Using occurrence data to evaluate extinction reveals a strong resilience of butterflies in a National Park of Southern Europe (Alta Murgia National Park)

Abstract

Butterflies from southernmost European regions encompass a large fraction of faunistic and genetic diversity but are also at the forefront of extinction risk for climate change. Nevertheless, monitoring schemes aimed at detecting their population trends were only recently established. In this study, we gathered all occurrence records of the 81 species of butterflies recorded for the Alta Murgia National Park (Italy, Apulia), a prime conservation area for butterflies. By using literature, citizen science, and unpublished sample data, we traced potential extinctions since 1966. We also provided a dedicated index to evaluate the potential extinction at the whole community level. We found that among the 29 species recorded before 2009, three were not recovered from 2009 to 2021. Another group of nine species was not recorded in the last five years. However, given the not standardized sampling methodology and the possibility that apparently disappeared species were due to inaccurate identification, we conclude that the butterfly community of the Park is showing a strong resilience. We hypothesize that such resilience may be attributed to the existence of the protected area and the presence of heterogeneous environments, which allow to buffer climatic changes and any other negative anthropic effects. The objective recognition of rare species in the surrounding region of 200 km ray also allowed identifying which species should be considered as prime targets for the conservation of local and regional diversity.

The Habitat Network for Butterfly Communities of the Alta Murgia National Park (Apulia, Italy)

“…Hosting a rich butterfly fauna with target species based on the conservation EU priorities justifies the inclusion of the ANMP in the "Prime Butterfly Areas". The monitoring of these species can represent efficient support in biodiversity conservation and environmental planning [66]. These species, together with others that are extremely localized, deserve to be protected by (a) safeguarding their habitats; (b) limiting or inhibiting the use of plant protection products in sites hosting both larvae and adults; and (c) spreading the host plants for larvae and adults.…”

Beauty and the beast: multiple effects of wild boar rooting on butterfly microhabitat

“…Zerynthia cassandra is widespread in the agro-forestry mosaic (Cagnetta et al 2020;Labadessa et al 2021), especially in the southeastern part of the study area, and is associated with the occurrence of Aristolochia clusii as a primary host plant. The distribution of other potential host plants, such as A. rotunda and A. lutea, is restricted to few sites at higher elevations and in forest areas.…”

Discard butterfly local extinctions through untargeted citizen science: the interplay between species traits and user effort

“…Two novel and signi cant resources are also provided: a) updated butter y checklists for all Italian National Parks (with time series of occurrence for each species starting from the year 1806 -see Danaus chrysippus presence in Vesuvio National Park) and b) a new R package (https://github.com/leondap/pets) that includes a suite of functions designed to the calculate the potential extinction upon time series index (PETS) introduced by Labadessa et al (2021). This is used to evaluate the importance of untargeted citizen science records in discarding local butter y extinctions.…”