Biodiversity of Soil Macrofauna in Jelutong (Dyera lowii Hook.F) based Agroforestry System on Peatlands

Soil macrofauna can be an indicator of changes to the ecosystem. This study aimed to investigate the biodiversity of soil macrofauna in jelutong-based agroforestry on peatlands. Line transect sampling was used, eight transects and 32 plots were established. The sample was collected using the hand sorting technique. Species diversity and species evenness were determined using Shannon-Wiener index, while species richness with Margalef index. This study found 2179 individuals of soil macrofauna that belong to six classes, nine orders, and 13 families. The Formicidae 1 family dominated the area (951 individuals), while Lumbricidae had the least number (13 individuals). This study indicates that the species diversity of soil macrofauna in the jelutong-based agroforestry on peatlands is moderate (H’ = 1.508) with moderate species evenness (E = 0.588) and very high species richness (DMg = 281.788). It implies the capacity of the system in providing suitable habitat for macrofauna, and that it can be a potential alternative for ecological restoration in peatlands