The potential role of herpetofauna species diversity on palm oil agro-ecosystems: a case study in the plantation of PT BSM South Sumatra

Abstract

The palm oil industry is one of the national strategic industries that must gradually apply the concept of green economy where the use of biodiversity (to reduce the use of chemicals in increasing land fertility and controlling pests/diseases) should be optimized in various aspects of management. Therefore, the potential for species diversity and the role of biodiversity in palm oil agro-ecosystems needs to be investigated, one of which is herpetofauna diversity. Data collection on the diversity of herpetofauna species was carried out simultaneously on seven types of land cover for PT BSM’s palm oil plantations using the Visual Encounter Survey (VES) method. The results showed that the number of herpetofauna species varied according to land cover type with a total of 26 species. The highest number of species and individuals was found in shrubs (12 species and 18 individuals). While the lowest number of species and individuals was found in smallholder palm oil plantations 1 (5 species and 9 individuals). Based on the list of herpetofauna species in the study area, nine of these species have potential roles for the oil palm agro-ecosystem. These roles as biological control (predators, parasitoids, pathogens) include Takydromus sexlineatus, Eutropis multifasciata, Chalcorana chalconota, Occydoziga sumtrana, Malayopython reticulatus, Bungarus candidus, and Naja sumatrana, as well as decomposition controllers, Varanus salvator. The Shrubs land cover has a complete composisition of the roles of herpetofauna, while in the others land cover, have one individuals that play a role in the oil palm agroecosystem.