Early Ecological Responses to Vegetation Enrichment for Pollinator Habitat Recovery using Tetragonula biroi in Community Agroforestry Systems

Authors

  • Andi Masniawati Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University
  • Andi Gita Maulidyah Indraswari Suhri Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University
  • Yusran Study Program of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry, Hasanuddin University
  • Andi Hasdiansyah Master’s Program of Pedagogy, Universitas Muhammadiyah Parepare
  • Fitha Febrilia Ruli Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University
  • Septiantina Dyah Riendriasari Research Centre for Applied Zoology, National Research and Innovation Agency
  • Magdalena Litaay Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23960/jsl.v14i1.1343

Abstract

Pollination decline has become a major ecological concern in tropical agroforestry systems, where habitat simplification reduces floral diversity and threatens pollinator stability. This study aimed to evaluate early ecological responses to vegetation enrichment designed to restore pollination function in a community-managed agroforestry landscape in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. A paired-plot experiment was established to compare two adjacent plots (each 0.25 ha), an enriched plot and a control plot, in which floral diversity, foraging activity, colony productivity, and microclimatic parameters were monitored from September to November 2025. Indices of diversity and comparative statistical tests were used to analyse ecological variables and assess treatment effects. Shannon-Wiener floral diversity indices (H') increased from 1.45 to 1.66 after vegetation enrichment, resulting in greater phenological overlap in relation to the control plots as well. These changes correspond to a substantially increased rate of stingless bee (Tetragonula biroi) visits and a higher return frequency in enriched plots (p < 0.05). An increase in foraging activity was observed, with a significantly greater extension of the brood area and a rise in honey production, reflecting improved colony performance. Also, microclimatic measurements indicated lower temporal variance in ambient temperature and light intensity under enriched vegetation, suggesting a dampening effect on more stable foraging conditions. In general, these results imply that small-scale vegetation can induce an early return to functioning through a trade-off effect on resource diversity, colony strength, and environmental stability in the context of community agroforestry systems and do not contradict community-based landscape management.

Keywords: agroforestry, meliponiculture, pollination, Tetragonula biroi, tropical restoration, vegetation enrichment

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Published

27-02-2026

How to Cite

Masniawati, A., Suhri, A. G. M. I., Yusran, Hasdiansyah, A., Ruli, F. F., Riendriasari, S. D., & Litaay, M. (2026). Early Ecological Responses to Vegetation Enrichment for Pollinator Habitat Recovery using Tetragonula biroi in Community Agroforestry Systems. Jurnal Sylva Lestari, 14(1), 193–210. https://doi.org/10.23960/jsl.v14i1.1343

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026): January

Section

Articles

Statistics

 Abstract views: 10 times
 PDF downloaded: 0 times

Metrics

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Andi Masniawati, Andi Gita Maulidyah Indraswari Suhri, Yusran, Andi Hasdiansyah, Fitha Febrilia Ruli, Septiantina Dyah Riendriasari, Magdalena Litaay

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Licence that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).