects, are known to forage for floral resources and hence act as pollinators to the palm tree. However, their activities at the inflorescence other than as pollinators are rarely explained. This study was conducted at an oil palm plantation located at Hulu Terengganu District, in Terengganu state, Peninsular Malaysia. Arthropod fauna was extracted from 15 male and female inflorescences for identification, and bottle traps were set up to capture the arthropod fauna for pollen load observations. A total of 14 insect taxa, two spiders and a millipede were recorded in this study. A high abundance of Elaeidobius kamerunicus was recorded and with high conspecific pollen loads on their bodies further confirming their importance as pollinators for the palm tree. Predation activity by an earwig on larvae of the insect pollinators which used the male inflorescence as a breeding site was observed in this study. Other than utilising the oil palm inflorescence as a preying and breeding ground, earwigs, ants, wasps and flies were also likely pollinators for the oil palm tree. Hence this study adds more understanding of the ecological role of arthropods in the oil palm plantations in Malaysia
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Abstract
Arthropod communities at oil palm inflorescence, specifically the insects, are known to forage for floral resources and hence act as pollinators to the palm tree. However, their activities at the inflorescence other than as pollinators are rarely explained. This study was conducted at an oil palm plantation located at Hulu Terengganu District, in Terengganu state, Peninsular Malaysia. Arthropod fauna was extracted from 15 male and female inflorescences for identification, and bottle traps were set up to capture the arthropod fauna for pollen load observations. A total of 14 insect taxa, two spiders and a millipede were recorded in this study. A high abundance of Elaeidobius kamerunicus was recorded and with high conspecific pollen loads on their bodies further confirming their importance as pollinators for the palm tree. Predation activity by an earwig on larvae of the insect pollinators which used the male inflorescence as a breeding site was observed in this study. Other than utilising the oil palm inflorescence as a preying and breeding ground, earwigs, ants, wasps and flies were also likely pollinators for the oil palm tree. Hence this study adds more understanding of the ecological role of arthropods in the oil palm plantations in Malaysia
Additional Metadata
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| AGROVOC Term: | oil palms |
| AGROVOC Term: | inflorescences |
| AGROVOC Term: | pollination |
| AGROVOC Term: | foraging |
| AGROVOC Term: | predation |
| AGROVOC Term: | breeding sites |
| AGROVOC Term: | arthropods |
| AGROVOC Term: | spiders |
| AGROVOC Term: | Elaeidobius kamerunicus |
| AGROVOC Term: | abundance |
| Geographical Term: | Malaysia |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | conspecific pollen, earwig, larvae, pollinator, predator |
| Depositing User: | Nor Hasnita Abdul Samat |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Mar 2026 02:12 |
| Last Modified: | 19 Mar 2026 02:12 |
| URI: | http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/2680 |
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