To evaluate the Insect diversity along the Ho Chi Minh Highway through Central Vietnam including Tay Nguyen Plataeu; to predict the human impact on the Insect diversity owing to highway runing; to propose measures for protection of the Insect diversity; to build the Insect collection for IEBR.

The surveys were caried out in the field of two km both sides along the Ho Chi Minh High way passing 194 locations (communes, towns) of 11 provinces through Central Vietnam. Three protect areas were chose as the control namely Chu Mom Ray NP, Kon Ka Kinh NP and Song Thanh NR. A total of 5273 Insect species belonging to 168 families of 14 orders were recorded; among them five species were newly described, namely Polydictya vietnamica Constant et Pham, 2008 (Fulgoridae, Homoptera) Purana trui Thai et al., 2012 (Cicadidae, Homoptera), Camptotypus trui Pham et. al., 2012 (Ichneumonidae, Hymenoptera), Dendrolimus bazarovi Zolotuhin et Tran, 2009 (Lasiocampidae, Lepidoptera) and Tyloperla trui Cao et Bae, 2007 (Perlidae, Plecoptera); 422 species were newly recorded for Vietnam Fauna. Two longhorned beetles Dorysthenes granulosus and Dorysthenes walkeri were newly recorded on the sugar cane; two bugs Acestra yunana and Udonga spinidens as well as one longhorned beetle were newly recorded on the bamboo; two cicadas Pomponia backanensis và Tanna kimtaewooi were newly recorded on the coffee. Within 194 locations were observed 65 locations of which ecosystem are with light level of impact, 62 locations with moderate level of impact and 67 ones with strong level of impact. The Insect diversity calculatting by the Shannon deversity Index H’ and the Species richness Index d’ showed the lessened values in the locations with strongly level of impact in comparison with other locations as well as with the control.

Some images of the project:

Assessing the situation of insect diversity and predicting the tendency of insect diversity change causing by the insect habitat change when the Ho Chi Minh High way is runing. Compiling a list of insect from Central Viet Nam including 5273 species, among them there are five new species to science, 422 new records for the Vietnam fauna. Building the insect collection of IEBR.

The provicial autorities, the forest protect institutions.