o_19ko2dt161ng2j4e1tgnoqv1s45a.pdf

OVERVIEW OF INSECT BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS FOR INSECT DIVERSITY
RESEARCH IN MALAYSIA
As in most other countries, economically important insect pest species have been an important
area of research in Malaysia. Research has often been driven by the need to develop management
strategies for such pest species, thus, studies on insect control were highest in frequency in the
institutions surveyed. Insect diversity studies ranked second in number. However, many utilised
indices of diversity (e.g., Simpson’s D & E and the Shannon diversity index) to measure
biodiversity richness (or poorness). In many such studies, specimens are sorted based on
phenotypes (termed “recognisable taxonomic units”) to obtain diversity indices for different
study areas. While this method allows for the comparison of animal or plant richness, it does
little to enable the understanding of biological and ecological systems.
At the heart of understanding biological and ecological systems in an ecosystem is the
understanding of the species that make up the diversity of the ecosystem, and the interactions
of these species with other each other and with their environment. Such an understanding is
only made possible through taxonomic work that enables us to identify species and provides
a foundation upon which we can build on our knowledge of their biology, behaviour and
ecological functions. In spite of this, taxonomic studies were poorly represented in the
institutions surveyed, ranking last in number among mainstream areas of research such as
diversity, ecology and biology.
The few studies on insect taxonomy that have been conducted in the country have primarily
been on specific insect groups. Many insect groups have been poorly researched. The
Hymenoptera, Diptera and Hemiptera, to name a few, are taxonomically diverse groups, yet
there are no monographs on these insect groups in Malaysia. The Collembola and Thysanura
are also poorly researched insect groups. Although small and rarely noticed, they are important
in terrestrial ecosystems. Collembolans, for example, help in decomposition and nutrient cycling
in the soil, while thrips are thought to be important pollinators of dipterocarp trees.
Taxonomists shoulder the responsibility of documenting organic diversity, and their skills are
also needed in many ecological studies. In addition to their role in documenting species,
taxonomists also usually ensure the proper curation and maintenance of valuable reference
collections, as well as work on the systematics of the groups of organisms they study. The
field of systematics, which is an extension of taxonomy, analyses relationships between
organisms and discusses origins or causes of diversity. Research on systematics can often
indirectly provide more information on the biological and ecological interactions of species
than studies on diversity, yet it has rarely been pursued as a subject of research in the institutions
surveyed. The dearth of taxonomic or systematic studies on insects is a serious cause for
worry; our limited capacity to identify insects inadvertently limits our capacity to document at
least three quarters of our country’s biological diversity.
CONCLUSION
The dearth of taxonomic information on the majority of insect orders in Peninsular Malaysia
is a matter of great concern, because one of the prerequisites in any effort to conserve species
is that they need to be identified and described. Most insect orders remain poorly studied in
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