IPB University Insect Expert: Many Insect Species Play a Role in the Ecosystem of Human Life
IPB University Insect Expert, Prof Tri Atmowidi, M.Si has found many new species of beneficial insects. He revealed this in the Pre-Oration Press Conference with the oration title “Beneficial Insects: Ecosystem Contribution to Human Life” which was held online on April 25th.
He explained that currently there are still many insect species that have not been identified and described, which is a challenge for taxonomists. Prof Tri has conducted research on insects from five insect orders with high species richness, namely Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies-mosquitoes), Hymenoptera (ants, wasps, bees), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), and Hemiptera (ladybugs).
In his research, Prof Tri, who is also a lecturer at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), does a lot of research on beneficial insects, especially insects as decomposers, predators and parasitoids, and pollinators.
“There are insects that provide benefits to humans in the form of commercially valuable products, such as pollinator insects, insects as food ingredients, as pest controllers, and insects used in research and medicine,” said the Professor of IPB University.
“The study was conducted for predatory insects and parasitoids in nature that play an important role in controlling the population of other animals. The results obtained 7 species of staphylinid predator beetles in agricultural land in West Java, 18 species of common dragonflies (Anisoptera) and 13 species of needle dragonflies (Zygoptera) in the study of predatory dragonflies in Ujung Kulon National Park,” said Prof Tri.
He continued, parasitoid insects play an important role in biological control because they can kill young hosts. Meanwhile, pollinator insects such as bees, moths, butterflies and beetles to vertebrates such as birds, bats, and small mammals play a role as the main pollinators of plants.
“Pollinator insects also play an important role in plantation crops. In Magetan, there are 12 species of flower visitor insects. When observations were made on pamelo orange plants, there were additional honey bees and stingless bees in the garden,” explained Prof Tri.
He further revealed that insects also play an important role in pollinating forest plants. Research on different land use types in Jambi found 43 species of pollinator insects such as bees, flower flies (Syrphidae) and butterflies.
“In Ujung Kulon National Park, four species of stingless bees were found as pollinators of forest plants. In Mount Sago, West Sumatra, 184 species of butterflies were found. In Gunung Walat forest, Sukabumi, 68 butterfly species were also observed. Meanwhile, observations in the forest of Mount Meja, West Papua obtained 113 species of butterflies,” he said.
He revealed, other insects that play a role in pollinating forest plants are long antennae beetles (cerambycid beetles). Observations of this beetle found 16 species in Gunung Walat forest, 20 species in Pangandaran Nature Reserve, and 72 species in Jambi. (dh/Lp) (IAAS/RSL)
