Impact of oil palm plantations on herpetofauna species diversity in KGP and CNG, West Kalimantan

Abstract

Palm oil (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) is one of the fastest growing in the tropics so that the development of oil palm plantation is the one threats of the decrease of biodiversity including herpetofauna. That is why this research becomes important to study the impact of oil palm plantation on diversity and composition of herpetofauna. This research was conducted in July 2018 in Ketapang District, West Kalimantan Province in two oil palm plantation companies (KGP and CNG). Data collecting were using Visual Encounter Survey (VES) method combined with Strip Transect Method, in five lands covers (young-aged, middle-aged, old-aged oil palm plantation, high conservation value, and shrubs area) taken simultaneously with three repetitions. The results of this study showed that the establishment of oil palm plantations has impacted species diversity and species composition of herpetofauna. This research showed that the species number of herpetofauna in oil palm plantations is higher than the baseline area. The result of this study also showed that the species diversity and richness of herpetofauna in the high conservation value area is higher compared to another land cover. However, the overall results showed that oil palm plantation has positive impacts to increased and loss of herpetofauna species, there are losing one species and gaining seven species in CNG oil palm plantation, and losing two species and gaining fifteen species in KGP oil palm plantation.