Butterfly distribution in fragmented landscapes containing agroforestry practices in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Agroforestry practices, such as Shaded Coffee and Homegardens, may provide habitat for forest butterflies and contribute to their conservation in fragmented agricultural landscapes. To determine the influence of agroforestry practices in an agricultural mosaic, the distribution of fruit-feeding butterflies was studied using a systematic approach that compared butterfly species richness in six land-use practices (Eucalyptus [Eucalyptus spp.], Shaded Coffee, Homegardens, Secondary Growth, Pastures, and monocultures of Cassava [Manihot esculenta] and Sugarcane [Saccharum officinarum]), and in natural habitat (secondary Forest Edge and Interior) in two study areas (agricultural landscapes). In each study area, Van Someren-Rydon butterfly traps were placed as a grid every 150 m, creating quadrants of 2.2 and 2.4 km 2 that encompassed the different land-use practices. Land-use, plot area, number of traps and distance to the forest were set as covariates to compare species richness values. Butterfly species composition was compared using linear discriminant analysis (LDA). With the exception of Pastures, Cassava and Sugarcane, significant differences were not identified between the rest of the agricultural land-use practices and the forest habitats (edge and interior). The species composition in the agricultural practices was however, different to that found in forest habitats. Overall, Shaded Coffee practices that represent long-term mixed tree and crop stands have a better potential of conserving forest butterfly species compared to monoculture practices.

Diversity and composition of tropical butterflies along an Afromontane agricultural gradient in the Jimma Highlands, Ethiopia

“…An intensive mark-release-recapture study in Papa New Guinea showed that many tropical butterflies can disperse up to 1 km from their larval host plant (Vlasanek et al 2013), so the presence of adult butterflies within SMCF and timber plantation does not guarantee that these habitats in isolation could support the observed butterfly diversity. This is consistent with our finding that butterfly abundance and diversity both decreased with distance from natural forest, with diversity declining by more than half over distances >500 m. Other studies in tropical agricultural landscapes have found that agricultural land use has a stronger effect on butterfly diversity than proximity to forest (Perfecto et al 2003, Francesconi et al 2013, but on a wider scale, isolation from contiguous forest is negatively correlated with the species richness of fruit-feeding butterflies in Bornean forest fragments (Benedick et al 2006). Landscape effects are known to impact butterfly meta-population dynamics in temperate systems (Hanski & Thomas 1994, Hill et al 1996, Thomas et al 2001, with occasional immigration from source populations rescuing isolated populations at marginal 'sink' sites from extinction (Hanski & Ovaskainen 2003).…”

“…, Francesconi et al . ), but on a wider scale, isolation from contiguous forest is negatively correlated with the species richness of fruit‐feeding butterflies in Bornean forest fragments (Benedick et al . ).…”

“…, Francesconi et al . ). In Western Africa, cashew forest plantations have been linked to a reduction in butterfly species richness (Vasconcelos et al .…”

“…In general, butterfly diversity tends to decrease when tropical forest is converted into agricultural land, but the magnitude of this effect can differ quite considerably between agricultural systems. Studies in Indonesia and South America have found that agricultural landscapes support reduced butterfly species richness when compared to tropical forest, but that agroforestry systems support higher numbers of species than annual cropland and pasture (Schulze et al 2004, Barlow et al 2007, Francesconi et al 2013. In Western Africa, cashew forest plantations have been linked to a reduction in butterfly species richness (Vasconcelos et al 2015) as have annual cultures, though Cameroonian agroforests can support species richness equal to natural forest (Bobo et al 2006).…”

Trade‐offs for butterfly alpha and beta diversity in human‐modified landscapes and tropical rainforests

“…It is also interesting to note that we classified Mycalesis terminus as a forest specialist while two other Mycalesis species ( M. perseus and M. sirius ) are mainly found in sugarcane plantations. This evidence, which has also been found for other sister species in Guyana by Sambhu et al (), is contrary to the notion that similar species behave or live in similar areas (Francesconi et al, ). Nonetheless, the unique compositions of forest habitats suggest that conservation of these habitats may target different species than conservation of human‐modified habitats.…”