Abstract
Abstract. Using data on the known Iberian distributions of 10 species of Lepidoptera listed in the Habitats Directive referenced to the 10 × 10 km UTM grid, we determined their potential distributions and their relationships with selected bioclimatic factors associated with mean temperature and precipitation using Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA). Scores for Specialization and Marginality were determined in order to evaluate the relationships between the predictions of the model and climatic factors. The number of squares on the Iberian Peninsula in which the species are recorded and those squares predicted to be favourable for these species were determined if they matched the network of Protected Natural Areas. This suggested that a further eight 10 × 10 km squares should be included in Protected Natural Areas. The results also indicate that climate determines the distributions of most of the species. Although overall there is a close association between the observed and predicted distributions, the less thoroughly documented geographic ranges (i.e. those of the moth species) depart from this pattern.
Highlights
The Habitats Directive (HD, known as Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) is one of the most important tools for the conservation of biodiversity in the European Union, which aims to preserve biodiversity by the conservation of natural habitats of fauna and flora
The density map show that the squares with highest numbers of species are located in the Pyrenees, where there are two squares with six of the ten species listed in the Habitats Directive (Fig. 3A)
The Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) analysis selected 12 of the 19 bioclimatic variables associated with precipitation and temperature, which accounted for between 85 and 99% of the distribu
Summary
The Habitats Directive (HD, known as Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) is one of the most important tools for the conservation of biodiversity in the European Union, which aims to preserve biodiversity by the conservation of natural habitats of fauna and flora. The designation of these habitats is strongly influenced by the biology and the distribution of the Species of Community Interest and Priority Species, both listed in Annex II of the HD. Ten species of Iberian Lepidoptera are included in Annexes II, IV and V of the Habitats Directive and one of them is an Iberian endemic species: Polyommatus golgus (Hübner, 1813)
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