High diversity of diurnal Lepidoptera associated with landscape heterogeneity in semi-urban areas of Loja City, southern Ecuador

Nuñez‐Penichet, Claudia; Cobos, Marlon E.; Checa, María F.; Quinde, Juan D.; Mendoza, Zhofre Aguirre; Aguirre, Nikolay

doi:10.1007/s11252-021-01110-w

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 55 publications

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“…For example, some studies have reported that bee population has been declining due to habitat cover change ( Nemésio et al, 2016 ). The effects of land use change on species richness/diversity on Lepidoptera, on the other hand, do not have a consensus among previous studies as other factors, like habitat heterogeneity, are also important ( Nuñez-Penichet et al, 2021 ). In this group, some studies reported that the butterfly communities are more diverse in undisturbed (or the least disturbed) forest than in disturbed habitats, and others reported the opposite trend ( Koh, 2007 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land-cover change in Cuba and implications for the area of distribution of a specialist’s host-plant

Nuñez-Penichet,

Maita,

Soberon

2024

PeerJ

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Changes in land cover directly affect biodiversity. Here, we assessed land-cover change in Cuba in the past 35 years and analyzed how this change may affect the distribution of Omphalea plants and Urania boisduvalii moths. We analyzed the vegetation cover of the Cuban archipelago for 1985 and 2020. We used Google Earth Engine to classify two satellite image compositions into seven cover types: forest and shrubs, mangrove, soil without vegetation cover, wetlands, pine forest, agriculture, and water bodies. We considered four different areas for quantifications of land-cover change: (1) Cuban archipelago, (2) protected areas, (3) areas of potential distribution of Omphalea, and (4) areas of potential distribution of the plant within the protected areas. We found that “forest and shrubs”, which is cover type in which Omphalea populations have been reported, has increased significantly in Cuba in the past 35 years, and that most of the gained forest and shrub areas were agricultural land in the past. This same pattern was observed in the areas of potential distribution of Omphalea; whereas almost all cover types were mostly stable inside the protected areas. The transformation of agricultural areas into forest and shrubs could represent an interesting opportunity for biodiversity conservation in Cuba. Other detailed studies about biodiversity composition in areas of forest and shrubs gain would greatly benefit our understanding of the value of such areas for conservation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land-cover change in Cuba and implications for the area of distribution of a specialist’s host-plant

Nuñez-Penichet,

Maita,

Soberon

2024

PeerJ

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The natural history and multitrophic ecological network of the highly restricted butterfly Catasticta truncata (Lepidoptera Pieridae) from urban areas of Loja, Ecuador

Padrón

2024

Annals of the Entomological Society of America

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This study describes the natural history and multitrophic interactions of the highly restricted Andean butterfly species Catasticta truncata (Lathy & Rosenberg, 1912) from the urban and surrounding areas of Loja in southern Ecuador. The immature stages of the butterfly are described and illustrated, and the host plant is identified as Phoradendron nervosum Oliv. (Viscaceae), an aerial-stem hemiparasitic shrub that parasitizes trees of Salix humboldtiana (Willd) (Salicaceae). Multitrophic interactions that this species maintains in the urban ecosystem are described. One interaction includes a predator, Ambastus villosus Stal, 1872 (Reduvidae). In addition, and for the first time for the genus Catasticta Butler, 1870, the presence of an endoparasitoid wasp (Ichneumonidae) and a hyperparasitoid (secondary parasitoid) wasp Pediobius sp. (Eulophidae), both potentially undescribed species, are documented. Flowers from plants in the Asteraceae family are visited by adults of C. truncata. This new information highlights the ecological roles of these butterflies in the green areas within the city of Loja. Finally, due to the highly restricted distribution of this species within Loja’s green areas and the striking beauty of adults, along with this butterfly being a component within 4 trophic levels in the urban ecological network, this butterfly could be a flagship for the city of Loja. Local actions that help the conservation of this species should positively affect the organisms that interact with it and positively influence the well-being of the city’s inhabitants in general.

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High diversity of diurnal Lepidoptera associated with landscape heterogeneity in semi-urban areas of Loja City, southern Ecuador

Cited by 2 publications

References 55 publications

Land-cover change in Cuba and implications for the area of distribution of a specialist’s host-plant

Land-cover change in Cuba and implications for the area of distribution of a specialist’s host-plant

The natural history and multitrophic ecological network of the highly restricted butterfly Catasticta truncata (Lepidoptera Pieridae) from urban areas of Loja, Ecuador

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