Diversity and Dispersal of Amphibian in Palm Oil Agriculture Landscape Elements: Case Study PT. Kencana Sawit Indonesia (KSI), Solok Selatan District, West Sumatra

Abstract

High conservation value forest approach on palm oil sustainability management brings heterogeinity in landscape perspective, but it may be ecologically susceptible for amphibian community conservation, due to habitat fragmentation that acts as dispersal barrier, through matrix permeability and corridor effectiveness. Objective observation focusing on impact of agricultural activities on amphibians dispersal could be used to help mitigation efforts. This research aimed to analyze amphibian diversity similarity on landscape elements, analyzing amphibian dispersal by proving amphibian diversity correlation with distance from core area on corridor and matrix, comparing direct/non direct link corridor to core area and upstream/downstream diversity and dispersal ability by distribution spread at landscape elements. Visual Encounter Survey (VES) with transect design method was conducted in core area, matrix and corridor. A total of 1055 individual were found at research sites consisted of 5 families, 9 genera and 27 species. Amphibian diversity did not differ significantly compared to distance correlation to core area, direct/nondirect link and upstream/downstream corridors but differ significantly between core area-matrix distance correlation. Almost all forest specialist had limited distribution to core area and corridor. In the core area, aquatic species are more capable to survive compared to terrestrial species based on dispersal ability in landcape element. Corridors were only effective for aquatic species and habitat fragmentation effects varied for each species.