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Habitat Preferences, Distribution and Seasonality of the Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea) in a Montane Tropical Rain Forest, Vietnam
Abstract
In the butterfly community of the Tam Dao montane rain forest in N Vietnam a negative correlation between the size of species geographic range and maturity of the successional stage of its preferred habitat was found. Thus butterflies confined to the climax forest tend to have a small range of distribution of endemitic type, whereas species associated with disturbed ruderal and similar habitats are much more widely distributed. Within the forest, understorey species are most habitat specific and endemitic, with the most important conservation value. Canopy fauna is much more heterogeneous and diverse, containing also non-forest components. The pronounced temporary change in the forest community is determined by the relatively higher seasonality of species with biogeographical affinities to the seasonal "East Himalayan' region. Apart from this historical component, the irregular migratory behaviour and response to the seasonal change in local environmental factors seem to be important. In the ruderal habitat, butterflies with large geographic range tend to have the highest population sizes; the reverse is true for the forest community. -from Authors
... Species richness and abundance were Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10841-017-9985-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. the geographic distributions and life histories of some species are available (Spitzer et al. 1993(Spitzer et al. , 1997New 1997;Suguru andHaruo 1997, 2000). A complicating factor is that seasonality of insects has been observed in all parts of the world, including the equatorial tropics. ...
... However, few datasets allowing analysis of the full diversity and seasonality of particular taxa, especially in South East Asia, are available . Earlier studies in this region have focused on taxonomy or the habitat preferences of butterflies, and were often based on material collected over a short period of time with a focus on specific butterfly families (Spitzer et al. 1993(Spitzer et al. , 1997Monastyrskii 2007a;. ...
... Sampling approaches used in ecological studies on butterflies vary greatly, especially in parts of the tropics where identification of species is problematic. Seasonality is often ignored and many studies rely on a limited field effort with long periods between the visits (Spitzer et al. 1993;Walpole and Sheldon 1999;. Sometimes samples are collected at regular intervals (once per month or per week), sometimes only on warm days, and sometimes irrespective of temperature and weather conditions (Walpole and Sheldon 1999). ...
Human pressures on the environment are changing spatially and temporally, with profound implications for the planet’s biodiversity. Butterflies are important indicators for environmental change and are a suitable group to detect areas of high conservation concern and prioritize conservation efforts. To obtain data to support urgently-needed conservation measures, we surveyed the butterfly fauna in a mountainous region of northern Vietnam, using transect counts over 8 months (121 survey days) from June 2014 to April 2015. In total, we recorded >26,000 butterflies belonging to 231 species, including at least two species new to Vietnam, three red-listed and protected species listed by CITES. Most species were rare: we recorded members of 100 species ≤5 times and 52 species just once. Males dominated the sample, accounting for 81% of all observed butterflies and all members of 84 observed species. Species richness and abundance were highest in July, and there were surprisingly large changes in species composition between months. Species richness curves reached saturation, indicating that we detected most species present in the area, except for members of two families (Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae). Our results highlight the importance of thorough studies using standardized methods, capable of detecting most species in an area, over a whole season. There are urgent needs to integrate butterflies into conservation programs and use their potential as indicator species of habitat degradation and land use intensity.
... For all l8 subfamilies of the Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Lycaenidae, Hesperidae and Pairidae, those species with the greatest shade preferences also had the narrowest geographical distributions, indicating that scattered forest and gaps were exploited primarily by opporfunistic species with widespread distributions, as was also found in previous studies (Thomas 1991;Spitzer etal.1997;Hill et al. 2001;Hamer et al. 2003 Most studies investigating impacts of closed canopy forest alteration on butterflies due to anthropogenic problems that resulted increasing canopy openness in habitat have reported that endemic species and species with restricted distributions are lost following anthropogenic habitat modification (Hill et al. 1995;Hamer et al. 1997;Spitzer et al. 1993Spitzer et al. ,1997Willott et al, 2000). Results from our studies indicate that the increase of butterfly diversity and declination of reshicted ranges species in tropical scattered forest and forest gap are most likely to be due to changes in light penetrating the canopy or available light in the habitat resulting from natural or artificial cause. ...
... While there is a considerable species overtap between the closed canopy and scattered forest, the assemblages of endemicity and narrow geographical distribution ranges species are associated with closed canopy fores than scattered forest. These data have a tendency to support to the hypothesis that the species restricted geographical distributions are correlated with closed canopy forest whereas scafiered forest support higher diversity of widespread species assemblages (Thomas l99l; Spitzer et al. 1993;HiIl et al. 1995;Hamer et al. 1997).In scaffered forest or degraded forest other than undisturbed primary forest, is often considered to have little value in terms of the conservation of biodiversity. The conservation priorities are represented first ofall by specialized steno topic closed-canopy species with small geographic ranges (Spitzer et al. 1993). ...
... These data have a tendency to support to the hypothesis that the species restricted geographical distributions are correlated with closed canopy forest whereas scafiered forest support higher diversity of widespread species assemblages (Thomas l99l; Spitzer et al. 1993;HiIl et al. 1995;Hamer et al. 1997).In scaffered forest or degraded forest other than undisturbed primary forest, is often considered to have little value in terms of the conservation of biodiversity. The conservation priorities are represented first ofall by specialized steno topic closed-canopy species with small geographic ranges (Spitzer et al. 1993). The high proportion of this group of butterflies in closed canopy forest indicates its high conservation value, regardless of the fact that both the number of species and diversity are relatively low. ...
... Under such conditions, butterfly as an important pollinator in nature seems to be one of the most promising materials to examine the present situations of biodiversity and their interaction with host plants in tropical regions. Deforestation together with increased hunting levels has been shown to dramatically effects the island endemic wildlife especially for endemic butterflies [4][5] living in natural habitat [6][7][8]. ...
... The host plant inventories are more than just species lists but include an estimate of the relative abundance of the consumer butterflies with some basic ecology as well. For example, whether host plants are trees, grasses, epiphytes, information on their basic soil and requirements should be included [7,12,13]. The objectives of the research are to identify butterfly species and their host plant served as larvae food, nectar and pollen sources in three different altitudes at Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park. ...
The famous butterfly conservation areas in South Sulawesi, Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, are gradually being replaced by intensively used farmland especially in lowland and submontane regions. The objectives of the research were to identify butterfly species and their host plant served as larvae food, nectar and pollen source in three different altitudes at Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park. The research was conducted based on transect methods at Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia from April to October 2018. Butterflies and their food were observed in three locations at different altitudes of 0-300 m above sea level (asl), 400-700 m asl, and above 700 m asl. The observation indicates a variation in the butterfly species found in different altitudes based on the presence of host plants. A total of 59 individual butterfly samples collected were divided into four families: Papilionidae (7 species), Pieridae (2 species), Nymphalidae (1 species) and Saturniidae (1 species). A further dispersal study based on seasons is needed in order to build a good taxonomic database for Sulawesi butterflies conservation.
... Under such conditions, butterfly as an important pollinator in nature seems to be one of the most promising materials to examine the present situations of biodiversity and their interaction with host plants in tropical regions. Deforestation together with increased hunting levels has been shown to dramatically effects the island endemic wildlife especially for endemic butterflies [4][5] living in natural habitat [6][7][8]. ...
... The host plant inventories are more than just species lists but include an estimate of the relative abundance of the consumer butterflies with some basic ecology as well. For example, whether host plants are trees, grasses, epiphytes, information on their basic soil and requirements should be included [7,12,13]. The objectives of the research are to identify butterfly species and their host plant served as larvae food, nectar and pollen sources in three different altitudes at Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park. ...
The famous butterfly conservation areas in South Sulawesi, Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, are gradually being replaced by intensively used farmland especially in lowland and submontane regions. The objectives of the research were to identify butterfly species and their host plant served as larvae food, nectar and pollen source in three different altitudes at Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park. The research was conducted based on transect methods at Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia from April to October 2018. Butterflies and their food were observed in three locations at different altitudes of 0-300 m above sea level (asl), 400-700 m asl, and above 700 m asl. The observation indicates a variation in the butterfly species found in different altitudes based on the presence of host plants. A total of 59 individual butterfly samples collected were divided into four families: Papilionidae (7 species), Pieridae (2 species), Nymphalidae (1 species) and Saturniidae (1 species). A further dispersal study based on seasons is needed in order to build a good taxonomic database for Sulawesi butterflies conservation.
... Interaksi kupukupu dengan lingkungan sangat dipengaruhi oleh ketersediaan spesies tumbuhan tertentu yang menjadi sumber kehidupannya (Pullin, 2002;Wolda, 1987;Wood dan Gillman, 1998). Keanekaragaman hayati kupu-kupu juga ditentukan oleh pola penyebaran dan adaptasinya terhadap lingkungan (Whitten et al., 1988;Wolda, 1978;Kremen, 1994;Spitzer et al., 1993;Sundufu dan Dumbuya, 2008). Indonesia adalah negara yang mempunyai keanekaragaman tumbuhan dan hewan yang tinggi. ...
... Perubahan lingkungan akibat alih fungsi hutan menjadi lahan pertanian menyebabkan penurunan yang sangat cepat terhadap populasi kupu-kupu yang saat ini terjadi di Taman Nasional Bantimurung-Bulusaraung, Sulawesi Selatan. Diperlukan tindakan konservasi yang meliputi perlindungan dan pengelolaan secara lestari kupukupu yang berada di dalam habitat tersebut (Spitzer et al., 1993;Schulze et al., 2004dan Fermon et al., 2005. Hasil penelitian Sri dkk. ...
Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park is one of the famous butterfly habitat in South Sulawesi. Since few years ago, there are very rapid decline butterfly population because deforestation and wild hunting by local people around conservation areas. The purpose of the research is to study the habitat and preference of butterflies on host plant at Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park. The activity of research used transect survey method of butterfly habitat in Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, Maros Regency, from July to September 2017. The result of butterfly habitat was showed most butterflies found in the open field about 18 individual (35.3% ), 12 individual (23.5%) were in secondary forest, about 6 individual (11.8%) near the water flow.
... Interaksi kupukupu dengan lingkungan sangat dipengaruhi oleh ketersediaan spesies tumbuhan tertentu yang menjadi sumber kehidupannya (Pullin, 2002;Wolda, 1987;Wood dan Gillman, 1998). Keanekaragaman hayati kupu-kupu juga ditentukan oleh pola penyebaran dan adaptasinya terhadap lingkungan (Whitten et al., 1988;Wolda, 1978;Kremen, 1994;Spitzer et al., 1993;Sundufu dan Dumbuya, 2008). Indonesia adalah negara yang mempunyai keanekaragaman tumbuhan dan hewan yang tinggi. ...
... Perubahan lingkungan akibat alih fungsi hutan menjadi lahan pertanian menyebabkan penurunan yang sangat cepat terhadap populasi kupu-kupu yang saat ini terjadi di Taman Nasional Bantimurung-Bulusaraung, Sulawesi Selatan. Diperlukan tindakan konservasi yang meliputi perlindungan dan pengelolaan secara lestari kupukupu yang berada di dalam habitat tersebut (Spitzer et al., 1993;Schulze et al., 2004dan Fermon et al., 2005. Hasil penelitian Sri dkk. ...
Taman Nasional Bantimurung-Bulusaraung adalah salah satu habitat kupu-kupu di Sulawesi Selatan. Sejak beberapa tahun yang lalu terjadi penurunan populasi kupu-kupu yang sangat cepat karena kerusakan hutan dan perburuan liar oleh masyarakat. Tujuan penelitian yang telah dilakukan adalah mempelajari habitat dan preferensi kupu-kupu terhadap tumbuhan pakan di Taman Nasional Bantimurung-Bulusaraung. Pelaksanaan kegiatan menggunakan metode survei dengan pemasangan transek berdasarkan habitat kupu-kupu di Taman Nasional Bantimurung-Bulusaraung Kabupaten Maros mulai bulan Juli sampai September 2017. Hasil pengamatan habitat kupu-kupu menunjukkan kupu-kupu paling banyak berada di lapangan terbuka yakni 18 ekor (35.3%), 12 ekor (23.5%) berada di hutan sekunder dan 6 ekor (11.8%) memilih berada dekat aliran air. Berdasarkan fungsi tumbuhan, 3 famili kupu-kupu menunjukkan preferensi terhadap tumbuhan penghasil nektar dan 4 famili kupu-kupu memilih tumbuhan penghasil daun untuk meletakkan telurnya. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa lapangan terbuka (mating area) dan hutan sekunder merupakan habitat yang paling disukai oleh kupu-kupu untuk perkembangannya. Caesalpinia pulcherrima dan Clerodendron japonicum dapat digunakan sebagai sumber nektar kupu-kupu di Taman Nasional Bantimurung-Bulusaraung. Untuk jangka panjang diperlukan kerjasama antara Perguruan Tinggi, pemerintah daerah dan instansi terkait dalam melakukan pelestarian lingkungan hidup kupu-kupu di Sulawesi Selatan.Kata kunci : Bantimurung, habitat, keanekaragaman hayati, kupu-kupu, tumbuhan pakan
... Furthermore, rare species (including geographically restricted species) tend to have unique combinations of functional traits and are therefore likely to make an important contribution to ecosystem functioning [11], meaning that a disproportionate loss of small-ranged species would have implications beyond their immediate conservation interest. A few geographically and taxonomically restricted studies have shown that narrow-ranged species are more likely than wide-ranged species to be absent in human land uses [12][13][14][15], leading-all else being equal-to a homogenization of assemblage composition across space [16]. A global, multi-clade analysis for terrestrial ecosystems has so far been prevented by a lack of suitable global datasets (but see [17] for a global freshwater analysis), and thus the generality of this pattern remains unclear. ...
... In most parts of the world, human populations are growing [33], human-dominated land uses and secondary vegetation are increasing at the expense of primary vegetation [34], and the road network is being expanded [35]. Our models show that each of these pressures leads to an increase in the average range size of species within ecological assemblages, confirming the global-and in most cases taxonomic-generality of a pattern previously demonstrated by smaller-scale, single-clade studies [12][13][14][15], consistent with a similar global synthesis for Effects of land-use type and land-use intensity on the total abundance or species richness of species with different range sizes. Effects are shown as a percentage difference relative to minimally used primary vegetation. ...
Human use of the land (for agriculture and settlements) has a substantial negative effect on biodiversity globally. However, not all species are adversely affected by land use, and indeed, some benefit from the creation of novel habitat. Geographically rare species may be more negatively affected by land use than widespread species, but data limitations have so far prevented global multi-clade assessments of land-use effects on narrow-ranged and widespread species. We analyse a large, global database to show consistent differences in assemblage composition. Compared with natural habitat, assemblages in disturbed habitats have more widespread species on average, especially in urban areas and the tropics. All else being equal, this result means that human land use is homogenizing assemblage composition across space. Disturbed habitats show both reduced abundances of narrow-ranged species and increased abundances of widespread species. Our results are very important for biodiversity conservation because narrow-ranged species are typically at higher risk of extinction than widespread species. Furthermore, the shift to more widespread species may also affect ecosystem functioning by reducing both the contribution of rare species and the diversity of species’ responses to environmental changes among local assemblages.
... The previous study was however limited in time (one single survey of 10 days) and the spatio-temporal variability of the apparent densities was not assessed, whereas it proved to be important to take into consideration in other settings (Spitzer et al., 1993). In the present study, we thus analyzed the spatial and temporal variability of the same fruit feeding insects in an independent site of the same ecological area, to better assess their reliability as ecological indicators of ecosystem health, and to define the best sampling protocol (including sampling period and duration). ...
... Several studies showed that low disturbance levels have a positive effect on diversity and abundance of insect (Bobo et al., 2006;Brown, 1991;Ramos, 2000;Sparrow et al., 1994;Wood, Gillman, 1998), in accordance with the intermediate disturbance theory (Connell, 1978). In contrast, other studies indicate adverse effects of disturbance on tropical butterfly communities (Brown, 1997;Fermon et al., 2001;Fermon et al., 2000;Hamer, Hill, 2000;Hamer et al., 1997;Hill et al., 1995;Lewis, 2001;Spitzer et al., 1997;Spitzer et al., 1993;Thomas, 1991). In this study, both plant and insect inventories lead the conclusion that Koro pastoral areas seem less disturbed than the cropping areas, but they are still more than the control natural areas of the W park. The cotton cropping areas of the W Park had similar low densities as Koro for all insect species whereas the grazing area seemed more disturbed in Koro (Bouyer et al., 2007b). ...
Les insectes mangeurs de fruits se sont récemment avérés de très bons bioindicateurs de santé des écosystèmes savanicoles d'Afrique de l'Ouest. Au Burkina Faso, la fragmentation grandissante des paysages dans diverses régions rend le développement de ce genre d'outils de suivi particulièrement utile. Cette étude a été réalisée pour mesurer la variabilité spatio-temporelle des densités apparentes d'insectes, de la famille des Nymphalidae et des Cetoniinae, attirés par des pièges appâtés de bananes fermentées, afin de fournir aux gestionnaires des zones protégées des recommandations quant à leur utilisation comme bioindicateurs. Deux paysages (une zone de pâture et une zone de culture) ont ainsi été échantillonnés plusieurs fois pendant différentes périodes de la saison des pluies et pendant deux années, et ce sur une durée variable (5 à 10 jours). L'étude s'est déroulée à Koro, au Sud-Ouest du Burkina Faso. L'impact de ces facteurs de variation sur la comparaison des deux types de pression anthropique a ainsi été analysé. L'étude a confirmé l'utilité de ces bioindicateurs et un impact plus important des cultures sur l'écosystème. Les résultats sont discutés et des recommandations présentées pour l'utilisation de ces insectes comme bioindicateurs, dans le cadre de la gestion des terroirs. (Résumé d'auteur)
... nces of diversity; seeLambshead et al. 1983). Again, the Margalef's D Index of diversity is significantly higher in disturbed forest than in closed canopy or undisturbed forest (P <0.01 at 5% level), these findings support the hypothesis that, disturbed habitat or forest gaps have higher butterfly diversity than in closed canopy or primary forests.Spitzer et al. (1993), Hill et al. (1995), Hamer et al. (1997and Wood and Gillman (1998), using similar census methods recorded higher butterfly diversity and abundance in disturbed sites than in undisturbed closed canopy sites. While, the diversity increases in disturbed habitat, it results in the reduction of the local and regional endemic nymphalid butte ...
... ae and Nymphalinae subfamilies have broad thorax and small abdomen and thus, they are frequently flying from ground zone to top canopy level. Consequently, they prefer to stay in open area or forest gaps rather than canopy closed forest areas. In contrary, the Satyrinae, Amathusiinae and Apaturinae are the three subfamilies that prefer shade sites.Spitzer et al. (1993Spitzer et al. ( ,1997),Hamer et al. (1997), Hill and Hamer (1998) and Wood and Gillman (1998) also suggested that, most of the Satyrinae are restricted to undisturbed under storey habitats and are sensitive to canopy opening. The statistical analysis is also found highly significant results between the association of species phylogeny ( ...
Study examines the hypothesis, whether the diversity of Nymphalid butterflies in tropical primary forest of Chandubi is associated with vegetation structure and canopy openness and that this relationship differs between butterfly taxa in relation to phylogenetic differences in light and shade preferences. Study has emphasized whether the increasing diversity of butterflies in degraded tropical forest is associated with the loss of species with restricted geographical distribution. Study considered altogether eight habitat variables and the t-test using equal variance, Spearman rank correlation and multiple regressions were also used for statistical analyses. Species diversity was analyzed using Margalef’s D indices that indicate both the species richness and abundance. Bootstrap method was used to compare the diversity among samples. PCA was done to examine the relationship between vegetation structure and species diversity in primary and degraded forest. The relationship between vegetation factor scores and species diversity in each sampling station in primary and degraded forest was analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. Results indicates that the butterflies species sampled in closed canopy forest had more restricted geographical distribution than those being sampled in disturbed forest. The species with greater light preference had significantly wider geographical distribution, whereas the species with greater shade preferences had significantly narrower geographical range. The stepwise analysis of multiple regressions between the diversity indices of shade groups of butterflies and vegetation density (PRIN 1) of closed forest shows a significant positive relationship, but the relationship was negative when similar analysis was carried out between species diversity indices of light preferred groups and vegetation density. Majority of closed canopy forest butterflies are sensitive to changes in moisture availability and humidity. Thus, changes in canopy cover and light penetration through microclimatic effects on adult and larval survival does have an impact on butterfly distributions and abundance. While the species richness and diversity are higher in degraded forest, the conservation value of primary forest lies more in the presence of species with restricted ranges. Owing to loss of diverse vegetation in degraded forest, the dense canopy cover and transparent ground cover has been reduced and thus leading to decline of forest butterflies species. Study has clearly indicated the strong and significant relationship that exists between the species of narrow range of geographical distribution and species shade preference. The restricted ranges species are affected due to forest degradation. Thus, clearly bringing into light, that increasing diversity in degraded forest is associated with the loss of species with restricted geographical distribution.
Key words: Nymphalid butterflies, forest degradation, primary forests, conservation value, endemic species, geographic distribution range, light and shade groups, phylogeny, tropical forests.
... Conversely, hot regions may sustain higher insect abundance during the rainy season, when accumulated heat promotes insect activity without desiccation risks [5]. While seasonality has been studied for certain groups of insects, like butterflies and beetles [40][41][42], we lack a more comprehensive understanding of trends in insect seasonality in relation to climatic and environmental gradients across temperate and tropical zones [43]. In particular, we need large-scale studies across zones conducted throughout the year. ...
The more insects there are, the more food there is for insectivores and the higher the likelihood for insect-associated ecosystem services. Yet, we lack insights into the drivers of insect biomass over space and seasons, for both tropical and temperate zones. We used 245 Malaise traps, managed by 191 volunteers and park guards, to characterize year-round flying insect biomass in a temperate (Sweden) and a tropical (Madagascar) country. Surprisingly, we found that local insect biomass was similar across zones. In Sweden, local insect biomass increased with accumulated heat and varied across habitats, while biomass in Madagascar was unrelated to the environmental predictors measured. Drivers behind seasonality partly converged: In both countries, the seasonality of insect biomass differed between warmer and colder sites, and wetter and drier sites. In Sweden, short-term deviations from expected season-specific biomass were explained by week-to-week fluctuations in accumulated heat, rainfall and soil moisture, whereas in Madagascar, weeks with higher soil moisture had higher insect biomass. Overall, our study identifies key drivers of the seasonal distribution of flying insect biomass in a temperate and a tropical climate. This knowledge is key to understanding the spatial and seasonal availability of insects—as well as predicting future scenarios of insect biomass change.
... Tropical butterflies have been subject to variations in temporal abundance patterns that have been seen in Asian forests with seasons defined by the monsoon (Spitzer et al., 1993) and tropical forests with seasonal cycles (Hill et al., 2003). A few studies on the temporal variability of forest butterflies have been carried out, including those in the Borneo region of Malaysia, the forest of Ecuador, and Uganda (DeVries et al., 1997;Molleman et al., 2006;Barlow et al., 2007;Beck & Khen, 2007) there is still a distinct lack of comprehensive information on the subject. ...
The same ecological niche cannot support two species in a
similar habitat. To avoid negative interactions, species tend
to adapt to several biological phenomena and resource
utilization patterns. The temperature also has an effect on
the presence and distribution of various insect
communities in any ecosystem. Butterfly species utilize
similar habitat types or even microhabitats, with their other
co-species and share the same daytime if the resources are
plentiful. However, they follow a certain ecological
temporal distribution pattern byusing differentintervals in
the same time frame toavoid interspecific competition. The
present study aimed to examine the occurrence of common
and uncommon kinds of butterflies throughout the day in a
small habitat at Jolkol, Serampore, West Bengal, using the
Modified Pollard Walk Method and the brief study period
evaluated any butterfly species' shifting patterns to
determine how best to use available resources during the
period. The study revealed a pattern in the presence of
different butterfly species throughout time, enabling co-species to share resources from the same environment.
... The difficulty is that line transects and related statistical models for data analysis were originally devised to count large mammals and other game animals, as well as to estimate their population densities in simpler habitats. These methods have inherent limitations in monitoring insects in more complex habitats (Spitzer et al., 1993;Zhang et al., 2018). For example, line transects require the transect line to be more or less straight and cover the predefined distance at a more or less uniform pace, which are nearly impossible to achieve in hilly tropical regions with dense vegetation and winding streams in difficult terrain. ...
Long‐term species monitoring programmes have revealed catastrophic declines in insect populations and disruption of biological communities that are contributing to biodiversity loss. Such discoveries have been possible because of standardised methods, such as line transects, of counting butterflies and other insects. However, line transects are not feasible in many tropical and mountainous habitats, so alternative methods must be explored.
To tackle this issue, we devised time‐constrained (30‐min) counts and compared butterfly diversity estimated through timed counts and line transects in three tropical habitats in India (evergreen forest, dry deciduous forest and an urban woodland). We tested the relative performance of the two methods in sampling species richness and abundance, as well as numbers of rare, endemic and specialist butterflies.
We observed greater overall species richness, and more species of habitat specialists and endemics per sample in time‐constrained counts in the evergreen forest, but not in the other two habitats. Thus, time‐constrained counts were relatively more efficient in detecting species in the species‐rich evergreen habitat. Apart from this difference, the two sampling methods captured similar levels of species richness and other measures of diversity.
Our study thus shows that time‐constrained counts are a suitable if not a superior alternative to line transects to conduct butterfly diversity surveys and population monitoring in complex tropical landscapes. Due to methodological flexibility and simplicity, time‐constrained counts may be particularly useful to study the impacts of climate change, habitat fragmentation and land use practices on butterfly, Odonata and other insect populations in populous and tech‐ready tropical countries using citizen science frameworks.
... Tropical butterflies have been subject to variations in temporal abundance patterns that have been seen in Asian forests with seasons defined by the monsoon (Spitzer et al., 1993) and tropical forests with seasonal cycles (Hill et al., 2003). Studies on the temporal variability of forest butterflies have been carried out in different regions of the globe (De Vries et al., 1997;Molleman et al., 2006;Barlow et al., 2007;Beck and Khen, 2007) but there is still a distinct lack of comprehensive information on this subject. ...
The same niche cannot support two species. To avoid negative interactions, species adapt their presence and utilize different types of resources according to different time periods. Many factors, including temperature, influence insect communities. Butterfly species utilize similar habitat types or even microhabitats with other co-species and share the same daytime if the resources are plentiful. However, they follow a certain ecological pattern of temporal distribution by using different intervals of the same time frame. With the use of the Modified Pollard Walk Method, the present study explores butterfly presence, species exclusivity, and commonality in an area situated in Jolkol, Serampore, West Bengal. The presence of reliable sources of nectar, a plentiful supply of food plants conducive to egg-laying, ample sunlight in open spaces, minimal pesticide usage, and limited human interference within the examined region have all contributed to a diverse array of butterfly species in the area. Butterfly species are susceptible to changes in landscape and vegetation, and the loss of habitats caused by urbanization and environmental degradation threatens butterfly diversity. Many butterfly species function as ecological indicators and provide numerous ecosystem services. As a result, conservation and preservation of butterfly diversity are important, particularly in urban habitats.
... For a group to be used in conservation assessments it should be common, biologically and taxonomically well understood, closely associated with other taxa, resources and ecosystem characters, and show a predictable early reaction to any unsustainable resource use which could lead to local habitat degradation (Brown, 1991) and butterflies are ideal candidates for these categories. These characteristics have made tropical butterflies a popular group for investigations into the effects of small -scale disturbance (Spitzer et al., 1993).Studies of the combined influences of human habitat modification and abiotic gradients on butterfly richness and abundance are needed to set conservation priorities (Lewis et al., 1998). Blair and Launer (1997) studied the butterfly diversity and Human land use. ...
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE DIVERSITY OF
BUTTERFLIES
... Graphium agamemnon is a species that is active during the day and is often found under shady trees (Mustari & Gunadharma, 2016). Graphium sarpedon and Euploea mulciber are species with a wide distribution level and are more active under shady trees (Spitzer, 1993 (Mustari & Gunadharma, 2016). Ypthima philomela is a low-flying species, and young are found perched on bushes (Uemura & Alexander, 2004). ...
The Sumur Panguripan Cultural Reserve is an area located in an urban area with environmental conditions that are still maintained and that also has various types of vegetation. Research data on the structure of butterfly communities in urban areas, especially the city of Surabaya, is still very minimal, so this research is very important to do. This study aims to determine the structure of the butterfly community in the Sumur Panguripan Cultural Reserve area of Surabaya city. The observation method was used in this study to collect data by directly counting the species and number of butterfly individuals or by using the visual encounter survey, and the path of observation was determined using the transect line method. In this study, results showed 108 individuals from 22 species, consisting of 5 families, with a diversity index value of H' = 2.93. The value of the butterfly species diversity index in closed habitat types H = 2.68 is lower than the butterfly diversity index value in open habitat types H = 2.72. The results of the butterfly diversity index in both habitat types indicate that this area has a medium diversity category. The diversity and number of butterfly individuals in both habitat types can be used to describe a fairly stable community structure in the Sumur Panguripan Cultural Reserve area.
... Insect diversity is known to be highest in habitats with the most plant diversity and is lowest in shrub, grassland and open fields (Davies, 1988). However, butterfly diversity is known to be higher in disturbed forests and highest in moderately disturbed forests (Blair and Launer, 1997;Schulze et al., 2004;Bobo et al., 2006) or forests edges (Vu, 2008), and comparatively lower in natural forests (Spitzer et al., 1993;Van Lien and Yuan, 2003). ...
Diversity and abundance of butterfly (Papilionoidea) species were studied intensively between January 2017 and December 2021 from six heterogeneous sites of the newly created Jhargram district in West Bengal state, India. A total of 142 species from all six butterfly families were recorded from the study sites, of which 45 belong to the family Lycaenidae, 42 to Nymphalidae, 29 to Hesperiidae, 14 from Pieridae, 11 from Papilionidae and 1 from Riodinidae. Thirteen of the species observed are new reports from the district. New distributional records of Deudorix epijarbas (Moore), Notocrypta curvifascia (C. Felder and R. Felder) from the southern part of West Bengal are reported. Rachana jalindra (Horsfield) is rediscovered from the southern part of West Bengal after a long period. Gangara thyrsis (Fabricius) is reported from this part of the state for only the second time. Additionally, Cupitha purreea (Moore), Gerosis bhagava (Moore), Sarangesa dasahara Moore, Celaenorrhinus leucocera (Kollar), Rapala pheretima (Hewitson), Athyma inara Westwood, Athyma selenophora (Kollar) and Tanaecia lepidea (Butler) are among the other notable species which are reported for the first time from Jhargram district. The statistical analysis of the diversity and abundance of the study sites and the analysis of variance and rarefaction have been performed to study the β-diversity and compare the abundance of the sites in order to understand the heterogeneity of butterfly observations. The distribution by site of the species has also been studied.
... These results can be attributed to the presence of host and larval plant species, whose occurrence impacts distribution of butterflies [10]. There are many studies that have shown higher butterfly diversity in disturbed habitat or forest gaps than that in dense forest or closed canopy [11][12][13][14]. This study, therefore, shows some sort of contradictory results which might be due to different levels of disturbance among these habitats, more in open scrub in terms of human interference in the form of fuel wood gathering, cattle grazing, forest fire, and so forth, but less in urbanized habitat where there are well maintained gardens. ...
... The occurrence of the Blastobasidae family is not indicative of specific environmental conditions. Still, according to Spitzer et al. (1993), Lepidoptera living in non-disturbed environments are specialized taxa that any source of the disturbance may damage. According to Fig. 8b, this family was detected in samples related to periods long before and after the event that caused the hiatus. ...
In the last decades, climate and human activities significantly affected ecosystems, particularly in mountain areas. Whereas the Alps have been extensively studied for palaeoclimatic reconstructions, little information is available about ecological changes, especially in the Southeastern Alps. This study presents a palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological reconstruction from a 1500-years-old mountain peatland record: Wölflmoor, Bozen (Italy).
Through Physico-chemical proxies, testate amoeba, pollen, plant macro-fossils, and environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses, we pursued a twofold objective: 1) reconstructing the palaeoenvironmental variations of the peatland and the surrounding environment to identify the main dry/wet periods, and their correlations with climate and human activities; 2) testing the use of eDNA from a peatland in palaeoecological reconstructions. The dating highlighted a distinct change of age at a depth of 55.5–50.5 cm (ca. 800–930 calibrated years), which suggests a depositional gap (hiatus), at least in this section, occurred during the Medieval Warm Period, due to the increase in air temperature. However, the possible exploitation of the peatland by humans cannot be excluded. Indeed, the increase of Poaceae, Cerealia type, and Secale cereale, and the reduction of Fagus sylvatica and Quercus presented a high human pressure starting around 720 cal. CE. Environmental DNA metabarcoding results showed similar trends. However, it gave limitations such as the preferential amplification of the most abundant species, leading to a relatively small number of detected taxa. This is one of the first studies of eDNA metabarcoding from peatland; thus, we argue that ample room for improvement is expected in a short time, making eDNA metabarcoding a valuable complementary approach, primarily when both flora and fauna taxa are targeted.
... One of the consistent patterns found in most of these studies, however, is that species with narrow ranges tend to be the most vulnerable to the impacts of habitat loss and usually require natural forest to persist. 13,23,24 Spatial and temporal scales are complicating factors that must be considered when comparing effects of habitat loss on butterflies. For example, studies at small spatial scales are more likely to report increases in diversity when comparing disturbed and undisturbed sites than are studies at larger spatial scales. ...
Butterflies are among the most widely spread taxa whose distribution cut across all the continents of the world except the Antarctica. Many butterfly species are comparatively easy to sample and recognize both as individuals and as species than many other insect groups. They are extremely sensitive to changes in vegetation composition and structure in the environment. As a result of this; butterflies have widely been used as a model species to evaluate the health of the environment and changes in the environment. We investigated and compared the butterfly abundance and diversity within a newly established tertiary institution in Central Nigeria in April, 2016 using transects with the aid of sweep nets. Four transects were laid in each of the disturbed and undisturbed habitats of Federal University of Lafia (FULafia). Transects were visited in the morning and evening. An overall total of three hundred and one butterflies were seen. However, only 160 were caught which spread across 5 families, 21 genera and 25 species. The most abundant family of butterflies caught was Pieridae 49 (30.63%) followed by Lycaenidae 42 (26.25%), Nymphalidae 34 (21.25%), Papilionidae 34 (21.25%), while Hesperiidae 1 (0.63%) was the least and scarce in the study area. The most abundant genera of butterflies recorded were Eurema 29 (18.13%), Papilio 27 (16.88%) and Hypolycaena 23 (14.38%). The mean abundance of butterflies seen in relation to disturbed and undisturbed habitats showed a very high significant difference (t = -4.1952, df = 94.682, P < 0.0001). Time of day showed a very high significant difference (t = 6.2208, df = 82.469, P < 0.0001) in the mean abundance of butterflies. The undisturbed habitat was more diversified (H´ = 2.6) in butterfly diversity than the disturbed habitat (H´ = 2.5). This study being the first effort in exploring the butterfly wealth of FULafia clearly shows that the ongoing building construction in the Permanent Site of the University may have some impact on the abundance and diversity of butterflies. Hence, the Management of the Institution should ensure that the area designated for Zoological Garden is well safe guarded for biodiversity conservation amidst ongoing sustainable development.
... Thus, the species diversity needs not be a good indicator of the potential contribution of communities to the maintenance of diversity at the regional level (Pyka¨la¨ et al., 2005). As disturbance may promote ruderal species, with generally a low conservation interest (Spitzer et al., 1993;Canals & Sebastia, 2000), the increase of the number of species with grazing may not reflect a high conservation value in species composition. This evidences that species diversity might not always be a synonym of ecological quality (Canals & Sebastia, 2000), for example in terms of conservation priorities, because species identity is not taken into account into biodiversity indices (Magurran, 2004). ...
The investigation was carried out of wild vegetation along aridity gradient from Sakhi Sarwar to Ghazi Ghat in Dera Ghazi Khan Landscape. Presence/absence data were collected from 13 sampling sites. We used classification as well as ordination methods to analyze the data structure. The main emphasis was on classification, ordination being used in part to check whether the classification results reflect in an adequate way the main floristically gradients in the data set, and also to detect relations between some environmental factors and the compos ition and structure of natural vegetation. The major axes brought by the ordination were related to soil characteristics. The application of multivariate statistic {detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and cluster analysis} allowed an interpretation of weed species spatial distribution and assemblage. From the results of classification (cluster analysis) samples from fields could be divided into distinct plant associations based on floristic composition. We have shown that there is a clear relation between physical and chemical features of the substrate and the association defined by numerical analysis. In this respect, soil texture and organic matter seems particularly important in shaping the natural communities .
... Butterflies represent an important group of ecological indicators (Brown, 1997;Chakravarthy et al., 1997;Spitzer et al., 1993), which are often considered flagship species in many ecosystems. The diversity of butterflies in forest areas is thought to have significant relationships with forest areas (Baz & Garcia-Boyero, 1996). ...
This study investigated for the first time species richness, abundance of butterflies and disturbed habitats in Souk Ahras Forest. The assessment of butterflies' diversity and relative abundance was conducted from July 2019 to July 2021. We recorded 60,696 individuals of 49 butterfly species belonging to six families (Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Hesperiidae and Sphingidae). Nymphalidae was dominant by 19 species, followed by Lycaenidae 13 species, Pieridae 10 species, Hesperiidae 4 species, Papilionidae 2 species and diurnal moths ‘Sphingidae’ with only one species. The highest number of species was recorded in oaks groves (medium high altitude) with 35 species; in terms of abundance, grassland (low altitude) dominates in number ( n = 20,094). The lowest species diversity (S = 7) and number of individuals ( n = 1227) were recorded in the Dense tree stratum scrub station which records significant water pollution. We notice that the abundance of butterflies was important during the spring and summer periods but less important during the winter. Landscape composition and habitat influence butterfly diversity and their dynamics. Many species used more than one distinct habitat type, or just one special habitat; we suggest that vegetation cover is an important mechanism for butterfly diversity persistence in forest ecosystems mosaics.
... Insects are habitat-specific in nature and as a result, they are highly sensitive to disturbance, particularly habitat fragmentation (Aizen and Feinsinger 2002;Ashworth et al. 2004). Most forest insects have narrow geographical range of distribution, often nearly endemic in a particular biogeographic forest type (Spitzer et al. 1993). Modifications of the natural environment as a result of sustained human activity will affect the relative abundance of species and in extreme cases lead to extinction of certain species (Groombridge 1992). ...
Nigeria paper industry has not reached the optimum performance level expected of it by planners despite the huge money spent on the
inputs. This paper examines the problems militating against pulp and paper production in Nigeria and highlights the pathway for
leading to complete dependence on importation of paper and paper products. In 2006, the mills were privatized, and, currentlymore
sustainability of industrial growth most especially in the pulp and paper industries.
and 66.17% in the 1960’s.In 1996, The Nigeria Newsprint Manufacturing Company (NNMC), Oku Iboku alsostopped production
1970s performed optimally except The Nigerian Paper Mill, Jebba in the 1980’s as pulp and paper importation reduced drastically as
a result of high capacity utilization in the mills. In 1985 and 1986, capacity utilization in Nigerian Paper Mill was 62.3% in 1960’s
arborea, Pinus caribaea,etc. are threatened due to high rate of deforestation and increasing demand of their wood for other
promoting optimal pulp and paper capacities locally. Commonly used tree species for pulp and paper production like Gmelina
machinery for massive sustainable wood production. Likewise, the use of indigenous wood species and agricultural residues should be
establishment of pulp and paper mills in the country before it finally stop production in 1994 due to the high dependence on foreign
encouraged for long fiber pulp production. Efforts should further be made for a stable power supply from national grid to ensure the
economic purposes. Hence, none of the three primary pulp and paper mills established in the country by government within 1960s to
than 500 billion naira is expended on importation of paper products annually. The only and urgent remedy is to put in place
Keywords: Forest product,pulp and paper, newsprint, manufacturing, industry
... The occurrence of the Blastobasidae family is not indicative of specific environmental conditions. Still, according to Spitzer et al. (1993), Lepidoptera living in non-disturbed environments are specialized taxa that any source of the disturbance may damage. According to Fig. 8b, this family was detected in samples related to periods long before and after the event that caused the hiatus. ...
... Butterfly diversity was found highest in the Raimona range due to the variation of available habitat types for butterflies as this area was the most disturbed in terms of anthropogenic pressure as resource extraction and habitat alteration that developed open canopy scattered forest habitat. Highest species diversity in the disturbed and scattered canopy forest was also reported by other authors [15,31,32,42] . This might be because of the degree of disturbance being more prominent that lead to the invasion of generalised and widespread herb and shrub species like Lantana camera, Urena lobata, Ageratum conizoides etc which act as rich nectar source that influence the occurrence of butterflies [6,22,31] . ...
Butterflies occupy a vital position in ecosystems and thus an important model group to study for wildlife conservation in a landscape. A baseline survey on abundance and diversity of butterflies was conducted in the newly created Raimona National Park of Assam in India. The Pollard Walk method was followed in the modified line transects of 1000 m length with 5 m width on either side of the observer to record the butterfly communities for two months in November and December 2020. A total of 150 species of butterflies belonging to six families viz., Nymphalidae (44.89%), Lycaenidae (23.12%), Pieridae (12.24%), Hesperidae (10.20%), Papilionidae (8.16%) and Riodinidae (1.36%) were recorded with the highest diversity in the western range Raimona followed by central range Kachugaon, Sanfan range and eastern range Athiabari in the Raimona NP. The present study was an attempt to create a checklist of butterfly species in the new protected area which will be subjected to continue updating for future reference.
... A butterfly community is largely defined by the structure of the vegetation, because most butterfly larvae have a strong association with host plants and adults need a certain range of nectar plants (Thomas, 1995;Honda & kato, 2005). However, butterfly diversity is usually lower in natural forests (Spitzer et al, 1993; van Lien & Yuan, 2003), higher in disturbed forests and highest in moderately disturbed forests (Blair & Launer, 1997;Bobo et al, 2006;Brown, 1996;Fermon et al, 2005;Schulze et al, 2004) or forest edges (vu, 2008; 2009). In general, diversity of butterflies increases with increasing complexity of vegetation structure (Price, 1975). ...
Butterflies were examined along the edge of a forest near the city of Jagodina, Serbia, from April to September 2017, in order to assess the diversity of species and identify the factors that influence it. Shannon Diversity Index, Simpson's Diversity Index, species richness, Pielou's Evenness, Margalef's Richness Index and relative abundance were calculated.
... Examination of tropical species has shown little evidence for local evolutionary adaptation of thermal tolerance (O'Brien et al., 2017) compared with widespread species (Ayres & Scriber, 1994;Karl et al., 2008;Higgins et al., 2014; but see Pelini et al., 2009). Our findings do not rule out other possible mechanisms to manage cold temperatures, such as phenological separation (Spitzer et al., 1993), microhabitat preferences (Scheffers & Williams, 2018), and migration (Wang & Emmel 1990). ...
The thermal biology of ectotherms largely determines their abundance and distributions. In general, tropical species inhabiting warm and stable thermal environments tend to have low tolerance to cold and variable environments, which may restrict their expansion into temperate climates. However, the distribution of some tropical species does extend into cooler areas such as tropical borders and high elevation tropical mountains. Behavioural and morphological differences may therefore play important roles in facilitating tropical species to cope with cold and variable climates at tropical edges.
We used field‐validated biophysical models to estimate body temperatures of butterflies across elevational gradients at three sites in southern China and assessed the contribution of behavioural and morphological differences in facilitating their persistence in tropical and temperate climates. We investigated the effects of temperature on the activity of 4,844 individuals of 144 butterfly species along thermal gradients and tested whether species of different climatic affinities—tropical and widespread (distributed in both temperate and tropical regions)—differed in their thermoregulatory strategies (i.e. basking). In addition, we tested whether thermally related morphology or the strength of solar radiation (when butterflies were recorded) was related to such differences.
We found that activities of tropical species were restricted (low abundance) at low air temperatures compared to widespread species. Active tropical species were also more likely to bask at cooler body temperatures than widespread species. Heat gain from behavioural thermoregulation was higher for tropical species (when accounting for species abundance), and heat gain correlated with larger thorax widths but not with measured solar radiation.
Our results indicate that physiological intolerance to cold temperatures in tropical species may be compensated through behavioural and morphological responses in thermoregulation in variable subtropical environments. Increasing climatic variability with climate change may render tropical species more vulnerable to cold weather extremes compared to widespread species that are more physiologically suited to variable environments.
... Diversity or species richness may seem a sensible metric to measure, but in practice in both tropical and temperate environments these measures often increase with disturbance, concurrent with a decrease in conservation value (Basset et al., 1998). In many butterfly assemblages, for example, forest disturbance allows a suite of mobile, widespread and generalist taxa to colonize and coexist with much of the existing fauna (Thomas, 1991;Hamer et al., 1997;Spitzer et al., 1993Spitzer et al., , 1997Lewis et al., 1998), enhancing overall diversity. These newcomers are typically species of low conservation concern, and it does not make sense to give them equal weighting to restricted range habitat specialists in conservation assessments. ...
These proceedings contain papers on insect conservation biology that are classified under 3 themes: (1) the current status of insect conservation, and major avenues for progress and hindrances (6 papers); (2) insects as model organisms in conservation biology (6 papers); and (3) future directions in insect conservation biology (6 papers).
... But more light preferring butterflies have wide geographical distribution. They are habitat generalists and found in disturbed habitats also (Spitzer et al., 1993., Hammer et al., 2003., Malabika, 2011., Houlihan et al., 2013. ...
Maragamuwa Forest Regeneration Study Site was established in a harvested eucalypt plantation (7 0 41' 39.16" N-80 0 42' 31.58" E) in the intermediate zone of Sri Lanka Based on the age from the disturbance, two vegetation types could be identified as early secondary forest (ESF) and late secondary forest (LSF). Abundance, Occurrence and diversity of butterflies were monitored for two years. The Gamma (γ) diversity of the areas is 100 species in six families with four endemics. Highest abundance was recorded in ESF (n= 2963), while highest species richness was recorded in LSF (n= 76). Alpha (α) diversity of LSF was higher than ESF. A statistically significant difference in butterfly diversity was recorded in two forests (p<0.001). Several indicator species were identified for each forest type. Indicator species of ESF were small and indicators for LSF were large butterflies. Few new records to the region were identified during the study. Findings of the study showcase the value of long term studies and can be used as a fundamental tool for planning future studies and conservation actions.
... Data from soil type were used to categorize the soil moistures of each site and classified based on the soil clay content. Water holding capacity (scored as one high humidity and 0 low water holding capacity) set out in the Australian Soil Classification (ASC) and Great Soil Group guidelines (GSG) (Raymond, 2016 Taxa S is used to identify the existence of butterfly species in the locality (Kremen, 1994;Hall and Harvey, 2002); Individuals N is considered as total numbers of species in the locality (Pollard, 1977;Fermon et al., 2005); and Dominance D describes the density/unit number of species (Spitzer et al., 1993;Barlow, 1994). Simpson 1-D, measures probability among individuals randomly/sample belonging to the same species (Simpson, 1949;Gracy et al., 2016). ...
The natural territory disturbance, losses, and degradation are real and alarming threats to the ecosystem. The population of butterflies remains arbitrary in prairie residuals and linear range habitats. Such environments are low, isolated, and sub-quality than intact prairies-biodiversity losses associated with ecosystems regulating services and supporting services. Therefore, the present study was conducted on environmental variables and soil gradient and its effects on butterfly colonies in tehsil Tangi, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 506 specimens of butterflies and soil samples were collected from different localities randomly. Butterflies were collected with aerial nets, searching, and picking method, and taken to the laboratory for identification and recording concerning each location every two weeks from August 2014 to May 2015. The similarity index among individuals was 246 (47%), while among species 45.5 (8.62%) and Catopsilia pyranthe were at (35/122; 14/30; 7/14; 6.91/24.11) position, similarly in dissimilarity index, Catopsilia ponoma was at (58/122; 19/30; 9/14; 11.460/24.11) position. The density revealed that the Danauas chrysippus was the most abundant species 122/506. Similarly, among environmental gradients, silt associated considerably with pH, wilting point (Wp), field capacity (Fc), bulk density (Bd), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Shy) and available water (Aw) (p≈0.000), sand with pH, Wp, Fc and Bd (p≈0.000), pH with Wp, Fc and Bd (p≈0.000), Wp with Fc, Bd, and Aw (p≈0.000), Fc with Bd and Aw (p≈0.000). We concluded that low latitude and altitude, excessive amounts of insecticides and pesticides show a significant impact on butterflies' diversity.
... Butterfly communities are well known as good indicators [1,2] because butterflies are widespread, recognizable, conspicuous and generally easy to observe [1,3]. The group offers potential as environmental indicator due to their sensitivity on microclimate and light level [1] and is also useful in assessing habitat [4][5][6]. Butterfly communities have been used as indicator of habitat quality and habitat change [7,8] but species or multi-species per se are rarely used as indicator, although several species are usually associated [9]. ...
In 2015, Bali Barat National Park was chosen for a Rainforest Standard (RFS) demonstration project. As part of the requirement for the Protected Area Credit of the RFS, species or a group of species that can act as indicators of ecosystem health in Bali Barat National Park (BBNP) have to be identified. Butterflies was one of the taxa assessed for this purpose. A biological survey was conducted in Bali Barat National Park during August-September 2015. Butterfly species were surveyed using a modification of Pollard walk methods by recording species while walking along transects. A total of 82 butterfly species were recoded representing the families Papilionidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae and Riodinidae. Forty-one species, 50 %, were from the family Nymphalidae and 21, 25 % from Pieridae. Nymphalidae and Pieridae was found to be correlated to vegetation structures. The selection process for indicator species was based on Indicator Value (IV) developed by Dufrene and Legendre (1997). Indicator Value uses both abundance and frequency to identify species that may be effective as indicators of ecosystem health. Most of the species with high IV values were associated with savanna vegetation, which is more open and often disturbed. The only Lycaenidae found with a high IV was Tarucus waterstradti , which may be considered as a potential indicator species. However, caution is needed in assessing the potential for butterflies to be used as indicator species because they are small and may be difficult to identify and there is a lack of trained observers in many parts of the tropics.
... Studies about vertical stratification of fruit-feeding butterflies started in the late 1980s (DeVries 1988). Despite recent advances, most were carried out in tall forests with canopy heights of 20-60 m (e. g. Spitzer et al. 1993;DeVries et al. 1997DeVries et al. , 1999DeVries & Walla 2001;Hill et al. 2001;Schulze et al. 2001;Fermon et al. 2003). In Brazil, only three studies have been published about the vertical stratification of fruit-feeding butterflies: one in the Amazon Forest (Ribeiro & Freitas 2012) and two in the Atlantic Forest (Dos Santos et al. 2017;Lourenço et al. 2019). ...
Recently, the availability of cheap and effective survey methods increased the number of forest canopy studies. Several studies have described butterfly communities in the upper forest stratum. However, these studies were all conducted in tall forests (20–60 m canopy height). Here we aim to assess the stratification of fruit-feeding butterfly species in two vertical strata of a semi-deciduous seasonal forest. In addition, we present a field guide to assist in future butterfly monitoring. This study was carried out in two areas of semi-deciduous seasonal forest in the Serra da Bodoquena National Park, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. Sampling monthly for a year both the, canopy and the understory, we recorded 4229 individuals of 65 species. The species community of fruit-feeding butterflies showed a clear vertical stratification. The composition differed significantly between the two vertical strata, with a higher species richness and abundance in the understory, but less diversity compared to the canopy. Species were distributed heterogeneously between the understory and the canopy in this forest of lower canopy height. Considering published literature of the Mato Grosso do Sul State, the Serra da Bodoquena is one of the most species rich areas with regard to fruit-feeding butterflies.
... The composition of butterfly community varies highly among seasons than among habitats (Akand et al. 2016). Plant phenology and climate are the key factors that affect butterfly population (Murphy et al. 1990, Spitzer et al. 1993, Barlow et al. 2007. Changes in abundance of various species are routine phenomena and normally unremarkable (Dunn 2007). ...
A field investigation was carried out from January 2015 to December 2017 to study the status of some lycaenid butterflies in some selected forest areas of Bangladesh. A total of 6,724 lycaenids was recorded from Butterfly Research Park at Bhawal National Park, Gazipur; Madhupur National Park, Tangail; Satchori National Park and Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary of Habigonj. The dominant species was Arhopala pseudocentaurus with 21.85% relative frequency and the least abundant species was Rathinda amor with 0.75% relative frequency. Butterfly Research Park showed the maximum number of butterfly individuals with a covariance of 40% followed by Madhupur National Park (37%), Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary (13%), and Satchori National Park (10%). A significant difference (F = 3.52, p-value = 0.02) has been assessed using „One-way ANOVA‟ test. The difference in the availability of butterflies in different habitats indicated the differences in plant diversity among the forests. Lycaenid butterflies displayed highest abundance (13.19%) in December and lowest (5.38%) in October. There was no significant difference (F = 0.72, p-value = 0.71) among different months throughout the study period in overall species abundance though highest number was recorded in December. The abiotic factors (viz. temperature and relative humidity etc.) influence the presence of butterflies. Lycaenid butterflies demonstrated the highest abundance (887) in 26.9°C along with 64% relative humidity whereas the least abundance (362) has been recorded at 31.7°C with 77% relative humidity. The significant negative correlation was found in between lycaenid abundance and temperature (r = ─ 0.45, pvalue = 0.14), and between lycaenid abundance and relative humidity (r = ─ 0.19, p-value = 0.54). The butterfly population increased with decreasing average temperature and relative humidity during the study period. This investigation reveals the differences in the availability of lycaenid butterflies in relation to the differences in plant population and also the effect of abiotic factors in the forest areas. J. Biodivers. Conserv. Bioresour. Manag. 2019, 5(2): 19-32
... Butterflies have been recognized as a suitable group for the study of the community's response to different environmental conditions (Bowman et al., 1990;Spitzer et al., 1993Spitzer et al., , 1997, which makes them a good model for studies of this type. However, few works in this vein have been conducted on secondary succession . ...
We analyze changes in the diversity of butterflies under a scheme of secondary succession in a fragmented landscape of the Huasteca of Hidalgo, Mexico over two seasons (rainy and dry) and four successional stages (cattle pasture, early secondary succession, intermediate secondary succession and advanced secondary succession). We recorded a total of 3,559 individuals of 124 species of adult butterflies. A higher number of species (104) and higher abundance (2588 individuals) were found during the rainy season than the dry season. Memphis pithyusa was the most abundant species in all successional stages. We evaluated the effect of secondary succession and seasonality on the alpha diversity of butterflies through three orders of Hill numbers as measures of diversity (0D = species richness, 1D = measure of abundance in the community, and 2D = common species). We found that in q0D, cattle pasture and early SS maintained the greatest diversity compared to the last two stages; in q1D, early SS maintained the lowest diversity, which was significantly different from the rest of the stages; and in q2D, we found the opposite pattern to q0D; the two most advanced stages were the ones that maintained the greatest diversity. Beta diversity analysis was conducted with abundance and species presence/absence data. Species composition was different between the rainy and dry seasons (both as evaluated by abundance and by species presence/absence). Species composition measured by abundance was different between the cattle pasture successional stage in the dry season and all other successional stages. Considering only presence/absence, species composition was different between the cattle pasture successional stage and all other successional stages in both seasons. Although our analysis lacks a primary forest for reference, we highlight here the importance of these secondary forests from Huasteca Region of Hidalgo State of Mexico as reservoirs of butterfly diversity. Considering that these forests generally maintain a close relationship with productive activities for human well-being, this would imply that they should be included in public policies for their maintenance and conservation. Keywords: Chronosequence, Huasteca of Mexico, Lepidoptera, True diversity, Forest management, Cattle pasture
... The spatial and temporal distributions of an individual species are an evolutionary result of different selective forces, such as weather conditions, resource availability, habitat complexity, and natural enemies. Such forces extend beyond the specific life history traits, such as dispersal ability, physiological tolerance, and breadth of diet (Tauber and Tauber 1981;Lawton 1983;Wolda 1988;Spitzer et al. 1993;Beck et al. 2002;Dennis et al. 2003;Novotny et al. 2007;Wardhaugh 2014). Studies of species distribution in space and time are therefore important when evaluating the effect of environmental and climatic changes, and these study results can be used to map out possible geographical redistributions and predict the survival and persistence of species (Aleixo et al. 2010). ...
Some moths species are considered good indicators of habitat quality because they are very responsive to human disturbance, vegetation type, and successional processes. However, Saturniidae moths have not yet been considered as indicators of environmental quality. Little is known on the distribution of moth species in different vegetation types and the moths’ seasonal variations in the Brazilian savannah. Therefore, this study aims to describe the spatial distribution and temporal patterns of moths belonging to the Saturniidae family in two vegetation types—Cerrado sensu stricto on rocky outcrops and semi-deciduous forest—in both the rainy and dry seasons. It addresses the influence of the climatic seasons and vegetation types on abundance, richness, and species composition to describe the temporal and spatial distribution patterns and the relationship between the ecological aspects and the life history of these moths. This study was conducted in the Cerrado phytogeographical domain, in Pireneus State Park, Goiás, Brazil. The results revealed that most Saturniidae species sampled are present during the rainy season and typically found in forest habitats. Furthermore, a clear positive connection was found between the abundance pattern and rainfall seasonality and humid habitats; this is apparently related to the physiological tolerance of these moths, due to rudimentary mouthparts during their adulthood. Thus, rainfall and a forest habitat are important to and fundamental requirements for the persistence of the Saturniidae species in the Cerrado domain. Based on the results of this study, we suggest the use of saturniid species as indicators of changes in vegetation and climatic conditions.
... However, modified habitats may still actually retain some forest biodiversity (Hughes et al., 2002;Horner-Devine et al., 2003;Sodhi et al., 2005), but their conservation value still needs to be assessed. It has also been reported that the numbers of butterfly species and individuals were high in disturbed and regenerating forests and low in natural forests (Spitzer et al., 1993;Van Lien and Yuan, 2003). There were few butterfly species in the habitat with thick forest canopy and, vice versa, more butterfly species in the habitat with less forest canopy (Warren, 1985). ...
The effect of land use type on butterfly abundance, species richness, and biodiversity was studied at Masako Forest Reserve in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo. The study was conducted in a primary (PF) and secondary forest (SF), fallow (FW), and an agricultural field (AF). Three bait traps were used; each trap had a cylinder consisting of two metal rings of 30.48 cm diameter and 106.68 cm length with a 15.24 cm cone top. The cylinder and top were nylon mosquito netting with a 55.88 cm zipper sewn into the seam of the cylinder to provide access into the trap to remove butterflies. Traps with rotten bananas as baits were placed at three sites in each of the land use type for 24 h. Trapped butterflies were counted, identified, photographed and released. Results showed that land use type significantly affected butterfly species abundance (p=0.0003) and alpha biodiversity (p=0.0001). The fallow had the highest butterfly species abundance and biodiversity. Cymothoe caenis was the most dominant and Acrea lycoa the least abundant species. Butterflies biodiversity indices significantly correlated with longitude (0.58 to 0.79). These results suggested that land use type and geographic coordinates may have an impact on butterflies at Masako Forest Reserve. More studies are needed to better understand the effect of land use type and longitude on butterfly biodiversity.
... The abundance and species diversity of butterflies are higher in the tropical region due to their roles as the pollinating agents that contribute to the growth, development, and distribution of the host flora (Bonebrake et al. 2010). In the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, studies pertaining to the species diversity of butterflies at different altitudes have not yet been done on a large and longterm scale, although some sporadic studies have been conducted over relatively short periods of 2-3 years and in small areas (Spitzer et al. 1993(Spitzer et al. , 1997Vu 2009). Studies on different areas and time scales are important because large-scale and long-term research may add more species and reveal more comprehensive results. ...
This study was conducted to record the butterfly fauna along the Raub Corridor to Fraser’s Hill, Pahang. A series of field samplings was conducted for three consecutive days in October and December 2014, and again from January till March 2015, at three different altitudes, i.e. at 400 to 500 m (lower altitude), 750 to 850 m (middle altitude), and 1000 to 1250 m (higher altitude) within the study area. The butterflies were randomly collected in the day time between 0900-1700 hours by aerial sweeping using the butterfly net. A total of 716 individuals from 138 species in five families (Papilionidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae and Hesperidae) and 14 subfamilies (Papilioninae, Nymphalinae, Satyrinae, Danainae, Morphinae, Coliadinae, Pierinae,Riodininae, Miletinae, Poritiinae, Lycaeninae, Pyrginae, Hesperiinae and Coeliadinae) were recorded. At the higher altitude, the Shannon Diversity Index was H’= 3.683, evenness index, E’=0.5936 and Margalef’s Richness Index, R’= 13.0. At the middle altitude, the Shannon Diversity Index was H’= 3.226, evenness index, E’=0.442 and Margalef’s Richness Index, R’= 9.756. At the lower altitude, the Shannon Diversity Index was H’= 3.917, evenness index, E’=0.6128 and Margalef’s Richness Index, R’= 14.72, respectively. The highest species diversity, species evenness and also species richness indices were recorded at the lowest altitude i.e. 400 to 500 m above sea level. © 2017, Centre for Insects Systematic, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
... home.html), and we classified species into the same distribution categories the Flora database uses based on these other sources. A similar approach of quantifying range size was used by Spitzer and Lepš (1988) and by Thomas (1991) and Spitzer, Novotny, Tonner, and Lepš (1993) for butterflies. ...
We aimed to introduce and test the "seed mass-distribution range trade-off" hypothesis , that is, that range size is negatively related to seed mass due to the generally better dispersal ability of smaller seeds. Studying the effects of environmental factors on the seed mass and range size of species, we also aimed to identify habitats where species may be at risk and need extra conservation effort to avoid local extinctions. We collected data for seed mass, global range size, and indicators for environmental factors of the habitat for 1,600 species of the Pannonian Ecoregion (Central Europe) from the literature. We tested the relationship between species' seed mass, range size, and indicator values for soil moisture, light intensity, and nutrient supply. We found that seed mass is negatively correlated with range size; thus, a seed mass-distribution range trade-off was validated based on the studied large species pool. We found increasing seed mass with decreasing light intensity and increasing nutrient availability, but decreasing seed mass with increasing soil moisture. Range size increased with increasing soil moisture and nutrient supply, but decreased with increasing light intensity. Our results supported the hypothesis that there is a trade-off between seed mass and distribution range. We found that species of habitats characterized by low soil moisture and nutrient values but high light intensity values have small range size. This emphasizes that species of dry, infertile habitats, such as dry grasslands, could be more vulnerable to habitat fragmentation or degradation than species of wet and fertile habitats. The remarkably high number of species and the use of global distribution range in our study support our understanding of global biogeographic processes and patterns that are essential in defining conservation priorities.
... Butterflies are another well studied group that have the potential to serve as indicators of disturbance (Sundufu and Dumbuya 2008), and have been widely used in habitat disturbance studies elsewhere (Beck and Schulze 2000;Wood and Gillman 1998;DeVries et al. 1997;Hill et al. 1995;Sparrow et al. 1994;Spitzer et al. 1993;Kremen 1992;Brown 1991;Lovejoy et al. 1986;). These insects have also been suggested as good environmental indicators due to their sensitivity to microclimate and light intensity changes (Wood and Gillman, 1998;Erhardt, 1985), and because of their complex life history (Kremen, 1992;Ehrlich, 1984). ...
... Species that are geographically restricted are considered as habitat-specific species with low ecological tolerance. These species usually occur only in undisturbed habitats and, therefore, have high conservation value in contrast with species that have high geographical distribution ability and, consequently, the high ecological tolerance that can be found in a variety of vegetative complexes (Majumder et al. 2013;Spitzer et al. 1993). The presence or absence of butterfly species in an area can be directly attributed to the availability of food and shelter for larvae and also adults (Grossmueller and Lederhouse 1987;Majumder et al. 2013;Thomas 1995). ...
Butterfly species can be sensitive to ecosystem disturbance and, therefore, suitable to be used as indicators of habitat quality. We determined species richness and diversity of butterfly species along five tourist trails in the northeast region of Portugal. These trails were in different landscape structures, varying from urban areas to areas extensively managed for agriculture (i.e., vineyards, meadows) to natural areas (i.e., grasslands, rivers, forests). A total of 522 butterflies representing 45 species belonging to 34 genera and 5 families of Lepidoptera were recorded. Of the taxonomic families represented in the survey, the Nymphalidae were most numerous (362 specimens, 22 species) followed by Pieridae (86 specimens, 11 species) and Lycaenidae (58 specimens, 8 species). Four species have a conservation status, an indicator of the risk of extinction they face at present or in the near future [Euphydryas aurinia (Rottemburg, 1775), Phengaris alcon (Denis & Schiffermü ller, 1775), Hipparchia semele (L., 1758) and Melanargia lachesis (Hü bner, 1790)], and these represent 6.9% of the total species identified. Among the five trails, diversity parameters varied with high values of species richness and diversity, low dominance of species, and moderate evenness of distribution. Additionally, butterfly species comparison among the trails revealed that Alvão and Vale do Corgo trails have most of the species in common, especially from Pieridae and Nymphalidae, while the Marão trail has more species associated exclusively to this trail. These results were also supported by hierarchical clustering performed with an average linkage aggregation method using Jaccard distance and by comparison between proportions of butterflies among trails within each family.
... Temporal degradation of biodiversity data quality is inevitable due to the inherent dynamism of natural systems (e.g., local extinctions, immigration, biological invasions). The dynamics drive-sometimes dramatic-temporal changes in the abundance and composition of species in ecological communities (e.g., Spitzer, Novotny, Tonner, & Leps, 1993;Holmes & Sherry, 2001;Forister et al., 2010;Dornelas et al., 2013; but see Vellend et al., 2013). Biodiversity data quality may also degrade due to changes in the way scientists divide and categorize biodiversity, exemplified by sporadic revisions (splitting and lumping) of taxonomic relationships (Ladle & Hortal, 2013). ...
Spatial and/or temporal biases in biodiversity data can directly influence the utility, comparability, and reliability of ecological and evolutionary studies. While the effects of biased spatial coverage of biodiversity data are relatively well known, temporal variation in data quality (i.e., the congruence between recorded and actual information) has received much less attention. Here, we develop a conceptual framework for understanding the influence of time on biodiversity data quality based on three main processes: (1) the natural dynamics of ecological systems—such as species turnover or local extinction; (2) periodic taxonomic revisions, and; (3) the loss of physical and metadata due to inefficient curation, accidents, or funding shortfalls. Temporal decay in data quality driven by these three processes has fundamental consequences for the usage and comparability of data collected in different time periods. Data decay can be partly ameliorated by adopting standard protocols for generation, storage, and sharing data and metadata. However, some data degradation is unavoidable due to natural variations in ecological systems. Consequently, changes in biodiversity data quality over time need be carefully assessed and, if possible, taken into account when analyzing aging datasets.
... However, human habitation may also have some positive effect on species richness in the forest edge and locations near the chalets and hotels (Tamblyn et al., 2005). Butterfly diversity and species richness may increase by the presence of fruit trees and other plantations around the populated area (Spitzer et al., 1993). For example, in Pulau Bidong, vigorously flowering and fruiting tree species of Terminalia catappa and Hibiscus tiliaceus were recorded around the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) research station near the coastal area (Elizabeth, 2016). ...
Ninety percent species of butterflies can be found in the tropics. Southeast Asia has one of the highest Lepidopteran biodiversity in the world, while over 1,200 species of butterflies reside in Malaysia. Despite high Lepidopteran diversity, there is still little knowledge on the butterfly distribution in the islands of Southeast Asia. The aim of this study was to generate species data for butterflies at the islands of Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Bidong in Terengganu region, Malaysia. The collected data will be a foundation for long-term monitoring, future research and a species guideline for tourism. The faunistic composition of Rhopalocera was studied by using 20 baited traps in which 10 baited traps were set at the canopy level and another 10 baited traps were set in the understorey for seven days on each island. The baited traps at the understory and canopy level were set on selected trees at 1 m and 15 m above the ground respectively, and left to function from 0800 hours to 1700 hours. Ripe pineapples were used as bait to attract butterflies. Aerial netting along one kilometre of line transects were also conducted for catching butterflies. A total of 26 species of butterflies from four families were caught during the sampling period. Butterfly population on small islands may be particularly susceptible to environmental and stochastic changes. Thus, development and land clearing should be strictly controlled to prevent further loss of flora and fauna such as endangered tree species and endemic butterflies of the islands.
... Seasonality is an important factor in survival strategies adopted by numerous organisms, playing an essential role in the knowledge about populations and the structure of tropical insect communities in a given area (Wolda, 1978a, b;Spitzer et al., 1993). Seasonal patterns may interfere in population size, reproductive activity and the availability of food resources, among other aspects (Wolda, 1988). ...
Seasonality is an important aspect associated with population dynamic and structure of tropical insect assemblages. This study evaluated the effects of seasonality on abundance, richness, diversity and composition of an insect group, drosophilids, including species native to the Neotropical region and exotic ones. Three preserved fragments of the northern Atlantic Forest were surveyed, where temperatures are above 20 °C throughout the year and rainfall regimes define two seasons (dry and rainy). As opposed to other studies about arthropods in tropical regions, we observed that abundance of drosophilids was significantly higher in the dry season, possibly due to biological aspects and the colonization strategy adopted by the exotic species in these environments. Contrarily to abundance, we did not observe a seasonal pattern for richness. As for other parts of the Atlantic Forest, the most representative Neotropical species ( Drosophila willistoni, D. sturtevanti, D. paulistorum and D. prosaltans ) were significantly more abundant in the rainy season. Among the most abundant exotic species, D. malerkotliana, Zaprionus indianus and Scaptodrosophila latifasciaeformis were more importantly represented the dry season, while D. simulans was more abundant in the rainy period. The seasonality patterns exhibited by the most abundant species were compared to findings published in other studies. Our results indicate that exotic species were significantly more abundant in the dry season, while native ones exhibited an opposite pattern.
... SPECIES COMPOSITION AND ECOLOGICAL HABITAT CATEGORIES.-Measures of species diversity can be misleading from a conservation perspective, as disturbed forest can often support elevated butterfly species richness as a consequence of increasing numbers of opportunistic and widespread species (Spitzer et al. 1993, Spitzer et al. 1997, Bobo et al. 2006. In our study, species similarity was extremely high between natural forest and SMCF and timber plantation (>80% species shared), suggesting that both of these agricultural habitats are being utilized by forest species and not just by opportunistic, widespread species. ...
Afromontane landscapes are typically characterized by a mosaic of smallholder farms and the biodiversity impacts of these practices will vary in accordance to local management and landscape context. Here, we assess how tropical butterfly diversity is maintained across an agricultural landscape in the Jimma Highlands of Ethiopia. We used transect surveys to sample understory butterfly communities within degraded natural forest, semi-managed coffee forest (SMCF), exotic timber plantations, open woodland, croplands and pasture. Surveys were conducted in 29 one-hectare plots and repeated five times between January and June 2013. We found that natural forest supports higher butterfly diversity than all agricultural plots (measured with Hill's numbers). SMCF and timber plantations retain relatively high abundance and diversity, but these metrics drop off sharply in open woodland, cropland and pasture. SMCF and timber plantations share the majority of their species with natural forest and support an equivalent abundance of forest-dependent species, with no increase in widespread species. There was some incongruence in the responses of families and sub-families, notably that Lycaenidae are strongly associated with open woodland and pasture. Adult butterflies clearly utilize forested agricultural practices such as SMCF and timber plantations, but species diversity declines steeply with distance from natural forest suggesting that earlier life-stages may depend on host plants and/or microclimatic conditions that are lost under agricultural management. From a management perspective, the protection of natural forest remains a priority for tropical butterfly conservation, but understanding functioning of the wider landscape mosaic is important as SMCF and timber plantations may act as habitat corridors that facilitate movement between forest fragments.
... Insects are habitat-specific in nature and as a result, they are highly sensitive to disturbance, particularly habitat fragmentation (Kearns et al. 1998;Aizen and Feinsinger 2002;Ashworth et al. 2004). Most forest insects have narrow geographical range of distribution, often nearly endemic in a particular biogeographic forest type (Spitzer et al. 1993). Modifications of the natural environment as a result of sustained human activity will affect the relative abundance of species and in extreme cases lead to extinction of certain species (Groombridge 1992). ...
With a rapid surge in human population, there has been concomitant increase in anthropogenic threats to biodiversity, especially for ecologically-important groups such as insects. With the loss of about 79% of its forest cover, Nigeria ranked as the nation with the highest rate of forest loss in 2005. How these and other environmental stressors affect insect biodiversity is yet to be fully understood. Nigeria, like most of the countries in the tropics is a treasure trove of insect diversity; however, limited information is available on the taxonomy, ecology, genetics and biogeography of its insect fauna. This dearth of background scientific knowledge impedes successful insect conservation policy and practice. Even though a National Biodiversity Action and Strategic Plan has been formulated in line with the targets of Convention on Biological Diversity, these clear knowledge gaps have to be recognized and filled for sustainable progress to be made in insect conservation. This review identifies the key challenges to insect diversity conservation in Nigerian ecosystems. The need to provide sufficient baseline information on the taxonomy, species distribution and ecology of Nigerian insects at both eco-regional and national scales is proposed. Well designed and targeted insect diversity surveys as well as citizen science programs are suggested as potential approaches to accumulating necessary baseline data to drive conservation of insects in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the country.
The impact of habitat disturbance on butterfly species assemblage in the Afrotropical
region was studied by investigating inter-habitat community variation of butterflies.
Distinct butterfly species assemblages were found across surveyed habitat types, with
1554 adult butterflies of 126 species from five families recorded. The Primary forests
had the highest species diversity and a higher dissimilarity between the Secondary
and Plantation Forests. Of the 126 species recorded, 80 species were unique to one
habitat. We provide new insights into butterfly ecology in the region, which can inform the development of conservation strategies to protect these ecosystems.
The temperature and habitat gradients of tropical mountains contribute to their high species diversity and endemism. Recent fieldwork in the Central Highlands of Vietnam has found many taxa new to science, but the area remains poorly explored. We surveyed the butterflies of Kon Ka Kinh National Park between 1999 to 2019 and noted the habitat, seasons, and freshwater availability for each transect in 2018–2019. We found a total of 368 butterfly species including 80 documented in that region for the first time in 2018–2019. Nymphalidae (41.8%) was the most abundant butterfly family, and Riodinidae was the least common. We recorded higher species richness in disturbed forests, but many of the species we document are endemic or have restricted ranges. The diverse fauna is at a biogeographic crossroads of mostly Indo-Malayan species from the south and some high elevation specialists from the north meeting along an elevational and climatic gradient. Correspondence analysis demonstrates that season and forest type are the most important environment covariates influencing butterfly abundance in this unique tropical forest. These results demonstrate that the Central Highlands of Vietnam are not only species rich, but also home to many rare and endemic species found nowhere else, making the area a conservation priority.
Vagrans egista sinha (Kollar, [1844]), the Himalayan Vagrant is a subspecies of Nymphalid (Brush-footed) butterflies spread across Asia, whose western limit is in the north-west India. Observations of this subspecies have considerably increased over the past half-a-decade, with a spike in new sightings to the west of their previously known range. This has been considered as a range extension. The current study reports new records of this species from Bilaspur District, Himachal Pradesh, India (which are the first records for the district), through systematic and opportunistic sampling. This raises the question of whether the purported range extension towards the west could instead be a range shift or vagrancy, and whether there is any shift in elevational ranges in the populations across their known range. Questions pertaining to spatial differences in elevational ranges and seasonal variation, across their range, also piqued our curiosity. Using data from academic sources (such as published literature and museum collections), supplemented by data from public participation in scientific research and personal observations, these research questions are addressed. The accuracy of results when using citizen science data is also explored using the same dataset, focused on the impact of method of extraction of coordinates, and elevation derived from it under different scenarios. It was discovered that there has not been a range shift (either longitudinal or latitudinal) and observations do not suggest vagrancy but a case of range extension. Other results indicated that there was no climb of population to higher elevations, no spatial differences in elevational ranges in the populations, or seasonal variation in activities across their range. It was also discovered that the method of data collection by, and extraction from, citizen science databases, can influence the accuracy of the results. Some problems involved in collecting data are discussed, and remedial solutions are suggested.
KAMBALKOMNDA eco tourism park spread over an area of 80 hectares
To clarify the structure and organization of butterfly communities. I analyzed a transect-count data set of seven butterfly communities in varying types of woodland habitat at the northern foot of Mt Fuji, central Japan. The results of statistical analyses including UPGMA suggested that the butterfly community was composed of four species subgroups that showed either relatively high abundances and wide local distributions (subgroup IV), relatively low abundances and wide local distributions (subgroups I and III), or relatively low abundances and restricted local distributions (subgroup II). The result of PCA suggested that the extent of growth in the mantle and sleeve plant communties (i.e. the degree of development of forest edges (corresponding to ecotone))in each habitat played the major role in the diversification, formation, and organization of the four species subgroups. The two species subgroups IV and II, although quite different in abundance and distribution patterns, both had a great influence on the variations in the community indices such as species richness (total number of species) and total population abundance among the seven transect sites. whereas the other two subgroups I and III did not. From the analysis of the habitat types associated with the component species of the four species subgroups, it may be suggested that the differences in population abundances among the four species subgroups could be interpreted in terms of the sources and sinks theory (e.g. Pulliam, 1988). Overall, my analysis demonstrates that statistical approaches, including multivariate analysis, are very effective in the analysis of the structure and organization of butterfly communities.
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