Diversity of moths in forest plantations and natural forests in Sabah

Abstract

The diversity of macromoths in the various fast-growing exotic tree plantations and natural secondary forest in Brumas, Sabah, Malaysia was assessed by means of an annual cycle of light-trap samples. The moth diversity in the forest plantations, viz. Acacia mangium, Gmelina arborea, Paraserianthes (=Albizia) falcataria, Pinus caribaea, and in particular Eucalyptus deglupta, was unexpectedly high. Eucalyptus deglupta showed moth diversity as high as that in the natural secondary forest, a finding attributed to the fact that the E. deglupta plantation had a very diverse understorey both in terms of plant species (secondary regrowth species) and architecture, and thus supported a more diverse moth fauna. Subsidiary samples showed that primary natural forest in the neighbouring Danum Valley does not show higher moth diversity compared to the disturbed forest habitats in Brumas, though moth diversity at Danum is lower than that recorded in other Bornean primary forests. The value of plantation forests for conservation of invertebrate diversity is discussed, together with the implications for plantation management strategy.