The role of peiphytes in influencing insect diversity and frugivores abundance communities, in different oil palm plantations

Oil palm plantations are essential to the world's agricultural business, yet they are frequently criticised for their harmful effects on biodiversity. Epiphytes that inhabit the oil palm trunks in oil palm plantations are essential in maintaining insect and frugivore diversity. This research examined the diversity and abundance of epiphytes, insects that inhabited the epiphytes, and the relationship between the frugivores and epiphytes abundance of different plantation management practices. Three different landscapes, the fringe, the middle, and the inner of oil palm plantations, were chosen at two different oil palm plantations in Banting, Malaysia. The diversity and abundance of epiphytes were quantified on 30 selected oil palm trees (70% epiphytes coverage) across trunk zones along designated landscapes. At the same time, the samplings were conducted for insect communities using a sweep net and handpicking.