Diversity and role of insect in Lantebung mangrove forest, Makassar, Indonesia

Abstract The objective of this study is to analyze the types of insects and assess the level of insect diversity in the mangrove forest area. Research on the diversity and role of insects in the Lantebung Mangrove Forest Ecotourism Area, located in Bira Subdistrict, is expected to provide new insights into the crucial role of insects in the mangrove ecosystem, as well as to identify the area’s potential in supporting biodiversity and the sustainability of the tourism sector. By understanding the complex relationship between insects and the mangrove ecosystem, it is hoped that more effective and sustainable mangrove forest management can be achieved in the future. Based on this research the following conclusions can be drawn: Insect Diversity in the Lantebung Mangrove Forest Area, Bira Subdistrict, Tamalanrea District, Makassar City, South Sulawesi, is observed in both nocturnal and diurnal insect groups:Nocturnal insects show a diversity index of 1.99, (moderate category); an evenness index of 0.59 (moderate category); a richness index of 4.6 (moderate category); and a dominance index of 0.22, indicating a low level of dominance. Diurnal insects have a diversity index of 1.34 (moderate category); an evenness index of 0.51 (moderate category); a richness index of 2.24 (low category); and a dominance index of 0.36, also in the low category. The role of insects in The Lantebung mangrove forest ecotourism area are as follows: Predators: Orders Coleoptera , Hymenoptera . Pollinators: Orders Hymenoptera , Lepidoptera , Decomposers: Orders Coleoptera , Diptera , Hymenoptera , Hemiptera , and Blattodea . Bioindicators: Orders Hymenoptera , Trichoptera , and Orthoptera . Parasitoids: Orders Coleoptera , Hymenoptera , Hemiptera , Blattodea , and Lepidoptera .