Tree species richness suppresses red imported fire ant invasion in a subtropical plantation forest

Chengjin Chu and co-authors discuss their latest research which presents a cross-trophic interaction study between the red imported fire ant and plants. The red imported fire ant (RIFA) is one of the most invasive insects in the world. Many pest management methods have been used to control the spread and damage of RIFA, like quarantine measures and powerful pesticides. However, one may wonder: Do more … Continue reading Tree species richness suppresses red imported fire ant invasion in a subtropical plantation forest

Mendukung kupu-kupu di perkebunan kelapa sawit milik petani kecil

Martina Harianja membahas penelitian terbaru tentang kumpulan kupu-kupu yang merinci bagaimana, bersama rekan-rekannya, mereka mencatat lebih dari 1200 kupu-kupu di 27 perkebunan kelapa sawit yang berbeda. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa peremajaan kelapa sawit dan pilihan mono atau polikultur memiliki efek yang relatif kecil pada kupu-kupu. Namun, manajemen untuk fitur spesifik di perkebunan dapat menguntungkan kumpulan kupu-kupu. Continue reading Mendukung kupu-kupu di perkebunan kelapa sawit milik petani kecil

Supporting butterflies within smallholding oil palm plantations

Martina Harianja discusses the latest research into butterfly assemblages detailing how, alongside colleagues, they recorded over 1200 butterflies across 27 different oil palm plantations. Findings suggest that replanting oil palm and choice of mono or polyculture had relatively few effects on butterflies. However, management for specific features in plantations could benefit butterfly assemblages. Continue reading Supporting butterflies within smallholding oil palm plantations

Menyokong rama-rama dalam ladang kelapa sawit pekebun kecil

Martina Harianja membincangkan penyelidikan terkini mengenai perhimpunan rama-rama yang memperincikan bagaimana, bersama rakan sekerja, mereka merekodkan lebih 1200 rama-rama di 27 ladang kelapa sawit yang berbeza. Penemuan menunjukkan bahawa penanaman semula kelapa sawit dan pilihan mono atau polikultur mempunyai sedikit kesan pada rama-rama. Walau bagaimanapun, pengurusan untuk ciri-ciri tertentu di ladang boleh memberi manfaat kepada pemasangan rama-rama. Continue reading Menyokong rama-rama dalam ladang kelapa sawit pekebun kecil

How does replanting of oil palm plantations affect arthropod biodiversity?

Palm oil plantations require replanting every twenty to thirty years but its effects on biodiversity are widely understudied. In their latest research, Pashkevich and colleagues assess the impact of replanting on arthropod communities in an industrial plantation. Biodiversity in oil palm plantations Oil palm plantations are often in areas that were once tropical rainforests, and this conversion has resulted in widespread declines in biodiversity and … Continue reading How does replanting of oil palm plantations affect arthropod biodiversity?

Cover stories: conservation set-asides

This month’s cover image by Robin Hayward (University of Stirling) shows a conservation set-aside within a large oil palm plantation in Sabah, Borneo. Sarah Scriven (University of York), lead author of the corresponding article, Testing the benefits of conservation set-asides for improved habitat connectivity in tropical agricultural landscapes, tells us more about the story behind the photograph. The cover image shows a Roundtable on Sustainable … Continue reading Cover stories: conservation set-asides

Increasing the conservation value of commercial stands – with Spanish translation

Can plantation forests offer conservation value to some species? Guadalupe Peralta comments on recent article Plant, herbivore and parasitoid community composition in native Nothofagaceae forests vs. exotic pine plantations.  The authors have also provided a Spanish translation of this post. ‘Conservation value of exotic plantation forests’ is a controversial idea. The term conservation value of plantation forests does not refer to the need to preserve plantation forests … Continue reading Increasing the conservation value of commercial stands – with Spanish translation