Kelapa sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) merupakan jenis tanaman famili Arecaceae yang menghasilkan minyak nabati yang dapat dimakan. Ekosistem kelapa sawit memiliki tingkat keanekaagaman yang tinggi yaitu gulma, vegetasi dan komposisi serangga yang ada didalamnya. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mempelajari keanekaragaman jenis serangga herbivora pada perkebunan kelapa sawit rakyat di Kecamatan Sembilan Koto Kabupaten Dharmasraya. Penelitian ini dilakukan dikebun kelapa sawit rakyat di Nagari Koto IV Nan Dibawuah, Silago, dan Banai di Kecamatan Sembilan Koto, Kabupaten Dharmasraya. Penelitian dilaksanakan selama tiga bulan terhitung dari bulan September sampai dengan November 2018. Penelitian berbentuk survei lapangan dengan metode Purposive Random Sampling. Pengambilan serangga contoh dilakukan dengan koleksi serangga herbivora secara langsung menggunakan tangan. Serangga herbivora didapatkan sebanyak 281 individu yang terdiri dari 19 spesies, 8 famili dan 4 ordo. Ordo yang ditemukan yaitu Ordo Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera dan Coleoptera. Indeks keanekaragaman serangga herbivora pada lokasi penelitian dikategorikan sedang. Indeks Nilai Penting (INP) serangga herbivora pada ekosistem kelapa sawit memiliki nilai yang berkisar antara 0,01 sampai 0,70.
Kata kunci: Ekosistem, kelapa sawit, kelimpahan, ordo, serangga herbivora.
Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is classified to family Arecaceae which produces vegetable oils that edible. The diversity in oil palm ecosystems commonly is high, consisted of weeds, vegetations and various types of insects. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to study the diversity of herbivorous insects in the smallholder oil palm plantations in Kecamatan Sembilan Koto, Kabupaten Dharmasraya. This research was carried out in the smallholder oil palm plantations in Nagari Koto IV Nan Dibawuah, Silago, and Banai in Kecamatan Sembilan Koto, Kabupaten Dharmasraya. The research was conducted in three months from September to November 2018. The research was a field survey using Purposive Random Sampling method. Samples of herbivorous insects were collected directly by hand. The herbivorous insects were found is 281 individuals consisted of 19 species, 8 families and 4 orders. The orders found were Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. The diversity index of herbivorous insects at the study location was categorized in a medium level. The Important Value Index (INP) of herbivorous insects in oil palm ecosystems ranging from 0.01 to 0.70.
Keywords : Abundance, herbivorous insects, ordo, oil Palm , ecosystems