Peran Musuh Alami dan Ekologi Kelas Arachnida di Areal Perkebunan Kelapa Sawit (Kp Karapyak, Cintamekar, Serangpanjang, Subang, Jawa Barat)

Abstract

The Arachnida class (spiders) plays a crucial role in an ecosystem, serving as natural enemies (predators) of insects, spiders, and other arthropods. This study aims to determine the role of natural enemies and the ecological function of the Arachnida class in the mature stage of oil palm plantations. This study and research were conducted in an oil palm plantation area located in Karapyak Village, Cintamekar, Serangpanjang, Subang, West Java. This research was exploratory. Sampling was conducted using the "S" transect method, using hand-picking with a trap net. Identification was conducted in the laboratory at the Citra Widya Edukasi Oil Palm Polytechnic Campus in Cibuntu, Cibitung, Bekasi. Data are presented in tables and diagrams of plot designs in the field, along with examples of sample species. The diversity of the Arachnida class was analyzed using the Shannon-Wiener Index, and evenness was calculated using Pielou's formula. The role of natural enemies was determined based on descriptions of the behavior and mouthparts of the Arachnida class. The study yielded 106 individuals from 7 families and 10 genera. The diversity index (H') of the Arachnida class fauna in the oil palm plantation was 1.03, which is classified as moderate. The evenness index (E') of the Arachnida class in the mature oil palm plantation was 0.53, which is classified as depressed. This Arachnida class plays a crucial ecological role as natural predators that control populations of insect pests in the oil palm plantation ecosystem, thereby reducing reliance on pesticides.