Biogeography and ecology of beetles in a tropical archipelago: A case study from Kepulauan Seribu Marine National Park

Beetles comprise not only the most diverse group of insects, but also contribute significantly to vital ecological functions. A quantitative formula to determine the optimal level of investment in the beneficial beetle conservation is still not available. I aim to establish specific attention to beetles and their role in tropical island ecosystems in small archipelago in Indonesia. The study aims to give further insights into beetle diversity patterns on islands in the Kepulauan Seribu Marine National Park and on Java, and how island isolation and area affect assemblage composition. My research also provides insights into the effects of anthropogenic activities on beetle diversity on these islands. A first important result is the substantial number of highly abundant island species and a high number of unique island species found in the study areas, indicating islands as potentially important for the global conservation of genetic resources. My results also highlight the highly varied results relating to the use of two different types of traps, pitfall traps and FITs, for sampling beetles. It underscores the need for complementary trapping strategies using multiple methods for beetle community surveys in tropical islands. When testing the equilibrium theory of island biogeography using beetle assemblages, the overall results of this study chiefly support the classic theory of island biogeography. My works also highlight the impacts of anthropogenic activities. The positive effects of such human activities on the overall species richness of beetles are clearly reflected in my result. More island beetle species encountered chiefly in settlement areas than forest species. However, when comparing the type of forest habitat on the islands, undisturbed forests harbour a higher number of unique species than disturbed forests. Finally, this study suggests that the diversity of herbivorous beetles on islands is strongly affected by the different levels of forest cover encountered