Diversity of ants across growth stages and months in research field, FASSB P. P.P Tun Razak, Ulu Tekam, Pahang

The study on the diversity and abundance of ants in oil palm plantation of different plot ages (1 to 3, 6, 18 and 23 years old) at the Research Field FELDA Agricultural Services Sdn. Bhd, in Ulu Tekam, Jerantut Pahang was conducted. The sample was collected from June to October 2013, using several traps namely malaise trap, pitfall trap and pit-light trap. A total of 57,316 individuals of ants consisting 4 subfamilies, 23 genera and 32 morphospecies were successfully collected. The most abundant and dominant species was Tetramorium sp. (30,975 individuals). Plot 6 years recorded the highest number of ants encountered (22,144) followed by plot 3 years (18,198), plot 1 year (7,011), plot 18 years (5188) and the least was plot 23 years (4775). In term of the species diversity, plot 18 years old recorded the highest diversity (H'=2.51, E'=0.41, R=2.9), while plot 3 years (H’=1.13, E’=0.11, R=2.65) was the least diverse. According to the month of sampling event, September recorded the highest diversity (H'=2.011, E’=0.275, R=3.177) of ant while July recorded the lowest diversity (H’=1.58, E’=0.16, R=2.87). The two-way ANOVA show significant differences in abundance of ants per different plot (ages of plantation) as well according to different month. This study is expected to enhance the information about the diversity of ants in different age of oil palm, especially in Peninsular Malaysia

Abundance of Lacewing, Glenochrysa sp. (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) in Forest at Various Stages of Recovery after Logging at Sungai Lalang Forest Reserve, Selangor, Malaysia

A study on the abundance lacewing Glenochrysa sp. (Neuroptera:Chrysopidae) in a lowland dipterocarp forest at different stages of recovery after longing was carried out. The lacewings were sampled using sticky traps baited with eugenol. The traps were placed for one week at a three month interval over one year in a primary forest and forests of five and ten years after logging. The result shows that the abundance of Glenochrysa sp. varied with the stages of forest recovery after logging. The number Glenochrysa sp. was significantly higher in the logged over forests than in the primary forest. Even though the lacewing was present all year round, its abundance, however, was influenced by the composition of vegetation within the selected forests, availability of food resources as indicated homopteran abundance and amount of rainfall

Pollinating fig wasp and seed productions of Ficus deltoidea var. angustifolia at selected oil palm plantations in Peninsular Malaysia

The relationship between Ficus deltoidea (family Moraceae) and pollinator fig wasp (family Agaonidae) are extremely specific in which each partner depends on the other for their reproductive success. There are about seven described varieties of Ficus deltoidea can be found in peninsular Malaysia. Ficus deltoidea is a dioecious species that are primarily epiphytes. They are unharmful for their host tree where one of the host tree is oil palm tree. In this study, epiphytic Ficus deltoidea var. angustifolia from oil palm plantations in Banting, Dengkil, Changkat Lobak and Batu Pahat, Malayaia were studied to determine the flower variation and reproductive output (fig wasp and seeds) by the figs of different individual plants and locations. A total of ten matured figs from each male and female tree from all locations were collected and later dissected to count the number of flowers, galls, female and male fig wasp for male tree while the number of seed and female flowers were counted from female tree. Data were analysed by using one-way ANOVA. Overall results showed that different individual plants were significantly varied in their floral numbers and reproductive output (pollinators and seeds) (P < 0.05) for both and male figs except for seed productions at Changkat Lobak (P = 0.067). Whilst there were significant different (P < 0.01) in the production of pollinators and seeds by the figs among locations. The reproductive output (pollinators and seeds) were greatly influenced by number of flowers and number of fig wasp visitations per fig

Kesan racun cypermethrin, deltamethrin and trichlorfon ke atas kadar pemangsaan dan kelakuan pemangsaan Sycanus dichotomus

Kajian ke atas Sycanus dichotomus yang dirawat dengan dos separa mati racun serangga cypermethrin, deltamethrin dan trichlorfon telah dilakukan. Tujuannya ialah untuk menentukan kesan ketoksikan racun-racun ini yang biasanya digunakan di ladang sawit bagi mengawal ulat bungkus. Kaedah pencelupan serangga dewasa betina ke dalam larutan racun digunakan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan dos separa mati turut memberi impak negatif ke atas kadar pemangsaan dan kelakuan pemangsaan S. dichotomus betina dewasa, di mana bilangan larva Tenebrio molitor yang mampu dibunuh oleh pemangsa kawalan adalah dua kali ganda lebih tinggi dan berbeza secara signifikan (P<0.05), berbanding bilangan larva T. molitor yang dibunuh oleh serangga pemangsa yang telah terdedah dengan racun serangga dalam tempoh 24 jam selepas rawatan dibuat. Sycanus dichotomus yang telah terdedah pada larutan dos separa mati racun serangga mengambil masa yang lebih panjang dan berbeza secara signifikan (P<0.05) berbanding serangga kawalan untuk melakukan kelakuan pemangsaan membunuh mangsa. Ini disebabkan oleh berlakunya pemanjangan tempoh masa diambil bagi aktiviti-aktiviti kelakuan pemangsaan seperti melakukan aktiviti membangkitkan, menghampiri, dan menghisap cecair dari badan mangsa. Kajian makmal jelas menunjukkan faktor pemilihan racun yang bijak bukan sahaja mampu mengawal populasi perosak malah tidak memberi kesan negatif kepada musuh semulajadi perosak. Ini penting bagi memastikan keberkesanan aplikasi sistem Pengurusan Perosak Bersepadu (PPB) dalam ekosistem sawit menerusi integrasi racun serangga dan agen kawalan biologi dalam mengawal serangga perosak dan sekaligus dapat mengurangkan kebergantungan kepada racun serangga dalam mengawal populasi perosak daun sawit

Notes on resin collected by stingless bees in Taman Tropika Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu, Malaysia

A study to investigate the resin collection behaviour of stingless bees was conducted on three different species of Dipterocarpaceae trees, namely Keruing (Dipterocarpus grandiflorus), Damar hitam (Shorea balanocarpoides) and Meranti (Shorea parvifolia) between January to March 2018. Three digital single-lens reflexes DSLR with macro lens attached was used to record resin collection of stingless bees in front of three trees for 5 min per hour between 0900 to 1600 h for a day per 3 months. Result showed that there was a significant difference in the mean numbers of resin-foraging stingless bees (F=9.91; df=7, 23; P˂0.05) on Keruing between 0900 h to 1600 h for three months samplings. Similar result was observed on Meranti (F=7.21; df=7, 23; P˂0.05) and Damar hitam (F=21.37; d=7, 23; P˂0.05) in the mean number of resin collecting by stingless bees right between 0900 h to 1600 h. The highest number of resin collected by stingless bees was at 1300 hours followed by 1200 hours. A total of 2,730 individual embracing 11 species of stingless bees were recorded collecting resin headed by Homotrigona fimbriata followed by Tetragonilla collina and Tetrigona apicalis. Thus, it is hope these data would be a guideline for farmers to enhance their meliponiculture

The effect of elevation on diversity and abundance of class insecta at Gunung Datuk, Negeri Sembilan

Insect are among the most diverse and ecologically important organisms on the earth, but their diversity and abundance are rarely quantified. The study was set out at Gunung Datuk, Negeri Sembilan with the objective to determine the diversity and abundance of insects and to identify the differences in their distribution of different elevations of Gunung Datuk forest by using the Malaise traps. Overall, a total of 15 orders of insects comprising 1678 individuals were successfully identified. Low and high elevations recorded with both 1027 and 651 individuals collected respectively which belong to 14 orders each. Even though both elevations recorded the same number of orders, but not all orders present at low elevation were present at high elevation. High existence of flowering trees and near to stream water at low elevation make them to have more abundant insect rather than at high elevation. Diptera was found to be the most abundant order at Gunung Datuk forest with the total percentage of 51.97 followed by Hymenoptera (11.17%) and Lepidoptera (9.91%). The least number of individuals collected was Ephmeroptera with only one individual collected respectively. The Shannon Wiener Diversity Index (H’) showed that low elevation had the highest diversity with the value of H’=1.29. Meanwhile, the T-test results showed that both elevations did not differ significantly with P > 0.05. Cluster analysis revealed there were no specific patterns of abundant for insects’ order along the elavational and latitudinal gradient

Salary and Wages in Malaysia

This paper discusses the compensation practices in Malaysia against the backdrop of the legal framework for wage and salary deterination. It also examines the Malaysian labour market situation and trends in salary and wage administration together with the role of unions in compensation determination

Factors influencing farmers in Cameron Highlands to use insecticide in cabbage cultivation

The alarming negative effects of insecticide used in farming have caused growing concerns by many people. Due to that, various strategies were established to curb the overuse of insecticide, particularly on cabbage cultivation in Cameron Highlands, which is one of the major vegetable producing regions in Malaysia. Unfortunately, the rates of insecticide use remain highly variable. It is the responsibility of the government to shoulder and tackle this problem effectively, especially in finding out the main reasons why insecticide is preferable as the main insect pest control management. This study employed Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to understand farmers’ specific attitudes (SA), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioural control (PBC) and past behavior (PB) towards insecticides use in Cameron Highlands. Simple random sampling procedure was used in selecting 370 cabbage farmers for the study. Five-point Likert scale questionnaires were used to collect data. The data was collected through survey interviews and was analyzed using inferential statistic (correlation and regression). Results of the analysis showed a significant relationship between SA, SN, PBC, PB and the farmers’ intention to apply insecticide in the coming season. PBC was the most important influential factor for behavioural intention, followed by PB, SA and NS