KEANEKARAGAMAN ARTHROPODA TANAH PADA KAWASAN PERKEBUNAN EKALIPTUS (Eucalyptus sp.) PT TOBA PULP LESTARI (TPL) DI DESA SIMARE KABUPATEN TOBA, PROVINSI SUMATERA UTARA

Abstrak

Monoculture cultivation, such as in eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) plantations, can lead to a decline in biodiversity, including in soil arthropod communities. This study was conducted to determine the diversity, uniformity, dominance, and relationships between environmental factors and soil arthropod communities in the eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) plantation area of ​​PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) in Simare Village, Toba Regency, North Sumatra Province. The study was conducted from March to May 2025 using an exploratory survey approach. Sampling was conducted at four stations based on stand age (0-1 year, 1-2 years, 3-4 years, and 4-5 years) using pitfall traps, Berlese-Tullgren funnels, and hand sorting. The research results showed that 1,196 individuals of soil arthropods were identified, consisting of 22 species, 19 families, and 13 orders, classified into six main classes. The species with the largest number of individuals was Porcellionides pruinosus (118 individuals), while Silvanus bidentatus (12 individuals) had the smallest number. The soil arthropod diversity index was moderate (H' = 2.81), the evenness index was high (e = 0.91), and the dominance index was low (C = 0.07). Environmental factors such as soil temperature, humidity, soil pH, and light intensity were found to influence the abundance and distribution of soil arthropods. These results indicate that soil arthropod communities can be used as ecological indicators to assess environmental quality in eucalyptus plantation systems.