Climate and plant structure determine the spatiotemporal butterfly distribution on a tropical mountain

Mountains are among the most powerful natural gradients for testing ecological and evolutionary responses of biota to environmental influences because differences in climate and plant structure occur over short spatial scales. We describe the spatiotemporal distribution patterns and drives of fruit‐feeding butterfly diversity in the mountainous region of Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Seven elevations from 822 to 1,388 m a.s.l. were selected for evaluating the effects of abiotic factors and vegetation characteristics on butterfly diversity. A total of 44 fruit‐feeding butterfly species were recorded in a two‐year study. Species richness (local and regional) of fruit‐feeding butterflies decreased with increasing elevation. The interaction between temperature or humidity and precipitation influenced the abundance and β‐diversity of butterflies in the elevation gradient, whereas β‐diversity decreased with increasing plant richness. Butterfly richness (local and regional) and β‐diversity varied with the sampling period, with fewer species in July (2012 and 2013), the dry period, as expected for Neotropical insects. β‐Diversity in space and time was due to species replacement (turnover), indicating that butterfly composition differs throughout the mountain and over time. In summary, climate and plant richness largely influence butterfly diversity in the elevational gradient. Climatic changes in conjunction with increasing anthropic impacts on mountainous regions of southeast Brazil will likely influence the community of mountaintop butterflies in the Espinhaço Mountain Range. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.     

Does herbivore diversity depend on plant diversity? The case of California butterflies

It is widely believed that the diversity of plants influences the diversity of animals, and this should be particularly true of herbivores. We examine this supposition at a moderate spatial extent by comparing the richness patterns of the 217 butterfly species resident in California to those of plants, including all 5,902 vascular plant species and the 552 species known to be fed on by caterpillars. We also examine the relationships between plant/butterfly richness and 20 environmental variables. We found that although plant and butterfly diversities are positively correlated, multiple regression, path models, and spatial analysis indicate that once primary productivity (estimated by a water-energy variable, actual evapotranspiration) and topographical variability are incorporated into models, neither measure of plant richness has any relationship with butterfly richness. To examine whether butterflies with the most specialized diets follow the pattern found across all butterflies, we repeated the analyses for 37 species of strict monophages and their food plants and found that plant and butterfly richness were similarly weakly associated after incorporating the environmental variables. We condude that plant diversity does not directly influence butterfly diversity but that both are probably responding to similar environmental factors.     

区域变动尺度上不同生境类型及环境因子对西双版纳蝴蝶多样性的影响

【目的】生境类型和环境因子对物种分布和维持具有重要的影响。本研究通过分析不同生境类型对蝴蝶群落多样性及其群落结构影响的差异,以及环境因子对蝴蝶物种丰富度和多度的影响,为区域变动尺度蝴蝶多样性维持机制的研究奠定基础。【方法】于2019年8月和10月,在西双版纳地区采用样线法,调查了天然林、次生林、复合生境、人工林和农田5种生境中蝴蝶的物种,分析了蝴蝶群落多样性、群落结构相似性及物种丰富度和多度与环境因子的关系。【结果】2019年从西双版纳共采集蝴蝶2 226头,隶属于11科98属175种,在西双版纳州级尺度上蝴蝶物种丰富度高于县域尺度。在西双版纳州级尺度上,蝴蝶的物种丰富度和多度在5种生境间存在显著差异,而在县域尺度上,物种丰富度、多度和Chao 1物种丰富度估计值没有一致性规律。群落结构相似性结果显示,在西双版纳州级尺度上,蝴蝶群落结构在不同生境类型间存在极显著差异,在县域尺度上,仅勐腊区域蝴蝶群落结构在不同生境类型间存在显著差异。蝴蝶物种丰富度和多度不仅受到生境类型的影响,还受到温度、年均降水和海拔的影响。【结论】本研究结果表明,在区域变动尺度上,生境类型对西双版纳蝴蝶的多样性的影响较大,而温度、年均降水和海拔是维持蝴蝶物种多样性的重要因素。这些发现对当前人类导致的生境丧失和气候变化时代生物多样性的保护具有重要意义。     

What can sown wildflower strips contribute to butterfly conservation?: an example from a Swiss lowland agricultural landscape

The objective of this study was to compare butterfly abundances and diversity between wildflower strips and extensively used meadows to identify which butterfly species can be supported by establishing wildflower strips. Butterflies were recorded along transects during one season in twenty-five sown wildflower strips and eleven extensively used meadows in a Swiss lowland agricultural landscape (600 ha). In total 1,669 butterflies of 25 species were observed (25 in the strips, 18 in meadows). This can be related to 38 species recorded in the region (lowland part of Kanton Fribourg) within the Swiss Biodiversity Monitoring Programme. In wildflower strips the number of butterflies per transect meter was significantly higher than in the meadows, but there was no significant difference in species richness. Butterfly communities, though, were quite different between the two habitat types. Habitat type, abundances of flowering plants and presence of forest within 50 m were identified as factors influencing butterfly species richness. Butterfly abundances were affected by habitat type and abundance of flowering plants. In wildflower strips, 65% of all flower visits by butterflies were observed on Origanum. It can be concluded that sown wildflower strips can support a substantial part of a regions species pool. This is mostly true for common species, but can apply to rare species when, for example, larval food plant requirements are met.     

新疆吉木萨尔县蝴蝶群落多样性

蝴蝶作为指示生物, 被广泛地应用于生物多样性监测及环境质量评估。探究新疆吉木萨尔县蝴蝶群落多样性, 可为当地蝴蝶多样性的保护及环境监测提供基础数据。本研究采用样线法在新疆吉木萨尔县选取山前荒漠、农田、山地草原、山地森林、亚高山草甸5种不同的生境类型, 对蝴蝶种类和群落多样性进行调查。共记录蝴蝶4,401号, 隶属于7科26属38种。其中蛱蝶科有9属12种, 为优势科; 粉蝶科的个体数最多, 占比55.01%; 绢蝶科、凤蝶科和弄蝶科的种类数和个体数最少, 均为单科种, 是该地区的稀有类群。对不同生境蝴蝶群落多样性和相似度分析比较的结果显示: 5种生境中多样性指数从高到低依次为亚高山草甸、山地森林、山地草原、农田及山前荒漠, 其中山地森林和亚高山草甸的相似性系数较高, 达到0.77, 山前荒漠和山地草原的相似性系数最低, 为0.37。蝴蝶物种数及多样性指数随海拔的增加呈上升趋势。蝴蝶群落随月份发生变化, 蝴蝶种类和数量在5月发生、7月达到峰值。蝶类个体数在3年内呈下降趋势。研究结果表明, 蝴蝶物种的组成和多样性与生境类型具有密切联系, 保护生态环境, 维持该地区植物群落的多样性、降低人为干扰程度是保护蝶类多样性的关键。     

Phenotypic differentiation within a foundation grass species correlates with species richness in a subalpine community

The effects of species loss on ecosystems depend on the community’s functional diversity (FD). However, how FD responds to environmental changes is poorly understood. This applies particularly to higher trophic levels, which regulate many ecosystem processes and are strongly affected by human-induced environmental changes. We analyzed how functional richness (FRic), evenness (FEve), and divergence (FDiv) of important generalist predators—epigeic spiders—are affected by changes in woody plant species richness, plant phylogenetic diversity, and stand age in highly diverse subtropical forests in China. FEve and FDiv of spiders increased with plant richness and stand age. FRic remained on a constant level despite decreasing spider species richness with increasing plant species richness. Plant phylogenetic diversity had no consistent effect on spider FD. The results contrast with the negative effect of diversity on spider species richness and suggest that functional redundancy among spiders decreased with increasing plant richness through non-random species loss. Moreover, increasing functional dissimilarity within spider assemblages with increasing plant richness indicates that the abundance distribution of predators in functional trait space affects ecological functions independent of predator species richness or the available trait space. While plant diversity is generally hypothesized to positively affect predators, our results only support this hypothesis for FD—and here particularly for trait distributions within the overall functional trait space—and not for patterns in species richness. Understanding the way predator assemblages affect ecosystem functions in such highly diverse, natural ecosystems thus requires explicit consideration of FD and its relationship with species richness.     

松嫩平原不同生境蝴蝶群落多样性及其保护建议

随着气候变化加剧和人类活动影响，生物多样性变化及其保护逐渐受到广泛关注。蝴蝶作为开花植物的传粉媒介和生态环境监测及评价的关键指示者，其多样性变化能够在一定程度上反映生境状况，因此，有必要清晰认识不同生境中的蝴蝶多样性变化。为明确松嫩平原蝴蝶资源和不同生境的群落多样性差异，采用样线法于2016年5月-2018年8月对松嫩平原的割草草地、湿地、农田、放牧利用草地及恢复草地共五种生境类型进行调查研究。结果发现，调查共记录蝴蝶5108头，隶属于6科21属26种，其中牧女珍眼蝶（Coenonympha amaryllis）和红珠灰蝶（Plebejus argyrognomon）为优势种类，分别占蝴蝶个体总数的25.61%和31.66%，且在五种生境类型中均有分布。不同生境类型中，蝴蝶群落的物种丰富度指数和均匀度指数无明显差异，而恢复草地生境的蝴蝶群落Shannon-Wiener多样性指数较高，优势度指数较低。农田生境中的蝴蝶个体数量较少，且群落组成与其他四种生境之间均具有显著差异。五种生境类型中的蝴蝶数量和多样性均呈现一定的月动态和年动态变化趋势。除湿地和农田外，其余三种生境中蝴蝶物种和个体数量从5月到8月均持续升高。四种生境的蝴蝶物种数量、个体数量（除农田外）在2018年均出现明显下降趋势。物种丰富度指数等指标的月动态和年动态在不同生境类型间存在较大差异。这些结果表明，生境类型和人类活动与蝴蝶多样性变化关系密切，表现为单一生境中蝴蝶多样性较低，复杂生境有利于保护蝴蝶多样性。本研究有助于厘清松嫩平原蝴蝶资源的基础数据，并为该地区蝴蝶多样性保护和利用及评估该区域生态环境提供一定理论支撑。     

宁夏贺兰山自然保护区蝴蝶群落多样性及其环境影响因子

宁夏贺兰山自然保护区蝴蝶群落多样性及其与环境因素的关系,2017年5-9月采用样线法对贺兰山东麓6类生境和不同干扰类型10条样线的蝴蝶群落结构及其多样性季节动态进行调查。共记录蝴蝶5科36属45种,蛱蝶科Nymphalidae的属和物种数最多,为17属19种;凤蝶科Papilionidae最少,仅1属1种。菜粉蝶Pieris rapae、云粉蝶Pontia daplidice、斑缘豆粉蝶Colias erate和小檗绢粉蝶Aporia hippia是该地区的优势种,个体数量分别占总个体数的11.76%、11.63%、11.21%和10.17%。不同生境样线优势类群和常见类群不同。蝴蝶的栖息地偏好与寄主植物有关,蝴蝶的生境分布类型可分为生境广布型、湿润平原型、荒漠半荒漠草原型和山地森林型。蝴蝶群落Shannon-Wiener多样性和丰富度指数以灰榆疏林草地生境最高,优势度最低。各物种在生境内的季节变化趋势与不同生境植被生长季节相关,高峰期为7-8月。不同调查时间蝴蝶的优势种和常见种不同。物种数以7月份调查最多,有33种,占全年调查总物种数的73.33%;5月份调查最少,有20种。蝴蝶群落Shannon-Wiener多样性和丰富度指数以8月份最大,5月份最小。蝴蝶成虫发生类型分为全年发生型、春季型、夏季型和夏秋季型。不同生境和季节发生的优势种可以作为对生境状况进行评估的指示类群。采用CCA分析物种分布与微环境因子的关系,海拔对蝴蝶物种多样性分布格局有显著影响。蝴蝶丰富度与海拔、温度、风速显著正相关。适度干扰有利于蝶类多样性增加,较强的人为干扰会影响蝶类栖息环境,降低蝶类多样性。因此,生境差异性和干扰与蝴蝶群落的物种多样性密切相关,维持贺兰山垂直植被带的生境异质性和保持适度干扰是保护蝴蝶多样性的关键。     

Butterfly Community Composition Across a Successional Gradient in a Human‐disturbed Afro‐tropical Rain Forest

Knowledge of the recovery of insect communities after forest disturbance in tropical Africa is very limited. Here, fruit‐feeding butterflies in a tropical rain forest at Kibale National Park, Uganda, were used as a model system to uncover how, and how fast, insect communities recover after forest disturbance. We trapped butterflies monthly along a successional gradient for one year. Traps were placed in intact primary forest compartments, heavily logged forest compartments with and without arboricide treatment approximately 43 years ago, and in conifer‐clearcut compartments, ranging from 9 to 19 years of age. The species richness, total abundance, diversity, dominance, and similarity of the community composition of butterflies in the eight compartments were compared with uni‐ and multivariate statistics. A total of 16,728 individuals representing 88 species were trapped during the study. Butterfly species richness, abundance, and diversity did not show an increasing trend along the successional gradient but species richness and abundance peaked at intermediate stages. There was monthly variation in species richness, abundance, diversity and composition. Butterfly community structure differed significantly among the eight successional stages and only a marginal directional change along the successional gradient emerged. The greatest number of indicator species and intact forest interior specialists were found in one of the primary forests. Our results show that forest disturbance has a long‐term impact on the recovery of butterfly species composition, emphasizing the value of intact primary forests for butterfly conservation.     

Extensively managed or abandoned urban green spaces and their habitat potential for butterflies

Urban green spaces are often subject to intensive management and therefore only provide habitat for very few plant and animal species. Many studies have already proven that less intensive management of near-natural grassland habitats can increase species diversity, for example of butterflies. However, there is still a lack of knowledge as to what extent less intensive management of urban green spaces can promote urban butterfly diversity. Therefore, we examined parameters that determine the number of butterfly species in less maintained or even abandoned urban green spaces. We expected butterfly species richness and observation numbers to be affected by different management regimes. Butterfly surveys were carried out on 56 sites in the city of Hannover, Germany, in three consecutive years. The sites were subject to different management regimes. We explored parameters such as area size, the diversity of nectar plant species and habitat diversity for each site. A total of 34 species were recorded, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 17 species per site and year. The extreme drought and heat in 2018 clearly influenced the results of our study and this was reflected in massive decreases of observation numbers for some species. Less intensive management showed preferable effects in comparison to intensive management, but area size and nectar plants were more important factors influencing butterfly species richness and number of observations. Our results suggest that site parameters such as area size, nectar plant species richness or number of habitat types had stronger influences on butterflies than variations of extensive management. We conclude that less intensive urban green space management for good butterfly habitats is not a question of grazing, mowing or temporary abandonment, but instead must aim to increase nectar plant and habitat diversity.     

On the surrogate value of red-listed butterflies for butterflies and grasshoppers: a case study in Grammos site of Natura 2000, Greece

We tested the surrogate value of butterflies, red-listed butterflies and grasshoppers for each other in terms of diversity patterns congruence and complementarity at a site in the NATURA 2000 network. Grammos Mountain is proposed as a new Prime Butterfly Area for Greece: it supports a total of 56 grasshopper species and 112 butterfly species, 24 of which are of European conservation concern (SPEC) and two of Prime Butterflies Area Project. We found a strong congruence in the species richness patterns of SPEC butterflies, butterflies and grasshoppers, because three common ecological factors influenced them: number of flower heads, altitude, and cover of low trees or bushes (Redundancy Analysis, CANOCO). Each complementarity network maintained quite well the species richness of the other two target groups (<18% average species loss). SPEC butterflies were the best surrogate group overall and therefore we propose that they should be monitored on a permanent basis.     

Butterfly species richness and abundance in the Katavi ecosystem of western Tanzania

We sampled butterflies in six different habitat types in and around Katavi National Park, a remote reserve consisting primarily of miombo woodland and seasonal lakes in western Tanzania. Blendon traps set for 531 trap days and 143 h of butterfly netting at 35 sites yielded 186 species from five families over a 4‐month period during the wet season. Eight of these species constituted possible range extensions. Butterfly abundance and species richness were low in cultivated habitats but high in open riverine habitats; many butterfly species were found only in seasonally flooded grassland. This study constitutes the first butterfly species inventory from this poorly‐known national park, shows that protection of dry season water sources provides an important conservation service for invertebrates as well as large mammals, and that increased cultivation outside miombo parks can reduce local butterfly diversity.     

Effects of forest degradation on butterfly communities in the Gwangneung Forest

This study was carried out to clarify the response of butterfly communities on forest degradation in the Gwangneung Forest, Korea. We monitored butterfly communities with varying degrees of human activities by conducting a line transect twice a month in 2011. A total of 70 species and 4676 individuals of butterflies were observed in four sites: natural forest (NR), two plantation forests, and the Korean National Arboretum (AR). The result on niche breadth, habitat breadth and habitat type of butterfly was not consistent with our predictions. Species richness of habitat type was only significantly different between NF and AR. Species diversity was significantly different among sites. Butterfly diversity associated with landscape patterns based on aerial photographs supported a mosaic concept. A forest management plan to conserve butterfly diversity in forests is necessary to maintain various habitats and to ensure that grasslands are protected.     

Discrimination and release of unpalatable butterflies by Nephila clavipes, a neotropical orb-weaving spider

Abstract. 1. Nephila clavipes (L.), a common spider in neotropical forests, discriminates some unpalatable prey and releases them unharmed from its web. Release is not accidental but results from a specific behavioural sequence.
2. Field trials with twenty-seven butterfly species showed that spiders respond consistently to butterfly species and higher taxa. Ithomiinae and some Danainae are almost always released while Heliconiinae, Nymphalinae, Acraeinae, Pieridae and Papilionidae are usually eaten.
3. Paired tests showed that an immediately preceding experience with a different butterfly did not reveal any change in the spider's usual response to a particular butterfly.
4. Warning coloration is not involved in spider response. Spiders rejected the models but ate the mimics of two different butterfly species pairs. Distastefulness is probably signalled by chemical cues.
5. Some unpalatable butterflies stay motionless when entangled and while the spiders release them. Motionlessness in webs seems to be a requisite to allow recognition of their distastefulness without being bitten by the spider.
6. Spiders differ from vertebrates in the prey accepted and in rejection mechanics. Although there is no indication of learning, spiders may select butterflies for distastefulness, chemical signals and motionlessness, at the individual level.     

Grasshopper and butterfly local congruency in grassland remnants

Grasshoppers could be considered as appropriate ecological indicators for grasslands owing to their sensitive response to environmental features. However, if grasshoppers are a good ecological indicator, they must (i) also represent other taxa, and (ii) provide additional information over straight measurement of environmental variables. To assess this, we compared the congruence of species richness patterns of grasshoppers with butterflies and environmental variables in two areas with extensive ecological networks (ENs). ENs are landscape-scale remnants of corridors and nodes of natural habitat running throughout a transformed, usually agricultural, landscape. Species richness of grasshoppers and butterflies did not differ among reference and EN sites, but guild composition differed significantly. While ENs adequately conserved overall diversity of these two groups, they were utilized preferentially by small-sized grasshoppers and shrub and tree-feeding butterflies. Reference sites had significantly more graminivorous and intermediate-mobility grasshopper species, as well as more butterfly species with widespread distribution, herbaceous dicot feeders and those with no recorded association to forest edges. Nevertheless, grasshopper and butterfly species richness’ were highly correlated. These results were similar across geographic areas, despite the fact that the areas differed significantly in their overall richness and species composition. Although there were some specific significant correlations between environmental variables and diversity, none of the variables could adequately replace use of the insect assemblage for bioindication. We conclude that grasshopper species and guild richness are representative of the butterfly assemblage, and provide information which is not sufficiently clear when utilizing only environmental variables.     

Weak functional response to agricultural landscape homogenisation among plants,butterflies and birds

Measures of functional diversity are expected to predict community responses to land use and environmental change because, in contrast to taxonomic diversity, it is based on species traits rather than their identity. Here, we investigated the impact of landscape homogenisation on plants, butterflies and birds in terms of the proportion of arable field cover in southern Finland at local (0.25 km²) and regional (> 10 000 km²) scales using four functional diversity indices: functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence and functional dispersion. No uniform response in functional diversity across taxa or scales was found. However, in all cases where we found a relationship between increasing arable field cover and any index of functional diversity, this relationship was negative. Butterfly functional richness decreased with increasing arable field cover, as did butterfly and bird functional evenness. For butterfly functional evenness, this was only evident in the most homogeneous regions. Butterfly and bird functional dispersion decreased in homogeneous regions regardless of the proportion of arable field cover locally. No effect of landscape heterogeneity on plant functional diversity was found at any spatial scale, but plant species richness decreased locally with increasing arable field cover. Overall, species richness responded more consistently to landscape homogenisation than did the functional diversity indices, with both positive and negative effects across species groups. Functional diversity indices are in theory valuable instruments for assessing effects of land use scenarios on ecosystem functioning. However, the applicability of empirical data requires deeper understanding of which traits reliably capture species’ vulnerability to environmental factors and of the ecological interpretation of the functional diversity indices. Our study provides novel insights into how the functional diversity of communities changes in response to agriculturally derived landscape homogenisation; however, the low explanatory power of the functional diversity indices hampers the ability to reliably anticipate impacts on ecosystem functioning.     

Butterfly responses to environmental factors in fragmented calcareous grasslands

Although there is much research showing a strong negative effect of habitat fragmentation and deterioration on the viability of different insect populations and on species richness, the effect of fragmentation is modified by other local and landscape factors. One of the most substantial gaps in knowledge is whether species are similar in their response to the same environmental factors and if their response mirrors response of the entire community. From the conservation point of view this knowledge is of primary importance in planning conservation actions, yet these studies are rare. In this paper we test the relative effects of habitat patch and landscape characteristics on butterflies inhabiting calcareous grasslands in southern Poland. Butterfly species richness and abundance were positively affected by patch size and wind shelter. In the case of species richness there was also a positive effect of plant species richness. Butterfly diversity was enhanced in wind sheltered patches, and commonness (non-rarity) enhanced by distance to buildings and by shorter vegetation. Multivariate analysis suggested differences in the responses of individual species to the examined environmental variables, with some species more responsive to patch size and shelter and others to sward height. The conservation of butterfly communities requires sensible and complex management to ensure high habitat diversity. The most important challenge for future studies on calcareous grasslands is to formulate a model of management that guarantees high species richness and conservation of each individual species.     

Water–energy balance and the geographic pattern of species richness of western Palearctic butterflies

Abstract. 1. Using two sources of data to estimate butterfly species richness, the potential influences of 11 environmental variables on the richness gradient of butterflies in western/central Europe and northern Africa were examined with multiple regression and spatial autocorrelation analysis. A measure of water–energy balance, actual evapotranspiration, explained 79% of the variance in butterfly species richness using data derived from range maps, and 72% of the variance using data derived from grid‐based distribution maps. All other variables explained less than 4% of the variance in the regression models and differed depending on the data source. 2. The spatial analysis indicated that actual evapotranspiration successfully removed most of the spatial autocorrelation in both richness data sets at all spatial scales, confirming the ability of the model to account for the spatial pattern in butterfly richness. 3. Plant species richness, a rarely tested variable hypothesised to be an important determinant of herbivore diversity, was weakly associated with butterfly richness, suggesting that it has little or no direct influence on butterfly richness. 4. A historical variable, the length of time that areas have been exposed for recolonisation after the retreat of the ice sheet following the last ice age, was also not associated with richness patterns, indicating that butterfly richness is in equilibrium with contemporary climate. 5. It was not possible to confirm a result reported for Canadian butterflies that land cover diversity is a strong predictor of butterfly richness, possibly because of methodological differences in the studies, differences in the range of climates found in Canada and the western Palearctic, or because of the highly modified landscape characteristic of Europe. 6. Water–energy balance offers a parsimonious explanation for the butterfly richness gradient in this region, operating partially indirectly via effects on plant productivity and partially directly via physiological effects on butterflies, and this conclusion is robust to differences in the types of distribution maps used to estimate richness patterns.     

Impact of logging on the richness and diversity of forest butterflies in a tropical dry forest in Thailand

Studies on the impact of logging on tropical forest butterflies have been almost exclusively conducted in moist forest habitats. This study considers the impacts of small-scale logging on butterfly communities at three sites of varying disturbance intensity in a tropical dry forest in western Thailand. Butterfly species richness was similar at all sites, but the abundance of butterflies and diversity of the butterfly community decreased with increased logging disturbance. The recorded decrease in diversity at the relatively large sampling scale used lends further support to the hypothesis that disturbance effects are scale dependent. Species abundance data for butterflies fitted a log-normal distribution at all sites, but also a log-series distribution at the two disturbed sites. These analyses suggest a more complex butterfly community at the undisturbed site, but also that log-series and log-normal distributions may not to be sufficiently sensitive to be useful indicators of community changes following logging. Community ordination separates both the butterfly species and transect samples into three distinct regions corresponding to the three study locations. Ordination axes are correlated with tree density, understorey cover and understorey plant richness. Species with the smallest geographic ranges tend to be the least abundant and occurred most frequently in the undisturbed site. The observed diverging responses to disturbance among butterfly families diminishes the value of butterfly communities as biodiversity indicators, and forest managers should perhaps focus on restricted range species or of groups of recognized sensitive species for this purpose.