Butterfly Species Composition Research Articles

A comparison of butterfly communities in irrigated and non-irrigated Mediterranean farmlands

Irrigation is considered a form of agricultural intensification and is of significant importance in arid and semi-arid regions, such as those in the Mediterranean basin. This region differs substantially from temperate ones, in terms of climate, land-use policies and types of agricultural systems. Therefore, how biodiversity is affected by agricultural intensification may also differ substantially from countries in north-western Europe. We investigated the effect of irrigation on butterfly diversity and abundance at two different spatial scales in an agricultural region in northern Cyprus, an area representative of typical lowland agricultural practices of the Eastern Mediterranean. We investigated how local field-scale management (irrigated vs rain-fed) and the proportion of irrigated land at a larger scale of 0.25 km2 affected the abundance and diversity of butterflies and herbaceous plant species. Butterflies and herbaceous plants were surveyed in field boundaries adjacent to agricultural fields located in paired plots that had contrasting levels of irrigation. Butterflies in the field boundaries along agricultural fields were strongly positively affected by irrigation in the adjacent fields both in terms of abundance and species diversity, whereas the effect of irrigation at the larger scale of the 0.25-km2 plot was less prominent. Species composition of butterflies and plants did not correlate. However, plant abundance and alpha diversity of the vegetation in the field boundaries correlated with both abundance and alpha diversity of the butterflies when the abundance of plants was relatively low, in particular, when grasses were omitted from the data set. Crop species associated with irrigated fields contributed to the observed patterns. Comparing the results of this study with those reported for temperate regions in northwestern Europe reveals that the effectiveness of management schemes on biodiversity depend on biogeographical region, highlighting the risk of making broad assumption on the effectiveness of management strategies on biodiversity.

Systematic analysis of butterflies in Bukhara region

Our research analyzes the diversity, abundance, distribution by biotope and seasonal changes in the species composition of butterflies found in Bukhara region. It is inevitable that diverse biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic factors affect the butterfly fauna. The aggravation of climatic conditions occurring in subsequent years, as well as changes in the types of crops, will naturally affect the butterflies of Bukhara region. In particular, planting new varieties of crops, in turn, contribute to an increase in the inherent diversity of insects, especially invasive species in the country.

Agroforestry orchards support greater butterfly diversity than monoculture plantations in the tropics

Large-scale deforestation in the tropics, triggered by logging and subsequent agricultural monoculture has a significant adverse impact on biodiversity due to habitat degradation. Here, we measured the diversity of butterfly species in three agricultural landscapes, agroforestry orchards, oil palm, and rubber tree plantations. Butterfly species were counted at 127 sampling points over the course of a year using the point count method. We found that agroforestry orchards supported a greater number of butterfly species (74 species) compared to rubber tree (61 species) and oil palm plantations (54 species) which were dominated by generalist (73%) followed by forest specialists (27%). We found no significant difference of butterfly species composition between agroforestry orchards and rubber tree plantation, with both habitats associated with more butterfly species compared to oil palm plantations. This indicates butterflies were able to persist better in certain agricultural landscapes. GLMMs suggested that tree height, undergrowth coverage and height, and elevation determined butterfly diversity. Butterfly species richness was also influenced by season and landscape-level variables such as proximity to forest, mean NDVI, and habitat. Understanding the factors that contributed to butterfly species richness in an agroecosystem, stakeholders should consider management practices to improve biodiversity conservation such as ground vegetation management and retaining adjacent forest areas to enhance butterfly species richness. Furthermore, our findings suggest that agroforestry system should be considered to enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.

Biodiversity of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) in the protected landscape of Nandhour, Uttarakhand, India

An appraisal of butterfly species composition in terms of comparative diversity richness in various habitat types was conducted in and around the Nandhour Wildlife Sanctuary of Terai Arc landscape in Uttarakhand. During the two years of survey period (March 2018–February 2020), a total of 89 species of butterflies belonging to families Nymphalidae 43 species, Pieridae 15 species, Lycaenidae 13 species, Hesperiidae eight species, Papilionidae seven species, and Riodinidae three species were recorded, of which 46 species represented new records for the Nandhour Landscape. Butterfly diversity and richness were highest in dense moist & open dry riverine forests and lowest in human settlements & agricultural land. No significant differences in the number of species were found in moist mixed deciduous forest, subtropical Chir Pine forest, moist Bhabar Sal forest, moist Shiwalik Sal forest, and plantation forest. Eight species are endemic to the Indian Himalayan Region.

THE INFLUENCE OF FOREST CANOPY COVER ON FRUIT-FEEDING BUTTERFLY COMMUNITIES IN THE HUU LIEN SPECIAL-USE FOREST, LANG SON PROVINCE

The alteration of tropical forest structures due to human activities can have negative impacts on various organism communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate how forest canopy cover affects the species composition and community structure of fruit-feeding butterflies in the karst ecosystems of the Huu Lien special-use forest, Lang Son Province. Three forest fragments with high (>80%), medium (50-80%), and low (<50%) levels of canopy cover were examined. We collected fruit-feeding butterflies using Van Someren-Rydon traps, with 30 traps deployed evenly across the three fragments from May 2022 to March 2023, recording 27 butterfly species of 557 individuals in total. The results indicated that the forest fragment with medium canopy cover had the highest species richness and diversity of fruit-feeding butterfly communities. Although most species were found in all three forest fragments, the Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) analysis significantly separated the community structures of fruit-feeding butterflies among the three fragments. The two species, Kallima incognita Nakamura & Wakahara and Stichophthalma fruhstorferi Röber, were mainly found in the forest fragment with high canopy cover and were considered as indicator species for this forest type. This study demonstrated the impact of forest canopy cover on the structure of fruit-feeding butterfly communities and emphasized the importance of forest canopy cover in conserving and maintaining insect diversity in karst ecosystems.

Diversity of butterflies across three land use types of Chebera Churchura National Park and its surroundings, Southwestern Ethiopia

Understanding and identifying butterfly species in various land uses serves a crucial eco-logical function in protecting biodiversity and improving environmental policy decisions. However, such a study on the diversity of butterflies from different land use types in and around Chebera Churchura Na-tional Park, southwestern Ethiopia, is extremely lacking. Thus, the present study aimed to quantify the species richness and abundance of butterflies in the Chebera Churchura National Park and its surroundings, which are prioritized for their conservation. Data was collected from January 2021 to June 2021 following the line transect method in the three habitat types using a standard insect net. In total, 2118 individuals representing 79 species and 38 genera belonging to five families were recorded. The Nymphalidae were the most dominant butterfly family, accounting for 45 species (57%) of the total butterflies observed, while the Heaspariidae contributed the least. Among the 79 species, 9 were very common, 32 were common, 37 were rare, and 1 was very rare. Based on butterfly species richness and composition, riverine forest had the greatest diversity and abundance with 65 species and 1028 individuals, and the least species composition was recorded in mosaic habitat with 26 species and 350 individuals, and the difference in diversity was significant. The study region was generally found to be rich in the diversity and abundance of butterflies in all three forms of land use. However, the study area is currently becoming an investment hub, and many road development projects are being planned. Ongoing human activities will devastate and harm the richness, abundance, and diversity of butterfly species. As a result, such human-induced activities need to be carefully studied to protect biodiversity.

Butterfly and food plant composition of a residential garden in Bago City, Negros Occidental, Philippines with four new butterfly locality records

Residential gardens are some of the most common human-managed habitats in highly urbanized areas but their roles on the ecology of various taxa such as butterflies are still understudied. A 7-year observation was conducted to determine the species composition of butterflies and food plants in an urban residential garden in Bago City, Negros Island. Using visual encounters and photo-documentation, the butterfly inventory was done from October 2013 to December 2020 while the food plant inventory covered only two years (2018–2020). The results revealed a total of 88 butterfly species belonging to five families and 60 genera, of which 20 species were classified as residents, 26 seasonal, and 42 vagrants. Despite the very low endemism (8%), it is noteworthy that four species are new island records: Parnara bada, Potanthus pava, Suastus gremius, and Tagiades trebellius martinus. For the food plants, 80 species from 33 families and 73 genera were identified, of which 37 species are recognized as larval host plants, 49 as nectar plants, and six as both larval host and nectar plant sources. Interestingly, a residential garden with such a small size could harbor 27% of Negros island’s and almost 10% of the country’s butterfly species. Species richness for both butterflies and food plants are high, which supports the idea that gardens could be an alternative habitat for wildlife in highly urbanized areas. Future studies should consider measuring the diversity for both taxa as well as environmental factors affecting butterfly and plant communities in a residential garden.

Associations of butterflies across different forest types in Uttarakhand, western Himalaya, India: implications for conservation planning

Champion & Seth classified Indian forests into different ‘forest types and sub-types’, based on similarity of dominant vegetation and structural arrangement of species in each. However, it is not known if the species composition and community structure of butterflies is also different in each forest sub-type. If this is the case then each forest sub-type harbouring unique species can be taken as units of conservation on a sub-regional scale. The present study assesses for the first time the species composition and community structure of butterflies across 20 different and prominent ‘forest sub-types’ found across the state of Uttarakhand, western Himalaya. Data collected over eight years (2006–2009; June 2012; 2017–2020) using random seasonal sampling covering 307 transects revealed 370 butterfly taxa. Hierarchical clustering of butterfly abundances revealed seven different butterfly communities spread over 19 forest subtypes. Of these four forest sub-types (3C/C2a moist Shiwalik sal forest; 12/C2c moist temperate deciduous forest; 12/C1a ban oak forest; & 3C/C2c moist Terai sal forest) were identified as most important as they hold most of the butterfly diversity of the state including 58 rare taxa identified according to ‘rarity’ out of the total. GIS based mapping of these 58 priority species over laid on the protected area network and forest cover distribution in the state revealed many forested sites outside the PA network supporting these rare taxa. These sites along a physio-geographical gradient with important forest sub-types and rare taxa can be recommended and listed as new sites for conservation in the state.

The relationship between plant and butterfly richness and composition and socioecological drivers in five adjacent cities along the Mediterranean Coast of Israel

Abstract Urbanization is the land-use process that most significantly impacts flora and fauna. We conducted a multiple city comparison of two taxa to assess whether richness patterns are similar across cities and taxa. This study aimed to examine the effects socioecological factors, namely open area size, socioeconomic status and the built-up cover, on species richness and composition of plants and butterflies in five adjacent Mediterranean cities in Israel’s coastal plain. Vegetation surveys were conducted in 170 open area sites in various urban settings. In 34 of them, the presence of butterfly species was also recorded. Mixed-effect generalized linear models were used to examine the site's characteristics effect on the species richness. The identity of each city was included as a random effect in the models. Results indicated that overall plant species richness increased with patch size, whereas butterfly richness was not associated with this factor. Plant and butterfly species richness in all categories decreased with the increase in building cover, except for endemic plant species. The results demonstrate the complex contribution of urban open area patches to the biodiversity of different taxa, being conditional on their size, surrounding built-up area and socioeconomic values.

Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient

AbstractFew studies have evaluated the role of topography on the diversity patterns of biological communities along elevation gradients. We evaluated the influence of microclimate and vegetation structure associated with topographic variation on the richness and composition of species of different families of butterflies on a mountain located in a dry enclave (Chicamocha River Canyon) in the northern Andes, Colombia. We captured butterflies over four months at 18 elevations (300 to 1500 m a.s.l.) in two topographic positions (riverbed and hillslope) using an entomological net and traps baited with fermented fruit. In general, butterfly richness increased with elevation in both topographic positions. However, the richness–elevation relationship changed with butterfly family. The riverbed and hillslope sites host different assemblages of butterflies, and this pattern that was consistent for most families. In the riverbed, two sets of species are recognized along the elevation gradient (one below 700 m a.s.l. and the other above 1000 m a.s.l.), mainly owing to species replacement. On the hillslopes, there was no clear pattern of grouping associated with elevation. Microclimate differences between the riverbed and hillslope sites along the elevation gradient were related to the vegetation structure and explained the variation in butterfly species composition. Our results highlight the role of topography not only by explaining the response of species richness and composition to environmental variation determined by elevation, but also as a factor that must be considered in the planning and management of biodiversity conservation in the mountains.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Horizontal and vertical variation in the structure of fruit‐feeding butterfly (Nymphalidae) assemblages in the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract The Cerrado biome is a biodiversity hotspot with a rich biota, and intense anthropogenic pressures. Despite its importance, it is still poorly understood how insects occupy different spatial dimensions of the landscape. We investigated how the beta diversity of plants influences the beta diversity of nymphalids at the regional‐scale (gallery forest vs. savannah) and local‐scale (transects). We expected greater beta‐diversity in nymphalid assemblages in gallery forests given the heterogeneity of plants and canopy structure. We sampled nymphalids in each habitat monthly for 1 year and observed 3459 individuals from 62 species. Nymphalidae abundance was significantly higher in the understory than in the canopy. Specifically, only 18% of the individuals were captured in the canopy of gallery forests compared to 11% in savannah canopies. Species richness was higher in gallery forests (55 species) compared to savannahs (34 species). Savannah transects were very similar in plant species composition and butterfly assemblages within the understory and canopy, whereas the species composition of plants and butterflies in gallery forests was highly heterogeneous which is consistent with the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. Gallery forests are spatially more complex, which probably results in higher niche availability that may contribute to reduce the community saturation and help to maintain greater beta diversity in these habitats.

Connectivity and succession of open structures as a key to sustaining light‐demanding biodiversity in deciduous forests

Abstract European forests are facing a rapid decline in light‐demanding biota. This has prompted active interventions to re‐establish and maintain partial habitat openness in protected areas. Managers of protected areas, however, need substantially more scientific evidence to support their decisions on where, when and how to intervene. We investigated the importance of spatial continuity of open forest habitats in different years of succession, using six pairs of experimental clearings established in the formerly open, oak‐dominated forests of the Podyji National Park (Czech Republic). In each pair, one clearing was connected to the forest edge, while the other was isolated in closed forest. We sampled butterflies (74 spp.), moths (435 spp.), saproxylic beetles (465 spp.) and vascular plants (567 spp.) on the 12 clearings during the first 5 years of succession. We then compared species richness, abundance and composition of the four taxa between the two clearing types and along the succession. All studied insect groups were substantially more species rich and more abundant in connected than in isolated clearings. Species composition of plants, moths and butterflies differed between the clearing types. The number of species of all studied taxa generally increased from the first to the second or third year after cutting; species composition of all taxa differed among years. This suggests rapid changes in habitat quality and thus limited time for colonisation by light‐demanding organisms. Synthesis and applications. Our results offer an evidence that spatial connectivity and rapid temporal dynamics are important habitat features for light‐demanding insects. Attempts to create or restore habitats for light‐demanding forest biota should take into account that: (a) Insects benefit from direct connection of new open patches to open habitats or flight corridors such as forest edges. (b) Considering plants, the optimal solution is to connect newly created open forest habitats to existing habitats with established biota of high conservation value. (c) Interventions should be carried out within short time intervals, that is within years rather than decades. (d) A fine mosaic of interconnected, open woodland patches in various successional stages is more beneficial than a single large patch with a single successional stage.

Influences of landscape structure on butterfly diversity in urban private gardens using a citizen science approach

Although urbanization is increasing worldwide, private gardens may help mitigate the impact of urbanization on butterfly diversity. We investigated how local and landscape factors correspond with the observed butterfly species diversity and species composition in Viennese private gardens. The goal is to determine the importance of private gardens for butterfly conservation. Butterfly species were observed by skilled volunteers by applying a citizen science approach. We related butterfly species numbers in private gardens with local parameters and landscape composition in a radius of 1 km around each garden. Data were analyzed using a regression approach based on generalized linear models. The butterfly species richness in private gardens was positively correlated with butterfly species richness in the surrounding landscapes. Butterfly species richness in private gardens increased with higher proportions of area relevant for butterflies in the surrounding landscape and with increasing numbers of host and nectar plant species in the private gardens. A higher proportion of wooded areas in the surrounding landscape was related with a smaller proportion of the landscape butterfly species pool being observed in the private gardens. Overall, our results could be useful in land use planning, and for future studies of how to integrate citizen science and make urban gardens more beneficial for butterfly conservation.

Seasonal Diversity and Distribution of Butterflies in G.Venkataswamy Naidu College Campus, Kovilpatti, Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu

This study was conducted to prepare a baseline inventory, seasonal population trends and status of butterfly inhabiting the campus of G. Venkataswamy Naidu College, Kovilpatti, Tuticorin. The survey yielded 309 individuals of 48 butterfly species, belonging to the families Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Papilionidae and Hesperiidae. Nymphalidae were found to be the dominant family during all seasons. Species abundance was highest during the northeast monsoon and winter periods. The maximum number of 163 individuals was sampled during the NE monsoons followed by winter 109 individuals and SW Monsoon showed 23 individuals. The summer showed least skewed 15 individuals were recorded. The butterfly species composition and relative abundance belonged to the families Namphalidae (17 Species; 35.42%), Pieridae (11 species; 25.00%), Lycaenidae (7 Species; 14.58%), Papilionidae (8 Species; 16.67%) and Hisperiidae (4 Species; 8.33%). The maximum number of butterfly species and maximum number of individuals were sampled during the monsoons, indicating that, the southern plains area of India butterflies prefer cool seasons for breeding and emergence. Three endemic species like Cepora nerissa, Troides minos and Atrophaneura hector and seven protected species like Euploea core, Cepora nerissa, Appias albino, Castalius rosimon, Euchrysops cnejus, Troides minos and Atrophaneura hector were listed under the Wildlife Protection Act 19720. These species highlighted greater importance of conservation in college campus. A checklist of butterfly species is also provided. The observation will support the detailed study of ecologically important local butterfly fauna of the college campus in Kovilpatti which provide a valuable resource to nature.

Geographical distribution of Satyridae (Lepidoptera, Satyridae) of the Kurgan Oblast

An analysis of available literary sources showed that the main studies on the study of the species composition of butterflies of the Kurgan Oblast were carried out in the second half of the 20th century. According to literary data, the fauna of the Lepidoptera family Satyridae of the Kurgan Oblast is represented by 24 species. Conducted in 2000-2002 and 2014-2019 in the forest-steppe zone, their own collections and revision of the collection of Kurgan State University confirmed the data of literary sources. Of the 24 satirids species found in the Kurgan Oblast, the Holarctic range is characteristic of only one - C. tullia. The ranges of other species belong to the Palearctic group. Thus, the fauna of the satirids of the Kurgan Oblast by 96% consists of Palearctic species. Of the 23 satirids species with Palearctic ranges, 6 species (L. achine, C. glycerion, C. hero, E. ligea, A. hyperantus, M. dryas) are characterized by a trans-Eurasian temperate-subtropical range, 1 species (L. petropolitana) is assigned to the trans-Eurasian temperate type of the range, 3 (L. maera, C. pamphilus, M. jurtina) have western-central palearctic temperate-subtropical ranges, Euro-Siberian-Central Asian temperate-subtropical range has only 1 species (O. tarpeja), 1 species (E. medusa) is assigned to Euro-Siberian-Central Asian type of range, 8 (C. leander, H. lycaon, H. lupina, P. afra, A. arethusa, C. briseis, C. persephone, M. russiae) have Euro-Kazakhstan temperate-subtropical ranges, 1 species (E. aethiops) is characterized by a Euro-Baikal temperate-subtropical range, the Euro-Baikal subboreal range has 1 species (H. autonoe), the Western Palearctic range is characterized by 1 species (C. arcania). Thus, the fauna of the satirids of the Kurgan region by 96% consists of Palearctic species.

Diversidad de mariposas diurnas (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) en bosques y cultivos de cacao en un área de bosque amazónico basimontano en Bolivia

Tropical forests conversion to agriculture has increased in recent years, though often followed by land abandonment and subsequent conversion to secondary forest. In this study, we evaluated the effect of disturbance on Nymphalid butterfly assemblages in an area of mountain foothill forests in Bolivia by comparing the butterfly diversity and species composition among primary forests, secondary forests and cacao crops. Data were obtained in two seasons, dry and dry-to-wet transition, using two sampling methods (bait traps and hand net). Species richness and butterfly abundance were higher in the understory of primary forests than in crops during the transition season. The sampling method can influence the detection of community variation: with traps, we only detected seasonal variation, while we registered higher abundance in both types of forests than crops with manual sampling, with higher heterogeneity in the understory of primary forests than in crops. There was also a difference in butterfly species composition between crops and both types of forest. Although some understory butterflies are capable of inhabiting disturbed sites, we should highlight the importance of primary forest for the maintenance of specific species and groups that could be lost if the disturbance dynamics intensify. Finally, long-term studies are necessary to understand species dynamics in the area, both their seasonality and the interrelationship with available resources in each type of habitat.

Species Composition of Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) at Solok Botanical Garden, Solok, West Sumatera, Indonesia

The research about species composition of butterflies at Solok Botanical Garden, Solok, West Sumatera had been conducted from June-July 2020, by surveying three types of habitat; pine woods, rubber plantation and bushes. Specimen collection was conducted by walking along the paths within the surveyed habitats and butterflies were caught using insect net. A total 43 species from 24 genera and four families were collected. Nymphalidae identified as family with the highest species number (29 species), followed by Pieridae (six species), Papilionidae and Lycaenidae (four species each). Neptis hylas, with 11 individuals, was recorded with most individual number. About 14 species were recorded exclusively at pine woods, 11 typical species captured at bushes while only three typical species observed at rubber plantation.

Differences in Response of Butterfly Diversity and Species Composition in Urban Parks to Land Cover and Local Habitat Variables

Background and Objectives: As urbanisation is a significant global trend, there is a profound need for biodiversity protection in urban ecosystems. Moreover, the potential of urban green space to support urban biodiversity should be appreciated. Butterflies are environmental indicators that are sensitive to urbanisation. Therefore, it is important to identify butterfly distribution patterns and the factors influencing butterfly diversity and species composition in urban parks within cities. Research Highlights: To our knowledge, ours is the first study evaluating the effects of both land cover and local habitat features on butterfly species composition in urban parks of Beijing, China. Materials and Methods: In this study, we surveyed butterfly richness and abundance in 28 urban parks in Beijing, China. The parks differed in age and location in the urban area. Meanwhile, we investigated the green space in the surroundings of the parks at multi-spatial scales at the landscape level. We also investigated local park characteristics including the age of the park (Age), perimeter/area ratio of the park (SQPRA), area of the park (ha) (Area), green space cover within the park (Greenp), nectar plant species richness (Necpl), abundance of flowering nectar plants (Necabu) and overall plant species richness (Pl). Generalised linear models (GLMs) and redundancy discriminant analysis (RDA) were applied to relate butterfly diversity and butterfly species composition to environmental variables, respectively. Results: We recorded 3617 individuals belonging to 26 species from July to September in 2019. Parks on the city fringe had significantly higher butterfly diversity. Butterfly species richness was mostly related to total plant richness. The abundance of flowering nectar plants was closely linked to butterfly abundance. Land cover had little impact on butterfly diversity and community structure in urban parks. Conclusions: Once a park has sufficient plants and nectar resources, it becomes a useful haven for urban butterflies, regardless of the surrounding land cover. Well-planned urban parks focused on local habitat quality support butterfly conservation.

The relevance of cloud forest fragments and their transition zones for butterfly conservation in Taita Hills, Kenya

A main driver of biodiversity loss is the transformation of pristine habitats into agricultural land, plantations of exotic trees, and settlements. The cloud forest of the Taita Hills in southern Kenya has suffered under such transformation processes. In consequence, remaining forests are small and isolated and often provide degraded forest habitats. We studied butterfly communities in four habitat types, cloud forest, cloud forest margin, exotic tree plantations, and agricultural land. We counted butterflies along transects during the rainy and the dry season. We assessed species traits for each butterfly species found. The four habitat types harbour distinct butterfly communities with only slight overlap among each other. Community compositions differed between the dry and rainy season. Forest specialist butterflies mainly occurred in the interior of the cloud forest, but were also observable along the forest edge. Species richness was highest at the transition between pristine cloud forest and agricultural land. The butterfly community of open agricultural landscapes was dominated by common and widespread East African savannah species, equipped with more elongated wings compared with those found inside the cloud forest. Exotic tree plantations showed a mixed butterfly species composition, consisting of many common and widespread savannah species, but also forest species with comparatively low specialization. In conclusion, typical cloud forest butterflies are on the need for intact cloud forest patches and cannot be compensated by surrogate habitats, such as exotic tree plantations.

Patterns in distribution of butterfly assemblages at different habitats of Corbett Tiger Reserve, Northern India

Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) located in state Uttarakhand is the first protected area established for in-situ conservation of biodiversity in India. Despite its national importance, there exists lacunae in knowledge on butterflies, important from the viewpoints of effective planning and implementation of conservation actions in the CTR. Using standardized methods, the present study conducted between 2013 to 2014 was aimed to record butterfly species composition and distribution in different sampling regimes of the CTR in relation to habitat types and disturbances. Study revealed a total of 2621 individual butterflies of 56 species under 5 families. Among them, 24 species belong to the Nymphalidae family, 14 species to the Pieridae, 9 species to the Lycaenidae, 5 species to the Papilionidae and 4 species to the Hesperiidae. 50% of the total species were recorded as ubiquitous and 30 species are new records to the CTR. Species such as Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius), Papilio polytes (Cramer), Eurema hecabe (Linnaeus), Catopsilia pyranthe (Linnaeus) were most abundant and Athyma zeroca (Moore), Sarangesa purendra (Moore), Cyrestis thyodamas (Boisduval), Polyura agraria (Swinhoe) were least abundant species. Variations in the calculated diversity indices across the seasons were observed; wherein, summer season exhibited maximum value for Shannon-Diversity index, followed by late monsoon and early winter. Lowest diversity of butterflies was observed during the periods of late winter. Presence of seven species under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act and five species as rare, substantiate the importance of pristine conditions prevailing in the protected landscape of the reserve. Ongoing tourism activities and habitat alterations threatening butterfly diversity and ecological integrity of the CTR, were also discussed.