Berge, Lene and Bignell, David E. and Rahman, Homathevi and Burslem, David F. R. P. (2008) Quantification of termite attack on lying dead wood by a line intersection method in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 1 (2). pp. 85-94. ISSN 1752-458X
|
Text
Quantification_of_termite_attack_on_lying_dead_wood_by_a_line_intersection_method_in_the_Kabili-Sepilok_Forest_Reserve,_Sabah,_Malaysia.pdf Download (132kB) | Preview |
Abstract
A line intersection method was used to estimate abundance (technically linear abundance: m1 m−2), biovolume (m3 ha−1) and size class distribution (defined by diameter) of lying dead wood in tropical forest. Additional semi-quantitative protocols assessed decay state (4 classes), termite attack (5 classes) and live termite occupancy (3 classes). Three forest types (kerangas, alluvial and sandstone) were sampled in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve of Eastern Sabah, using plots of 30 × 30 m. Approximately 50 man-hours were required per site, at a replication of three plots per site and three well-separated sites per forest type. Mean biovolume of lying dead wood exceeded 8 × 103 m3 ha−1 in kerangas (= heath) forest, with lower values in other types. Large items (> 19 cm diameter) were less than 10% of total abundance, but represented the largest biovolume, exceeding (alluvial) or equalling (kerangas) the total biovolumes of smaller categories combined. Most items (not less than 75%) were present as small wood (< 10 cm diameter). Items in the highest decay class had the highest biovolume. Termite attack was greater in the kerangas, where nearly 90% of items showed evidence of consumption, compared with 58% in the alluvial and 40% in the sandstone forests. Over 40% of items in the kerangas contained live termites compared with 25% in the alluvial and 15% in the sandstone. Items in the highest attack class (= almost total internal destruction) represented about one-half of the total biovolume available in the alluvial and kerangas forest types, and about one-third in the sandstone.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Keyword: | Comminution, Dead wood, Decay, Line intersection, Live occupancy, Rapid assessment, Termite attack, Termites |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QL Zoology > QL1-991 Zoology > QL360-599.82 Invertebrates > QL461-599.82 Insects |
| Department: | INSTITUTE > Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation |
| Depositing User: | ADMIN ADMIN |
| Date Deposited: | 09 Sep 2011 10:36 |
| Last Modified: | 19 Oct 2017 11:42 |
| URI: | https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/1386 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |