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Butterflies
Kinds of Butterflies Terms modified by Butterflies Selected AbstractsTHE ENVIRONMENTAL AND GENETIC CONTROL OF SEASONAL POLYPHENISM IN LARVAL COLOR AND ITS ADAPTIVE SIGNIFICANCE IN A SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLYEVOLUTION, Issue 2 2002Wade N. Hazel Abstract Seasonal polyphenism, in which different forms of a species are produced at different times of the year, is a common form of phenotypic plasticity among insects. Here I show that the production of dark fifth-instar caterpillars of the eastern black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio polyxenes, is a seasonal polyphenism, with larvae reared on autumnal conditions being significantly darker than larvae reared on midsummer conditions. Both rearing photoperiod and temperature were found to have individual and synergistic effects on larval darkness. Genetic analysis of variation among full-sibling families reared on combinations of two different temperatures and photoperiods is consistent with the hypothesis that variation in darkness is heritable. In addition, the genetic correlation in larval darkness across midsummer and autumnal environments is not different from zero, suggesting that differential gene expression is responsible for the increase in larval darkness in the autumn. The relatively dark autumnal form was found to have a higher body temperature in sunlight than did the lighter midsummer form, and small differences in temperature were found to increase larval growth rate. These results suggest that this genetically based seasonal polyphenism in larval color has evolved in part to increase larval growth rates in the autumn. [source] Influence of Temporal Scale of Sampling on Detection of Relationships between Invasive Plants and the Diversity Patterns of Plants and ButterfliesCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2004RALPH MAC NALLY But monitoring is often neglected because it can be expensive and time-consuming. Accordingly, it is valuable to determine whether the temporal extent of sampling alters the validity of inferences about the response of diversity measures to environmental variables affected by restoration actions. Non-native species alter ecosystems in undesirable ways, frequently homogenizing flora and fauna and extirpating local populations of native species. In the Mojave Desert, invasion of salt-cedar (Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.) and human efforts to eradicate salt-cedar have altered vegetation structure, vegetation composition, and some measures of faunal diversity. We examined whether similar inferences about relationships between plants and butterflies in the Muddy River drainage (Nevada, U.S.A.) could have been obtained by sampling less intensively (fewer visits per site over the same period of time) or less extensively (equal frequency of visits but over a more limited period of time). We also tested whether rank order of butterfly species with respect to occurrence rate (proportion of sites occupied) would be reflected accurately in temporal subsamples. Temporal subsampling did not lead to erroneous inferences about the relative importance of six vegetation-based predictor variables on the species richness of butterflies. Regardless of the temporal scale of sampling, the species composition of butterflies was more similar in sites with similar species composition of plants. The rank order of occurrence of butterfly species in the temporal subsamples was highly correlated with the rank order of species occurrence in the full data set. Thus, similar inferences about associations between vegetation and butterflies and about relative occurrence rates of individual species of butterflies could be obtained by less intensive or extensive temporal sampling. If compromises between temporal intensity and extent of sampling must be made, our results suggest that maximizing temporal extent will better capture variation in biotic interactions and species occurrence. Resumen:,El monitoreo es un componente importante de los esfuerzos de restauración y de manejo adoptivo. Pero el monitoreo a menudo es desatendido porque puede ser costoso y consume tiempo. En consecuencia, es valioso determinar si la extensión temporal del muestreo altera la validez de inferencias sobre la respuesta de medidas de diversidad a variables ambientales afectadas por acciones de restauración. Las especies no nativas alteran a los ecosistemas de manera indeseable, frecuentemente homogenizan la flora y fauna y extirpan poblaciones locales de especies nativas. En el Desierto Mojave, la invasión de Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. y los esfuerzos humanos para erradicarla han alterado la estructura y composición de la vegetación y algunas medidas de diversidad de fauna. Examinamos si se podían obtener inferencias similares sobre las relaciones entre plantas y mariposas en la cuenca Muddy River (Nevada, E.U.A.) muestreando menos intensivamente (menos visitas por sitio en el mismo período de tiempo) o menos extensivamente (igual frecuencia de visitas pero sobre un período de tiempo más limitado). También probamos si el orden jerárquico de especies de mariposas con respecto a la tasa de ocurrencia (proporción de sitios ocupados) se reflejaba con precisión en las submuestras temporales. El submuestreo temporal no condujo a inferencias erróneas acerca de la importancia relativa de seis variables predictivas basadas en vegetación sobre la riqueza de especies de mariposas. A pesar de la escala temporal del muestreo, la composición de especies de mariposas fue más similar en sitios con composición de especies de plantas similar. El orden jerárquico de ocurrencia de especies de mariposas en las muestras subtemporales estuvo muy correlacionado con el orden jerárquico de ocurrencia de especies en todo el conjunto de datos. Por lo tanto, se pudieron obtener inferencias similares de las asociaciones entre vegetación y mariposas y de las tasas de ocurrencia relativa de especies individuales de mariposas con muestreo temporal menos intensivo o extensivo. Si se deben hacer compromisos entre la intensidad y extensión de muestreo temporal, nuestros resultados sugieren que la maximización de la extensión temporal capturará la variación en interacciones bióticas y ocurrencia de especies más adecuadamente. [source] Grazing Intensity and the Diversity of Grasshoppers, Butterflies, and Trap-Nesting Bees and WaspsCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Andreas Kruess The reduction of management intensity can be a useful tool for the long-term conservation of the biological diversity of grasslands. We analyzed floral and faunal diversity on intensively and extensively (unintensively) grazed pastures and on 5- to 10-year-old ungrazed grasslands in northern Germany. Each of the three grassland habitats differing in grazing intensity was replicated six times. We related diverse taxa such as grasshoppers, butterfly adults and lepidopteran larvae, and trap-nesting solitary bees and wasps to vegetation structure. There was an increase of species richness and abundance from pastures to ungrazed grasslands. The percentage of parasitism of the most abundant trap-nesting species, the digger-wasp ( Trypoxylon figulus), was also higher on ungrazed grasslands. Decreased grazing on pastures enhanced species richness for adult butterflies only, whereas the abundance of adult butterflies, solitary bees and wasps, and their natural enemies increased. Although the differences in insect diversity between pastures and ungrazed grassland could be attributed to a greater vegetation height and heterogeneity ( bottom-up effects) on ungrazed areas, the differences between intensively and extensively grazed pastures could not be explained by changes in vegetation characteristics. Hence, intensive grazing appeared to affect the insect communities through the disruption of plant-insect interactions. A mosaic of extensively grazed grassland and grassland left ungrazed for a few years may be a good means by which to maintain biodiversity and the strength of trophic interactions. Resumen: El mantenimiento de pastizales como hábitats distintos depende del manejo regular, generalmente, por medio de pastoreo o segado, pero se sabe que la diversidad de especies declina con el incremento de intensidad de manejo. La reducción de la intensidad de manejo puede ser una herramienta útil para la conservación a largo plazo de la biodiversidad de pastizales. Analizamos la diversidad florística y faunística en pastizales pastoreados intensiva y extensivamente (no intensivos) y en pastizales de 5 a 10 años no pastoreados en el norte de Alemania. Cada uno de los tres hábitats de pastizal diferentes en el grado de pastoreo fue replicado seis veces. Relacionamos diversos taxones como chapulines, mariposas adultas, larvas de lepidópteros y abejas y avispas solitarias con la estructura de la vegetación. Hubo un incremento en la riqueza y abundancia de especies de pastizales pastoreados a no pastoreados. El porcentaje de parasitismo de la especie de avispa más abundante ( Trypoxylon figulus) también fue mayor en pastizales no pastoreados. La reducción del pastoreo incrementó la riqueza de especies de mariposas adultas solamente, mientras que incrementó la abundancia de mariposas adultas, abejas y avispas solitarias y sus enemigos naturales. Aunque las diferencias en la diversidad de insectos entre pastizales pastoreados y no pastoreados pudiera atribuirse a la mayor altura de la vegetación y a la heterogeneidad (efectos abajo-arriba) en áreas no pastoreadas, las diferencias entre pastizales pastoreados intensiva y extensivamente no podría explicarse por cambios en las características de la vegetación. Por consiguiente, el pastoreo intensivo aparentemente afectó a las comunidades de insectos por la disrupción de las interacciones planta-animal. Un mosaico de pastizales pastoreados extensivamente y pastizales sin pastoreo por varios años puede ser una buena estrategia para mantener la biodiversidad y la vigencia de las interacciones tróficas. [source] Variation among individual butterflies along a generalist,specialist axis: no support for the ,neural constraint' hypothesisECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 3 2007BRIAN WEE Abstract 1.,Degree of host specialisation was a continuous variable in a population of Edith's checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha). A novel host, Collinsia torreyi, had been added to the diet in response to anthropogenic disturbance, and then abandoned prior to the current study. Butterflies either showed no preference or preferred their traditional host, Pedicularis semibarbata. 2.,Strength of preference for Pedicularis over Collinsia was measured in the field and used to estimate host specialisation of individual butterflies. Efficiency was estimated from the times taken by each insect to perform two tasks: (i) identification of a Pedicularis plant as a host, and (ii) successful initiation of oviposition after the decision to do so had been made. 3.,There was no clear trend for association between host specialisation and either measure of efficiency. Generalists were not slower than specialists at identifying Pedicularis as a host or at handling it after deciding to oviposit. 4.,Prior work indicated that generalists paid no detectable cost in terms of reduced discrimination among individuals of their preferred host species. 5.,In contrast to other species, generalist E. editha paid in neither time nor accuracy. Why then does the diet not expand? Behavioural adaptations to the traditional host caused maladaptations to the novel host and generated short-term constraints to evolutionary expansion of diet breadth. To date, however, no long-term constraints have been found in this system. In those traits investigated to date, increased adaptation to the novel host has not caused reduced adaptation to the traditional host. [source] Cajal's Butterflies of the Soul: Science and ArtEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2010K. A. Jellinger No abstract is available for this article. [source] Effects of climatic change on the phenology of butterflies in the northwest Mediterranean BasinGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 10 2003Constantí Stefanescu Abstract Phenological changes in response to climatic warming have been detected across a wide range of organisms. Butterflies stand out as one of the most popular groups of indicators of climatic change, given that, firstly, they are poikilothermic and, secondly, have been the subject of thorough monitoring programmes in several countries for a number of decades. Here we provide for the first time strong evidence of phenological change as a consequence of recent climatic warming in butterflies at a Spanish site in the northwest Mediterranean Basin. By means of the widely used Butterfly Monitoring Scheme methodology, three different phenological parameters were analysed for the most common species to test for trends over time and relationships with temperature and precipitation. Between 1988 and 2002, there was a tendency for earlier first appearance dates in all 17 butterfly species tested, and significant advances in mean flight dates in 8 out of 19 species. On the other hand, the shape of the curve of adult emergence did not show any regular pattern. These changes paralleled an increase of 1,1.5°C in mean February, March and June temperatures. Likewise, a correlation analysis indicated the strong negative effect of spring temperature on phenological parameters (i.e. higher temperatures tended to produce phenological advances), and the opposite effect of precipitation in certain months. In addition, there was some evidence to indicate that phenological responses may differ between taxonomic lineages or species with similar diets. We discuss the consequences that these changes may have on species' population abundances, especially given the expected increase in aridity in the Mediterranean Basin caused by current climatic warming. We predict that varying degrees of phenological flexibility may account for differences in species' responses and, for multivoltine species, predict strong selection favouring local seasonal adaptations such as diapause phenomena or migratory behaviour. [source] Changed plant and animal life cycles from 1952 to 2000 in the Mediterranean regionGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Josep Peñuelas Abstract The available data on climate over the past century indicate that the earth is warming. Important biological effects, including changes of plant and animal life cycle events, have already been reported. However, evidence of such effects is still scarce and has been mostly limited to northern latitudes. Here we provide the first long-term (1952,2000) evidence of altered life cycles for some of the most abundant Mediterranean plants and birds, and one butterfly species. Average annual temperatures in the study area (Cardedeu, NE Spain) have increased by 1.4 °C over the observation period while precipitation remained unchanged. A conservative linear treatment of the data shows that leaves unfold on average 16 days earlier, leaves fall on average 13 days later, and plants flower on average 6 days earlier than in 1952. Fruiting occurs on average 9 days earlier than in 1974. Butterflies appear 11 days earlier, but spring migratory birds arrive 15 days later than in 1952. The stronger changes both in temperature and in phenophases timing occurred in the last 25 years. There are no significant relationships among changes in phenophases and the average date for each phenophase and species. There are not either significant differences among species with different Raunkiaer life-forms or different origin (native, exotic or agricultural). However, there is a wide range of phenological alterations among the different species, which may alter their competitive ability, and thus, their ecology and conservation, and the structure and functioning of ecosystems. Moreover, the lengthening of plant growing season in this and other northern hemisphere regions may contribute to a global increase in biospheric activity. [source] How does grazing intensity influence the diversity of plants and insects in a species-rich upland grassland on basalt soils?GRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 1 2009B. Dumont Abstract The effect of stocking rate on the species richness, abundance and functional diversity of vascular plants, butterflies and grasshoppers was examined in a semi-natural upland pasture in central France. Over a 5-year period, 3·6-ha plots were continuously grazed by Charolais heifers at 1·4 (High stocking rate), 1·0 (Intermediate) and 0·6 (Low) livestock units (LU) ha,1. To evaluate botanical diversity, percentage cover of all plant species was estimated in late July in ten fixed 1 m × 1 m quadrats per plot. Butterflies were counted on three occasions between late June and early August along three fixed 50-m-long transects per plot using the ,Pollard walk', with grasshoppers being recorded on two occasions along the same transects. Diversity patterns of the three taxa were affected by stocking rate. For plants, species abundance changed more than species number. Abundance of forbs became higher under the Low compared with the High stocking rate. Stress-tolerant grasses were also more abundant in plots grazed at the Low stocking rate, while an opposite trend was observed for competitive grasses. Butterflies consistently responded to alterations in vegetation composition, especially to the dynamics of nectar plants. The species richness of grasshoppers also increased in plots at the Low stocking rate. The Low and Intermediate stocking rates were suitable for providing a high diversity of the three taxonomic groups. The results suggested that at least butterfly diversity would peak in vegetation taller than that of vascular plants. [source] Long-term land-use changes and extinction of specialised butterfliesINSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY, Issue 4 2008SVEN G. NILSSON Abstract. 1Land-use change in 450 ha in southern Sweden between 1814 and 2004 was recorded. Butterflies and burnet moths were surveyed in 1904,1913 and 2001,2005. 2We explore if local extinctions were related to land-use changes and species attributes. 3Land use changed drastically over the 190-year period, and the largest relative change occurred for hay meadows with late harvest, which decreased from 28% to 0%. The area changed from grasslands and grazed forests to being dominated by timber forests. Previous open grazed mixed woodlands changed to spruce plantations with clear-cuts. 4Of the 48 resident butterfly and burnet moths found a century ago, 44% have become extinct. The extinct Aporia cratægi, Colias palaeno, and Leptidea sinapis were abundant 100 years ago and had their highest densities in flower-rich glades in forest, a habitat which no longer exists. 5The butterfly extinctions could be predicted from species-specific attributes as a short flight length period (P < 0.02), narrow habitat breadth (P < 0.02), small distribution area in Europe (P = 0.033) and possibly larvae food plant nitrogen class (P < 0.06). In a multiple logistic regression, the flight length period was the only significant variable because the independent variables were intercorrelated. 6We conclude that the most important factor explaining the high extinction rate is that flower-rich habitats have disappeared from both woodlands as well as from open farmlands. The most sensitive species are specialised species with a short summer flight which have gone extinct. Only the most unspecialised species still persist in the current landscape. [source] Impacts of land use change on South-east Asian forest butterflies: a reviewJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2007LIAN PIN KOH Summary 1South-east Asia has the highest relative rate of habitat loss and degradation in the humid tropics. The responses of less ,charismatic' groups, including butterflies, to habitat disturbance remain relatively poorly understood. Many South-east Asian butterflies are endemic to the region and face global extinction if current levels of deforestation were to continue. 2Here, I highlight South-east Asia as a region urgently in need of butterfly conservation research and review empirical studies of the responses of South-east Asian butterflies to land use change. Additionally, I discuss some methodological pitfalls for such studies. Furthermore, I argue for the importance of identifying the ecological correlates of sensitivity of butterfly species to forest modification and the potential biological mechanisms underlying their responses to land use change. 3There has been no consensus among previous studies on the effects of land use change on butterfly communities in South-east Asia. Of the 20 studies I reviewed, seven reported higher species richness/diversity in undisturbed (or the least disturbed) forest than in disturbed habitats, nine reported the opposite trend, three reported no difference and one reported a strong influence of seasonality on the impacts of logging. 4Some of these studies may contain inherent methodological biases resulting from the failure to control for sampling effects, the lack of consideration for the spatial scale of analysis and incomplete sampling of the vertical strata in tropical rainforests. 5Synthesis and applications. Empirical studies of the effects of land use change on tropical forest insects are sorely lacking from South-east Asia. Butterflies are an ideal taxonomic group for such investigations. Future studies should be designed carefully to avoid the methodological pitfalls highlighted here. Determining the ecological correlates of sensitivity of butterflies to forest modification is important for the pre-emptive identification of species of conservation concern and for generating testable hypotheses on the differential responses of species to forest modification. Experimental studies are needed to determine the mechanisms underlying the responses of species to land use change in order to develop effective strategies for the conservation of butterflies in human disturbed landscapes. [source] Contemporary habitat loss reduces genetic diversity in an ecologically specialized butterflyJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2010Neil Collier Abstract Aim, This study investigated the influence of contemporary habitat loss on the genetic diversity and structure of animal species using a common, but ecologically specialized, butterfly, Theclinesthes albocincta (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), as a model. Location, South Australia. Methods, We used amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and allozyme datasets to investigate the genetic structure and genetic diversity among populations of T. albocincta in a fragmented landscape and compared this diversity and structure with that of populations in two nearby landscapes that have more continuous distributions of butterflies and their habitat. Butterflies were sampled from 15 sites and genotyped, first using 363 informative AFLP bands and then using 17 polymorphic allozyme loci (n = 248 and 254, respectively). We complemented these analyses with phylogeographic information based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype information derived from a previous study in the same landscapes. Results, Both datasets indicated a relatively high level of genetic structuring across the sampling range (AFLP, FST = 0.34; allozyme, FST = 0.13): structure was greatest among populations in the fragmented landscape (AFLP, FST = 0.15; allozyme, FST = 0.13). Populations in the fragmented landscape also had significantly lower genetic diversity than populations in the other two landscapes: there were no detectable differences in genetic diversity between the two continuous landscapes. There was also evidence (r2 = 0.33) of an isolation by distance effect across the sampled range of the species. Main conclusions, The multiple lines of evidence, presented within a phylogeographic context, support the hypothesis that contemporary habitat fragmentation has been a major driver of genetic erosion and differentiation in this species. Theclinesthes albocincta populations in the fragmented landscape are thus likely to be at greater risk of extinction because of reduced genetic diversity, their isolation from conspecific subpopulations in other landscapes, and other extrinsic forces acting on their small population sizes. Our study provides compelling evidence that habitat loss and fragmentation have significant rapid impacts on the genetic diversity and structure of butterfly populations, especially specialist species with particular habitat preferences and poor dispersal abilities. [source] Effects of plant structure on butterfly diversity in Mt. Marsabit Forest , northern KenyaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Nyamweya N. Humpden Abstract Butterflies, like most forest dependent animals are good ecological indicators of the health of the forests they dwell. For example, butterfly species richness decreases after a forest disturbance and fragmentation but a few species may subsequently invade the forest fragment and boost the species richness. Studies were conducted to determine the effects of human activity and seasonal changes on butterfly species in the affected new habitats. Results showed that both seasonal and habitat changes significantly affect the butterfly abundance (P = 0.0001). Similarly, there was significant correlation between plant diversity and butterfly diversity in wet season (r = 0.854) and dry season (r = 0.855). The significance of these studies as a useful tool for sustainable forest use and conservation is discussed. Résumé Les papillons, comme la plupart des animaux dépendant de la forêt, sont de bons indicateurs écologiques de la santé des forêts qu'ils occupent. Par exemple, la richesse d'une forêt en espèces de papillons diminue suite à sa perturbation et à sa fragmentation, mais quelques espèces peuvent par la suite envahir la forêt et booster la richesse en espèces. On a réalisé des études pour déterminer les effets des activités humaines et des changements saisonniers sur les espèces de papillons dans des habitats récemment touchés. Les résultats ont montré que tant les changements saisonniers que les changements de l'habitat affectent significativement l'abondance des papillons (P = 0.0001). De même, il y avait une corrélation significative entre la diversité des plantes et celle des papillons en saison des pluies (r = 0.854) et en saison sèche (r = 0.855). L'on discute de l'importance de ces études comme outil utile à l'utilisation et à la conservation de la forêt. [source] Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on the diversity and composition of the butterfly fauna of sites in the Sango Bay and Iriiri areas, Uganda: implications for conservationAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2008Perpetra Akite Abstract In assessing environmental change, butterflies have been proven as replicable indicators of biodiversity and functional integrity that can be monitored at a range of scales. Butterflies have been identified as important bio-indicators for assessing biodiversity and monitoring ecosystem responses to environmental perturbations. The objectives of this study were to determine changes in the butterfly fauna of differing sites in the Sango Bay Area (SBA) and Iriiri (Karamoja) in comparison with data collected 10 years ago, and to investigate the impact of different degrees of habitat disturbance on butterflies. The general butterfly diversity was determined by trapping and sweep netting along transect lines and by random sweeping. The impact of human-induced disturbance was assessed by comparing species richness and composition between the sites and regressing the weighted disturbances against species diversity per site. There was a marked decrease in species diversity and varied species composition between the two studies and between the habitat types. Charcoal burning and grazing had significant negative correlations with diversity within forest sites (r2 = 0.825, P < 0.05), whereas cultivation and tree cutting/logging had significant negative correlations with diversity of open savannas (r2 = 0.718, P < 0.05 and r2 = 0.999, P < 0.05, respectively). [source] Butterflies of Australia: Their Identification, Biology and DistributionAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Article first published online: 20 DEC 200 [source] A butterfly eye's view of birdsBIOESSAYS, Issue 11-12 2008Francesca D. Frentiu The striking color patterns of butterflies and birds have long interested biologists. But how these animals see color is less well understood. Opsins are the protein components of the visual pigments of the eye. Color vision has evolved in butterflies through opsin gene duplications, through positive selection at individual opsin loci, and by the use of filtering pigments. By contrast, birds have retained the same opsin complement present in early-jawed vertebrates, and their visual system has diversified primarily through tuning of the short-wavelength-sensitive photoreceptors, rather than by opsin duplication or the use of filtering elements. Butterflies and birds have evolved photoreceptors that might use some of the same amino acid sites for generating similar spectral phenotypes across ,540 million years of evolution, when rhabdomeric and ciliary-type opsins radiated during the early Cambrian period. Considering the similarities between the two taxa, it is surprising that the eyes of birds are not more diverse. Additional taxonomic sampling of birds may help clarify this mystery. BioEssays 30:1151,1162, 2008. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Satyrinae butterflies from Sardinia and Corsica show a kaleidoscopic intraspecific biogeography (Lepidoptera, Nymphlidae)BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 1 2010LEONARDO DAPPORTO The Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Corsica are known for their multitude of endemics. Butterflies in particular have received much attention. However, no comprehensive studies aiming to compare populations of butterflies from Sardinia and Corsica with those from the neighbouring mainland and Sicily have been carried out. In the present study, the eleven Satyrinae species inhabiting Sardinia and Corsica islands were examined and compared with continental and Sicilian populations by means of geometric morphometrics of male genitalia. Relative warp computation, discriminant analyses, hierarchical clustering, and cross-validation tests were used to identify coherent distributional patterns including both islands and mainland populations. The eleven species showed multifaceted distributional patterns, although three main conclusions can be drawn: (1) populations from North Africa and Spain are generally different from those belonging to the Italian Peninsula; (2) populations from Sardinia and Sicily often resemble the North Africa/Spain ones; Corsica shows transitional populations similar to those from France; and (3) sea barriers represent filters to dispersal, although their efficacy appears to be unrelated to their extension. Indeed, the short sea straits between Sardinia and Corsica and between Sicily and the Italian Peninsula revealed a strong effectiveness with respect to preventing faunal exchanges; populations giving onto sea channels between Corsica and Northern Italy and between Sicily and Tunisia showed a higher similarity. A comparison of island and mainland distributions of the eleven taxa have helped to unravel the complex co-occurrence of historical factors, refugial dynamics, and recent (post-glacial) dispersal with respect to shaping the populations of Mediterranean island butterflies. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100, 195,212. [source] Atlantic Forest Butterflies: Indicators for Landscape Conservation,BIOTROPICA, Issue 4b 2000Keith S. Brown Jr. ABSTRACT The Atlantic Forest region (wide sense) includes very complex tropical environments, increasingly threatened by extensive anthropogenic conversion (>90%). Ecologically specialized, short-generation insects (butterflies) are evaluated here as indicators for monitoring community richness, landscape integrity, and sustainable resource use in the region. The > 2100 butterfly species in the Atlantic Forest tegion have been censused in many sites over 35 years, giving comparable daily, weekly, monthly, and long-tetm site lists. The 21 most thoroughly studied sites include 218,914 species, of which half can be censused in a week or less. The butterfly communities are divided into six relatively distinct faunal regions, centered in the northeast, the central coastal tablelands, the southeast coastal plain, the mountains plus interior of the southeastern states, the central plateau, and the southern states. Species richness shows the highest values in coastal mountains from 15 to 23°S. Local butterfly communities show a high turnover, with 20 to 40 percent of the species, especially small Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae, recorded only as unstable populations or "tourists." Easily sampled species in the family Nymphalidae, and especially its bait-attracted subfamilies, are best correlated with the entire butterfly fauna and can be used as surrogates for species diversity. In most butterfly groups, species richness is well predicted by landscape connectivity alone, or by composite indices of environmental heterogeneity, natural disturbance, and (negatively) anthropogenic disturbance. Principal components and redundancy analyses showed that the richness and proportions of different butterfly groups in the local fauna are variably explained by disturbance, seasonality, temperature, vegetation, soils, and landscape connectivity. Various groups thus can be used as rapid indicators of different types of change in the community, its environment, and the landscape. Threatened and rare species also can be used as indicators of the most unique Atlantic Forest communities (paleoenvironments), which need special attention. RESUMO A região da Mata Atlantica latu senstt inclui ambientes tropicals muito complexes, cada vez mais amea¸ados por extensa conversão antrópica (>90%). Insetos pequenos, especializados, e de ciclo rápido (borboletas) são avaliados neste trabalho como indicadores para o monitoramento da tiqueza de comunidades, integridade de paisagens, e uso susten-tável de recursos na região. As >2100 espécies de borboletas na região da Mata Atlantica têrn sido recenseadas em muitos sítios durante os últimos 35 anos, dando listas comparáveis diárias, semanais, mensais e totais para cada sítio. Os 21 sítios mais intensivamente estudados incluem 218,914 espécies, das quais metade pode ser amostrada em uma semana ou menos. As comunidades de borboletas são divididas em seis subregiões faunísticas relativamente distintas, centradas no nordeste, nos tabuleiros baianos, no literal do sudeste, nas regiões montanhosas no interior dos estados do sudeste, no Planalto Central, e no estados do sul. A riqueza de espécies é maior nas serras costeiras entre 15 c 23°S. As comunidades locals de borboletas possuem alta reposi¸ão, com 20 a 40 por cento das espécies, especialmente os pequenos Lycaenidae e Hesperiidae, registradas em popula¸ões instáveis ou sendo apenas "turistas." As espécies facilmente amostradas na família Nymphalidae, especialmente as atraídas a iscas fermentadas, são mais correlacionadas com a riqueza total e podem ser usadas como estimadores da riqueza total no ambiente. Na maior parte dos grupos de borboletas, a riqueza de espécies é altamente correlacionada com conectividade simples da paisagem, e com índices compostos de heterogeneidade, perturba¸ão natural, e (negativamente) perturba¸ão total no ambiente. As análises de Componentes Principals e de Redundãncia mostram que as riquezas e proor¸ões de diferentes grupos de borboletas são variavelmente explicadas por pertba¸ão, sazonalidade, temperatura, vegeta¸ão, solos, e conectividade. Váries grupos podem assim ser úteis como indicadores rápidos de diferentes tipos de mudan¸as na comunidade, no seu ambiente, e na paisagem. Espécies raras e amea¸adas podem também ser usadas para indicar os sistemas mais únicos na região (paleoarnbientes), que necessitam de aten¸ão especial. [source] Butterflies and black lacy patterns: the prevalence and characteristics of Charles Bonnet hallucinations in an Australian populationCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 7 2008Meri Vukicevic PhD Abstract Background:, Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is characterized by vivid, elaborate and recurrent visual hallucinations in psychologically normal people. It most often occurs in older, visually impaired persons. The prevalence of the syndrome has been reported at 1,40% in Asia, Europe and North America. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and characteristics of CBS in the older aged, visually impaired population in Australia. Methods:, Two hundred consecutive patients attending ophthalmology clinics aged more than 60 years with best-corrected visual acuity of 6/12 or less were screened for CBS. Those who reported experiencing visual hallucinations were asked to participate in the project. They were then interviewed and asked demographic, general health and visual hallucination-related questions. A group of 30 non-hallucinating participants was chosen for comparison of demographic data. Results:, The prevalence was found to be 17.5%. Participants experiencing hallucinations were predominantly female with a mean age of 77.7 years. Correlations were found between the living situation, level of education and characteristics of the hallucinations such as the duration, length of time the participant had been experiencing them and their frequency. Conclusion:, The prevalence of CBS in the older-aged, low-vision population is 17.5%. Several demographic and syndrome-specific characteristics were found to be consistent enabling a profile of a CBS sufferer in this group of participants to be compiled. [source] Conserving the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly over two decades: Where to next?ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION, Issue 1 2008Don Sands Summary The Richmond Birdwing Butterfly, restricted to subtropical areas of Australia, is threatened with extinction in the Queensland part of its range because of clearing and fragmenting rainforests containing its larval food vines. Habitat fragmentation and drought have exacerbated risks of inbreeding depression and a range of other threats exist, including invasions of the exotic Dutchmans Pipe Vine which is toxic to Richmond Birdwing larvae. This article outlines the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly project from its beginnings in the Double Helix Club project and recently the Richmond Birdwing Recovery Network. It provides details of the biology of the butterfy and its food vines, as well as discussing elements for consideration in a future recovery plan including (i) protecting the remaining breeding sites; and, for the shorter term (ii) continuing to propagate and plant food plants at appropriate localities that previously supported the butterfly. [source] Purification and cDNA Cloning of Lysozyme II from Cabbage Butterfly, Artogeia rapae LarvaeENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2005BANG In Seok ABSTRACT Last instar larvae of cabbage butterfly Artogeia rapae respond to injection of bacteria with a set of inducible antibacterial peptides/proteins. The inducible peptides/proteins are related to the known hinnavins (I and II) and lysozymes (I and II). The lysozyme II has been isolated by heat treatment, cation exchange, and reversed-phase chromatography from immunized hemolymph of last instar larvae. The lysozyme II gene of A. rapae was isolated and its nucleotide sequence was determined by the RACE-PCR from immunized fat body with E. coli. It has an open reading frame of 414 bp nucleotide corresponding to 138 amino acids including an 18 amino acid signal sequence. The molecular weight and the isoelectric point of Artogeia lysozyme II without a signal peptide were 13,649.38 Da and 9.11, respectively. It is great similarity with Manduca lysozyme among other lepidopteran. [source] The Diving Bell and the Butterfly as an Emotional EventMIDWEST STUDIES IN PHILOSOPHY, Issue 1 2010TARJA LAINE First page of article [source] A Nationwide Assessment of the Biodiversity Value of Uganda's Important Bird Areas NetworkCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006HERBERT TUSHABE AIAs; complementariedad; congruencia trans-taxón; selección de sitios de conservación Abstract:,BirdLife International's Important Bird Areas (IBA) program is the most developed global system for identifying sites of conservation priority. There have been few assessments, however, of the conservation value of IBAs for nonavian taxa. We combined past data with extensive new survey results for Uganda's IBAs in the most comprehensive assessment to date of the wider biodiversity value of a tropical country's IBA network. The combined data set included more than 35,000 site × species records for birds, butterflies, and woody plants at 86 Ugandan sites (23,400 km2), including 29 of the country's 30 IBAs, with data on additional taxa for many sites. Uganda's IBAs contained at least 70% of the country's butterfly and woody plant species, 86% of its dragonflies and 97% of its birds. They also included 21 of Uganda's 22 major vegetation types. For butterflies, dragonflies, and some families of plants assessed, species of high conservation concern were well represented (less so for the latter). The IBAs successfully represented wider biodiversity largely because many have distinctive avifaunas and, as shown by high cross-taxon congruence in complementarity, such sites tended to be distinctive for other groups too. Cross-taxon congruence in overall species richness was weaker and mainly associated with differences in site size. When compared with alternative sets of sites selected using complementarity-based, area-based, or random site-selection algorithms, the IBA network was efficient in terms of the number of sites required to represent species but inefficient in terms of total area. This was mainly because IBA selection considers factors other than area, however, which probably improves both the cost-effectiveness of the network and the persistence of represented species. Resumen:,El programa de Áreas de Importancia para las Aves (AIAs) de Birdlife International es el sistema global más desarrollado para la identificación de sitios de prioridad para la conservación. Sin embargo, ha habido pocas evaluaciones del valor de conservación de las AIAs para taxa no aviares. En la evaluación más integral, hasta la fecha, del valor de la biodiversidad en general de la red de AIAs de un país tropical, combinamos datos antiguos con los resultados de muestreos extensivos recientes de las AIAs de Uganda. El conjunto de datos combinados incluyó más de 35000 registros de sitios x especies de aves, mariposas y plantas leñosas en 86 sitios en Uganda (23400 km2), incluyendo 29 de las 30 AIAs del país, con datos sobre taxa adicionales en muchos sitios. Las AIAs de Uganda contenían por lo menos un 70% de las especies de mariposas y plantas leñosas del país, 86% de sus libélulas y 97% de sus aves. También incluyeron 21 de los 22 principales tipos de vegetación. En las mariposas, libélulas y algunas de las familias de plantas evaluadas, la representación de especies de alto interés para la conservación fue buena (menor en las plantas). Las Áreas de Importancia para las Aves representaron exitosamente a la biodiversidad en general principalmente porque muchas tienen avifaunas distintivas y, como muestra la alta congruencia trans-taxón en complementariedad, tales sitios tendieron a ser distintivos para otros grupos también. La congruencia trans-taxón en la riqueza de especies total fue más débil y se asoció principalmente con diferencias en el tamaño del sitio. Cuando se compara con conjuntos alternativos de sitios seleccionados mediante algoritmos basados en complementariedad, área o selección aleatoria de sitios, la red de AIAs fue eficiente en términos del número de sitios requeridos para representar especies, pero ineficiente en términos del área total. Sin embargo, esto se debió principalmente a que la selección de AIA considera factores distintos al área que probablemente mejoran tanto la efectividad de la red como la persistencia de las especies representadas. [source] Influence of Temporal Scale of Sampling on Detection of Relationships between Invasive Plants and the Diversity Patterns of Plants and ButterfliesCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2004RALPH MAC NALLY But monitoring is often neglected because it can be expensive and time-consuming. Accordingly, it is valuable to determine whether the temporal extent of sampling alters the validity of inferences about the response of diversity measures to environmental variables affected by restoration actions. Non-native species alter ecosystems in undesirable ways, frequently homogenizing flora and fauna and extirpating local populations of native species. In the Mojave Desert, invasion of salt-cedar (Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.) and human efforts to eradicate salt-cedar have altered vegetation structure, vegetation composition, and some measures of faunal diversity. We examined whether similar inferences about relationships between plants and butterflies in the Muddy River drainage (Nevada, U.S.A.) could have been obtained by sampling less intensively (fewer visits per site over the same period of time) or less extensively (equal frequency of visits but over a more limited period of time). We also tested whether rank order of butterfly species with respect to occurrence rate (proportion of sites occupied) would be reflected accurately in temporal subsamples. Temporal subsampling did not lead to erroneous inferences about the relative importance of six vegetation-based predictor variables on the species richness of butterflies. Regardless of the temporal scale of sampling, the species composition of butterflies was more similar in sites with similar species composition of plants. The rank order of occurrence of butterfly species in the temporal subsamples was highly correlated with the rank order of species occurrence in the full data set. Thus, similar inferences about associations between vegetation and butterflies and about relative occurrence rates of individual species of butterflies could be obtained by less intensive or extensive temporal sampling. If compromises between temporal intensity and extent of sampling must be made, our results suggest that maximizing temporal extent will better capture variation in biotic interactions and species occurrence. Resumen:,El monitoreo es un componente importante de los esfuerzos de restauración y de manejo adoptivo. Pero el monitoreo a menudo es desatendido porque puede ser costoso y consume tiempo. En consecuencia, es valioso determinar si la extensión temporal del muestreo altera la validez de inferencias sobre la respuesta de medidas de diversidad a variables ambientales afectadas por acciones de restauración. Las especies no nativas alteran a los ecosistemas de manera indeseable, frecuentemente homogenizan la flora y fauna y extirpan poblaciones locales de especies nativas. En el Desierto Mojave, la invasión de Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb. y los esfuerzos humanos para erradicarla han alterado la estructura y composición de la vegetación y algunas medidas de diversidad de fauna. Examinamos si se podían obtener inferencias similares sobre las relaciones entre plantas y mariposas en la cuenca Muddy River (Nevada, E.U.A.) muestreando menos intensivamente (menos visitas por sitio en el mismo período de tiempo) o menos extensivamente (igual frecuencia de visitas pero sobre un período de tiempo más limitado). También probamos si el orden jerárquico de especies de mariposas con respecto a la tasa de ocurrencia (proporción de sitios ocupados) se reflejaba con precisión en las submuestras temporales. El submuestreo temporal no condujo a inferencias erróneas acerca de la importancia relativa de seis variables predictivas basadas en vegetación sobre la riqueza de especies de mariposas. A pesar de la escala temporal del muestreo, la composición de especies de mariposas fue más similar en sitios con composición de especies de plantas similar. El orden jerárquico de ocurrencia de especies de mariposas en las muestras subtemporales estuvo muy correlacionado con el orden jerárquico de ocurrencia de especies en todo el conjunto de datos. Por lo tanto, se pudieron obtener inferencias similares de las asociaciones entre vegetación y mariposas y de las tasas de ocurrencia relativa de especies individuales de mariposas con muestreo temporal menos intensivo o extensivo. Si se deben hacer compromisos entre la intensidad y extensión de muestreo temporal, nuestros resultados sugieren que la maximización de la extensión temporal capturará la variación en interacciones bióticas y ocurrencia de especies más adecuadamente. [source] Beyond Species Richness: Community Similarity as a Measure of Cross-Taxon Congruence for Coarse-Filter ConservationCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004JEFFREY C. SU Species richness is only one measure of species diversity, however, and recent studies suggest that investigations of cross-taxon congruence should consider a broader range of assessment techniques. The cross-taxon congruence of community similarity between sites among taxa has rarely been examined and may be the most relevant measure of species diversity in the context of coarse-filter conservation strategies. We examined cross-taxon congruence patterns of species richness and community similarity (Bray-Curtis similarity) among birds, butterflies, and vascular plants in montane meadow habitats in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Although patterns of species richness (Spearman rank correlation) varied between taxa, we consistently found a positive correlation in community similarity (Mantel test) between all pair-wise comparisons of the three taxa (e.g., sites with similar bird communities also had similar butterfly communities). We suggest that the success of a surrogate taxon depends on the technique used to assess surrogacy and the specific approach to conservation planning. In the context of coarse-filter conservation, measures of community similarity may be more appropriate than measures of species richness. Furthermore, the cross-taxon congruency of community similarity in our study suggests that coarse-filter conservation may be tenable in montane meadow communities. Resumen:,El uso de un taxón sustituto en la planeación de la conservación se ha vuelto cuestionable porque información reciente sugiere que la correlación de riqueza de especies entre pares de taxones es altamente variable taxonómica y geográficamente. Sin embargo, la riqueza de especies es solo una medida de la diversidad de especies, y estudios recientes sugieren que las investigaciones de congruencia trans-taxón debieran considerar una mayor variedad de técnicas de evaluación. La congruencia trans-taxón de la similitud de comunidades entre sitios entre taxones rara vez se ha examinado y puede ser la medida de diversidad de especies más relevante en el contexto de las estrategias de conservación de grano grueso. Examinamos patrones de congruencia trans-taxón de riqueza de especies y similitud de comunidades (similitud Bray-Curtis) en aves, mariposas y plantas vasculares en hábitats de praderas montanas en el Ecosistema Greater Yellowstone. Aunque los patrones de riqueza de especies (correlación Spearman de rangos) variaron entre especies, encontramos consistentemente una correlación positiva en la similitud de la comunidad (prueba de Mantel) entre todas las comparaciones de pares de los tres taxones (es decir, los sitios con comunidades similares de aves también tenían comunidades similares de mariposas). Sugerimos que el éxito de un taxón sustituto depende de la técnica utilizada para evaluar la sustitución y el abordaje específico de la planeación de conservación. En el contexto de la conservación de grano grueso, pueden ser más apropiadas las medidas de similitud de comunidades que las medidas de riqueza de especies. Más aun, la congruencia trans-taxón de similitud de comunidades en nuestro estudio sugiere que la conservación de grano grueso puede ser justificable en comunidades de praderas montanas. [source] Grazing Intensity and the Diversity of Grasshoppers, Butterflies, and Trap-Nesting Bees and WaspsCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Andreas Kruess The reduction of management intensity can be a useful tool for the long-term conservation of the biological diversity of grasslands. We analyzed floral and faunal diversity on intensively and extensively (unintensively) grazed pastures and on 5- to 10-year-old ungrazed grasslands in northern Germany. Each of the three grassland habitats differing in grazing intensity was replicated six times. We related diverse taxa such as grasshoppers, butterfly adults and lepidopteran larvae, and trap-nesting solitary bees and wasps to vegetation structure. There was an increase of species richness and abundance from pastures to ungrazed grasslands. The percentage of parasitism of the most abundant trap-nesting species, the digger-wasp ( Trypoxylon figulus), was also higher on ungrazed grasslands. Decreased grazing on pastures enhanced species richness for adult butterflies only, whereas the abundance of adult butterflies, solitary bees and wasps, and their natural enemies increased. Although the differences in insect diversity between pastures and ungrazed grassland could be attributed to a greater vegetation height and heterogeneity ( bottom-up effects) on ungrazed areas, the differences between intensively and extensively grazed pastures could not be explained by changes in vegetation characteristics. Hence, intensive grazing appeared to affect the insect communities through the disruption of plant-insect interactions. A mosaic of extensively grazed grassland and grassland left ungrazed for a few years may be a good means by which to maintain biodiversity and the strength of trophic interactions. Resumen: El mantenimiento de pastizales como hábitats distintos depende del manejo regular, generalmente, por medio de pastoreo o segado, pero se sabe que la diversidad de especies declina con el incremento de intensidad de manejo. La reducción de la intensidad de manejo puede ser una herramienta útil para la conservación a largo plazo de la biodiversidad de pastizales. Analizamos la diversidad florística y faunística en pastizales pastoreados intensiva y extensivamente (no intensivos) y en pastizales de 5 a 10 años no pastoreados en el norte de Alemania. Cada uno de los tres hábitats de pastizal diferentes en el grado de pastoreo fue replicado seis veces. Relacionamos diversos taxones como chapulines, mariposas adultas, larvas de lepidópteros y abejas y avispas solitarias con la estructura de la vegetación. Hubo un incremento en la riqueza y abundancia de especies de pastizales pastoreados a no pastoreados. El porcentaje de parasitismo de la especie de avispa más abundante ( Trypoxylon figulus) también fue mayor en pastizales no pastoreados. La reducción del pastoreo incrementó la riqueza de especies de mariposas adultas solamente, mientras que incrementó la abundancia de mariposas adultas, abejas y avispas solitarias y sus enemigos naturales. Aunque las diferencias en la diversidad de insectos entre pastizales pastoreados y no pastoreados pudiera atribuirse a la mayor altura de la vegetación y a la heterogeneidad (efectos abajo-arriba) en áreas no pastoreadas, las diferencias entre pastizales pastoreados intensiva y extensivamente no podría explicarse por cambios en las características de la vegetación. Por consiguiente, el pastoreo intensivo aparentemente afectó a las comunidades de insectos por la disrupción de las interacciones planta-animal. Un mosaico de pastizales pastoreados extensivamente y pastizales sin pastoreo por varios años puede ser una buena estrategia para mantener la biodiversidad y la vigencia de las interacciones tróficas. [source] Changes of traditional agrarian landscapes and their conservation implications: a case study of butterflies in RomaniaDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2007Thomas Schmitt ABSTRACT Global biodiversity is decreasing as a result of human activities. In many parts of the world, this decrease is due to the destruction of natural habitats. The European perspective is different. Here, traditional agricultural landscapes developed into species-rich habitats. However, the European biodiversity heritage is strongly endangered. One of the countries where this biodiversity is best preserved is Romania. We analyse the possible changes in Romania's land-use patterns and their possible benefits and hazards with respect to biodiversity. As model group, we used butterflies, whose habitat requirements are well understood. We determined the ecological importance of different land-use types for the conservation of butterflies, underlining the special importance of Romania's semi-natural grasslands for nature conservation. We found that increasing modern agriculture and abandonment of less productive sites both affect biodiversity negatively , the former immediately and the latter after a lag phase of several years. These perspectives are discussed in the light of the integration of Romania into the European Union. [source] How can we preserve and restore species richness of pollinating insects on agricultural land?ECOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2008Markus Franzén During recent decades, concern about the loss of biodiversity on agricultural land has increased, and semi-natural grasslands have been highlighted as critical habitats. Temperate European agricultural landscapes require distinct and appropriate management to prevent further impoverishment of the flora and fauna. This is especially urgent for pollinating insects that provide important ecosystem services. Our aim was to examine how species richness of three important groups of pollinating insects; solitary bees, butterflies and burnet moths are related to different farm characteristics, and if there are any differences between these three groups. A further aim was to test if red-listed species are related to any farm characteristics. Species richness of solitary bees, butterflies and burnets was measured on all semi-natural grasslands at 16 farms in a forest-dominated area of 50 km2 in southern Sweden, using systematic transect walks in April to September 2003 (only butterflies and burnets) and 2005. Species richness of solitary bees and butterflies was intercorrelated, both before and after controlling for the area of semi-natural grassland. Species richness of solitary bees increased with the area of semi-natural grassland. After controlling for the effect of the area of semi-natural grassland species richness was strongly positively related with the density of the plant Knautia arvensis and negatively related with the proportion of grazed grassland. The results were similar for solitary bees and butterflies. The number of red-listed solitary bees was positively related to the proportion of meadows with late harvest (after mid-July) and decreased with increased farm isolation. The number of burnet species (all red-listed) was positively related to vegetation height, flower density and the proportion of meadows with late harvest on a farm. Areas with a high density of K. arvensis and with traditional hay-meadow with late harvest present, harbour most species. Promoting traditional hay-meadows, late extensive grazing and the herb K. arvensis, people managing agricultural biodiversity can encompass high species richness of pollinating insects and support red-listed species. Further, we suggest that the density of K. arvensis at a farm can be used as a biodiversity indicator, at least for pollinating insects. [source] Asymmetric dispersal and survival indicate population sources for grassland butterflies in agricultural landscapesECOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2007Erik Öckinger We tested the hypothesis that populations in small habitat fragments remaining in agricultural landscapes are maintained by repeated immigration, using three grassland butterflies (Aphantopus hyperantus, Coenonympha pamphilus and Maniola jurtina). Transect counts in 12 matched sets of semi-natural pastures, and linear habitat elements proximate and isolated from the pastures showed that population densities of M.,jurtina and C.,pamphilus were significantly higher in pastures and in linear habitats adjacent to these than in isolated linear elements. A mark-recapture study in a 2×2 km landscape indicated that individuals of all three species are able to reach even the isolated linear elements situated at least 1 km from the grasslands. For two of the species, A.,hyperantus and C.,pamphilus, analysis of the mark-recapture data revealed higher daily local survival rates in the semi-natural pastures and more individuals dispersing from pastures to linear habitat elements. The proportion of old compared to young individuals of C.,pamphilus and M.,jurtina were significantly higher in linear elements than in semi-natural pastures, which suggests that butterflies emerging in pastures subsequently dispersed to the linear elements. In combination, these results suggest that semi-natural pastures act as population sources, from which adult butterflies disperse to surrounding linear elements. Hence, preservation of the remaining fragments of semi-natural grassland is necessary to keep the present butterfly abundance in the surrounding agricultural landscape. [source] Distributions of forest birds and butterflies in the Andaman islands, Bay of Bengal: nested patterns and processesECOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2002Priya Davidar The distributional patterns of forest birds and butterflies in the Andaman islands, an oceanic chain located off SE Asia, were tested for nestedness. Both taxa were highly nested. Nestedness could be due to colonization or extinction processes, area or distance effects or nestedness of habitats. Nestedness in forest bird distributions were strongly influenced by area and habitat related factors. Habitats were significantly nested in all three island groups, however most strongly for the North Andamans. However forest bird distributions in the North Andamans, as indicated by row order in the packed matrix, was not correlated with habitat diversity, suggesting that habitat related factors alone cannot account for these patterns. Other causal influences could be passive sampling, where common and abundant species and habitats are more likely to have a widespread distribution than rare species and habitats. The nested subset pattern seen in two unrelated taxa suggests that the Andamans are extinction dominated and that the protection of forests on large islands is critical for the conservation of its biodiversity. [source] Local host ant specificity of Phengaris (Maculinea) teleius butterfly, an obligatory social parasite of Myrmica antsECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 5 2010MAGDALENA WITEK 1. Phengaris butterflies are obligatory social parasites of Myrmica ants. Early research suggested that there is a different Myrmica host species for each of the five European Phengaris social parasites, but more recent studies have shown that this was an oversimplification. 2. The pattern of host ant specificity within a Phengaris teleius metapopulation from southern Poland is reported. A combination of studying the frequency distribution of Phengaris occurrence and morphometrics on adult butterflies were used to test whether use of different host species is reflected in larval development. 3. Phengaris teleius larvae were found to survive in colonies of four Myrmica species: M. scabrinodis, M. rubra, M. ruginodis, and M. rugulosa. Myrmica scabrinodis was the most abundant species under the host plant but the percentage of infested nests was similar to other host ant species at two sites and lower in comparison to nests of M. rubra and M. ruginodis at the other two sites. Morphometric measurements of adult butterflies reared by wild colonies of M. scabrinodis and M. ruginodis showed that wing size and number of wing spots were slightly greater for adults eclosing from nests of M. ruginodis. 4. Our results suggest that P. teleius in the populations studied is less specialised than previously suggested. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that P. teleius is expected to be the least specific of the European Phengaris species, as it has the largest and best defended fourth-instar caterpillars and, as a predatory species, it spends less time in the central larval chambers of the host colonies. The fact that individuals reared by M. ruginodis had wider hind wings may suggest that P. teleius had better access to resources in M. ruginodis than in M. scabrinodis colonies. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||