Butterfly species diversity and habitat heterogeneity across altitudinal gradients of Mt. Banahaw de Majayjay, Philippines
2014
Gestiada, E.C. | Castillo, M.L. | Bantayan, N.C. | Balatibat, J.B.
Butterfly diversity and associated flora were assessed in three different types of habitats in Mt. Banahaw de Majayjay, Philippines in order to determine the mountain's ecological state. Butterfly census techniques include trapping and net sweeping along a modified transect line (1000 m) in three habitat types. Separately, trees and undergrowth host plants were surveyed from the five 10-sqm plot established alternately at every 200-m interval along the same transect and from the four 1-sqm quadrat established within each plot. A total of 81 butterfly species and subspecies were recorded including one new migrant species. Butterfly and host plant species diversity was highest in agroforestry (H1 = 3.60 and 2.78) while lowest in dipterocarp forest (H1 = 2.36 and 1.75). These patterns were significantly related to shifts in dispersal pattern and structure of vegetation, particularly host plants, temperature and slope of habitats as determined by the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) using the same environmental variables. Bivariate analysis showed that the mean elevation negatively affects the wet season butterfly species richness and diversity.
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