Ground-dwelling insects as bioindicators of ecosystem health in South Sulawesi, Indonesia
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Abstract. Sadapotto A, Budiaman, Mutmainnah N, Prastiyo A. 2025. Ground-dwelling insects as bioindicators of ecosystem health in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Asian J For 9: 211-220. The sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) and pine (Pinus merkusii) stands serve as vital ecological and socio-economic landscapes, supporting biodiversity, community livelihoods, and education. Ground-dwelling insects play a role as bioindicator agents in ecosystem health and quality. This study examined the diversity and ecological role of ground-dwelling insects in sugar palm and pine stands at the Universitas Hasanuddin Education Forest, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Sampling was conducted from October to December 2023 using pitfall traps across sugar palm and pine stands. The data were analyzed using diversity indices, t-tests, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A total of 989 individuals were recorded in the sugar palm stand and 889 in the pine stand. The independent t-test results revealed that diversity, richness, and evenness indices were significantly (p<0.05) higher in sugar palm stands. These results are consistent with the mean values, where sugar palm habitats exhibited greater diversity (2.56±0.12), richness (4.29±0.19), and evenness (0.75±0.03) compared to pine stands. Light intensity emerged as the dominant factor, contributing 87.489% of the variation, highlighting its strong impact on insect distribution and activity, particularly for light-sensitive groups such as ants. The most dominant species overall was the funnel ant (Aphaenogaster laevior), comprising 57.43% of individuals in pine and 17.10% in sugar palm habitats. These results emphasize the importance of habitat structure and microclimate in shaping insect communities and guiding conservation strategies.
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