Burning and logging differentially affect endemic vs. widely distributed butterfly species in Borneo

Abstract

We assess the differential impact of logging and ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation)induced disturbance on the relative butterfly abundance and species richness of range-restricted and widespread species within the island of Borneo. Relative abundance and species richness were assessed using rarefaction and species accumulation curves in unburned isolates surrounded by burned forest, the burned forest itself, and continuous forest unaffected by ENSO-induced disturbance in addition to logged and unlogged landscapes in unburned forest. The relative abundance of endemics was significantly higher in unlogged forest than logged forest and significantly higher in unburned forest than burned forest. Rarefied species richness of range categories was similar (Bornean endemics) or higher (other categories) in selectively logged than unlogged forest. In contrast, rarefied species richness of range-restricted species was highest in continuous forest, intermediate in unburned isolates, and lowest in burned forest. Only two individuals of a single Bornean endemic species were found in all the burned forest. Although species richness was higher in all range categories in continuous forest than in unburned isolates and in burned forest, the difference was most pronounced for range-restricted species. Logging and ENSO-induced fires thus have contrasting effects on range-restricted species. While both increase the relative abundance of widely distributed species at the expense of range-restricted species, only ENSO-induced disturbance lowers the rarefied number of restricted range species. Our research highlights the threat that severe ENSO events pose to geographically restricted classes of biodiversity.

The value of primary, secondary and plantation forests for fruit‐feeding butterflies in the Brazilian Amazon

“…A more practical approach would be to focus on species that are unable to persist outside of primary forest, especially as these are also the most likely to be endemic (e.g. Cleary & Mooers 2006). However, although our results reinforce the conservation concern regarding some of the most charismatic species (such as Agrias spp., cf.…”

Recovery of indigenous butterfly community following control of invasive alien plants in a tropical island’s wet forests

“…Many other studies have documented similar trends following disturbance that increases light penetration and habitat heterogeneity within the forest (e.g. Cleary and Mooers 2006) although there is no absolute consensus (Stork et al 2003;Koh 2007). It was clear that the commonest species of butterfly in this study, the shade-loving N. frobenia, formed a more dominant part of the butterfly assemblage in weeded areas with higher canopy cover.…”

“…Lawton et al 1998). In tropical forests, many studies using butterflies have assessed impacts of land use changes such as forest transformation to agricultural land (Harvey et al 2006;Lien and Yuan 2003), silviculture (Stork et al 2003), selective logging (Cleary 2004;Hamer et al 2003), habitat fragmentation (Uehara-Prado et al 2007;Bossart et al 2006) or fires (Hirowatari et al 2007;Cleary and Mooers 2006). However, rarely have the impacts of alien species invasions on butterflies been considered.…”

El Niño impacts on human‐modified tropical forests: Consequences for dung beetle diversity and associated ecological processes

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