Diversity of Bytterfly Fauna (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) in the Skocjanske jame Regional Park

Abstract

In 2001 and 2002 buttert1y diversity were sampled in Skocjanske jame Regional Park, across 9 habitat types: dry grasslands, semi-dry grasslands, unmanaged dry grasslands (dry grasslands in the early successional stages), culti­ vated grasslands, abandoned fields, woodland margins, woodland paths, tracks and rides, screes and settlements. A total of 90 species of butterflies were recorded, which represent 50% of Slovenian butterfly fauna. All-European (33%), south-European (20%) and southeast-European (17%) species are prevailing. The butterfly fauna consists of grassland (56 spp.), seminemoral (16 spp.), nemoral (8 spp.) and ubiquitous (10 spp.) species. Among grassland species are 34 (39%) mesophilous and 22 (24%) xerothermophilous species. A total of 18 (20%) species are threatened at a European and a national level. Species composition of habitat type depends on floristic composition and structure of vegetation in habitat type, and land­ scape structure, which affects dispersal of butterfly species. The highest alfa diversity was found in dry grasslands (62 spp.) and unmanaged dry grasslands (60 spp.). The large proportions of special­ ist species and habitat heterogeneous area result in high values of beta diversity between habitat types and high gama diversity. For preserving the high species richness and threatened species in studied area, the most important habitat types are dry grasslands, semi-dry grasslands, unmanaged dry grasslands, woodland margins, woodland paths and screes.