Drivers of species richness and abundance of butterflies in coffee–banana agroforests in Uganda

Abstract

A study was conducted in 26 sites on agricultural landscapes in Central Uganda to collect baseline information about important drivers of butterfly richness and abundance. Data were collected for 1 year (2006) using line transects walk-and-counts, fruit-bait traps and handnets sampling methods. A total of 57,439 individuals belonging to 331 species were collected. Totals of 127, 131 and 299 species were recorded in transect counts, banana-bait and handnets, respectively. Of the 57,439 individuals registered, 75%, 19% and 6% were recorded in transect counts, handnet and banana-bait trap, respectively. Butterfly abundance and species richness were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by climatic factors (rainfall, temperature) in previous years (2004 and 2005) and richness and abundance of wild nectaring plants. Butterfly species richness (not the abundance) decreased with land-use intensity (p < 0.05) and was positively related to the cover of semi-natural habitats. Both butterfly species richness and abundance declined sharply with forest distance. Nearby forest remnants and high cover of semi-natural habitats are thus important for conservation of butterflies in coffee–banana agroforestry systems and farmers should be encouraged to protect such resources.