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A novel butterfly monitoring scheme in Greece

Authors:
Elli Tzirkalli at Open University of Cyprus
Elli Tzirkalli
Hristos T Anastassiu at International Hellenic University, Serres Campus
Hristos T Anastassiu
  • International Hellenic University, Serres Campus
Emmanouel N.
Emmanouel N.
Emmanouel N.
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Christina Kassara at Freelance biologist
Christina Kassara
  • Freelance biologist
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A NOVEL BUTTERFLY MONITORING SCHEME IN GREECE
Elli Tzirkalli1, Hristos T. Anastassiu2, Nikolaos G. Emmanouel3, Nikos Gavalas4, Christina Kassara5, Lazaros Pamperis3,
Kelly Papapavlou3, Olga Tzortzakaki6, Konstantina Zografou1, Vassiliki Kati1
1 Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Patras, Agrinio, Greece. E-mail: eltzirkalli@yahoo.com, ntinazografou@yahoo.co.uk, vkati@upatras.gr
2 Department of Informatics Engineering, Technological Education Institute of Kentriki Makedonia, Serres, Greece. E-mail: hristosa@teiser.gr
3 Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece. E-mail: ceaz2emn@aua.gr, pamperis@otenet.gr, kpapapavlou@ath.forthnet.gr
4 Speed Development Consultants SA, Karaoli & Dimitriou 30, 12461, Chaidari, Athens, Greece. E-mail: nikep.gavalas@gmail.com
5 NCC – Nature Conservation Consultants LTD, Athens, Greece. E-mail: ckassara@n2c.gr
6 Section of Animal Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patra, Greece. E-mail: tzortzakaki@upatras.gr
Butterfly Monitoring Schemes (BMS) have been well developed for more
than two decades in Europe and are widely recognized as efficient tools for
conservation evaluation. Greece has an exceptional butterfly diversity,
hosting more than 235 species, of which one fifth is protected by National
and International Conventions/Laws, and yet no BMS has been
implemented.
Here we present the first national monitoring program of Greece that
targeted the assessment of the conservation status of ten butterfly species
of European conservation concern: Euphydryas aurinia, Lycaena dispar,
Polyommatus eroides, Pseudophilotes bavius (listed in Annex II of the
Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC), Apatura metis, Maculinea arion, Papilio
alexanor, Parnassius apollo, Parnassius mnemosyne and Zerynthia polyxena
(listed in Annex IV).
Butterflies have been recorded on a total of 372 transects of 500 m standard
length and 18 random records, located in their majority (80%) within Natura
2000 sites (45), all over the country (locations of the transects are shown in
the map below). Sampling was contacted once, during March-September
2014. Various environmental parameters (flowerheads abundance, weather
conditions, elevation, vegetation structure etc.), habitats pressures and
threats, species abundance and phenology were also recorded. The data
collected enabled the evaluation of the Natura 200 sites (habitat and
butterflies populations).
Methodology BMS-GREECE
Data analysis-Preliminary Results
We recorded 138 species (11.638 individuals), accounting for 59% of the Greek
butterfly inventory. No significant difference between transects located within
and outside Natura 2000 was revealed, in terms of their mean species richness
and abundance (U test, W = 10417.5, p>0.05).
Our preliminary results (localities from 2014 sampling), combined with Greek
atlas data and expert opinions, concluded that four species merited a
favourable conservation status, one species had a bad conservation status
with declining populations trend and five species have an inadequate status
with declining populations, as presented in the following maps.
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
U1:Inadequate
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
U1:Inadequate
OVERALL
U1:Inadequate
Conclusions
This is the first attempt to develop a butterfly monitoring scheme in
Greece and provide baseline data.
Preliminary results indicate that butterfly diversity is equally high outside
the Natura network, indicating the good conservation status of their
habitats all over the country.
The establishment of a permanent and systematic monitoring scheme that
is more than ever needed to enhance the conservation status assessment
of butterflies in Greece is a necessity.
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
U1:Inadequate
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
FV: Favourable
OVERALL
U1:Inadequate
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
U2:Bad
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
U2:Bad
OVERALL
U2:Bad
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
U1:Inadequate
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
U1:Inadequate
OVERALL
U1:Inadequate
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
FV: Favourable
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
FV: Favourable
OVERALL
FV: Favourable
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
FV: Favourable
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
U1:Inadequate
OVERALL
U1:Inadequate
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
FV: Favourable
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
FV: Favourable
OVERALL
FV: Favourable
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
U1:Inadequate
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
FV: Favourable
OVERALL
U1:Inadequate
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
FV: Favourable
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
FV: Favourable
OVERALL
FV: Favourable
Range
FV: Favourable
Population
FV: Favourable
Habitat
XX:Unknown
Future prospects
FV: Favourable
OVERALL
FV: Favourable
The project is co-funded by European Union
and Greek government
... Through the study, the censuses started from a different transect and in a different direction to avoid order effects. Butterfly visits to flowers within 10 m on either side of the transect were counted, following the method of Pollard & Yates (1993). ...
Impacts of land use change on native plant-butterfly interaction networks from central Mexico
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2023
Background Land use change is a key catalyst of global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Deforestation and conversion of natural habitats to agricultural or urban areas can profoundly disrupt plant-flower visitor interactions by altering their abundances and distribution. Yet, specific studies analyzing the effects of land use change on the structure of networks of the interactions between particular groups of flower visitors and their plants are still scarce. Here, we aimed to analyze how converting native habitats affects the species composition of butterfly communities and their plants, and whether this, in turn, leads to changes in the structure of interaction networks in the modified habitats. Methods We performed bi-monthly censuses for a year to record plant-butterfly interactions and assess species diversity across three habitat types, reflecting a land-use change gradient. From original native juniper forest to urban and agricultural zones in central Mexico, one site per land use type was surveyed. Interactions were summarized in matrices on which we calculated network descriptors: connectance, nestedness and modularity. Results We found highest butterfly diversity in native forest, with the most unique species ( i.e. , species not shared with the other two sites). Agricultural and urban sites had similar diversity, yet the urban site featured more unique species. The plant species richness was highest in the urban site, and the native forest site had the lowest plant species richness, with most of the plants being unique to this site. Butterfly and plant compositions contrasted most between native forest and modified sites. Network analysis showed differences between sites in the mean number of links and interactions. The urban network surpassed agriculture and native forest networks in links, while the native forest network had more interactions than the agriculture and urban networks. Native plants had more interactions than alien species. All networks exhibited low connectance and significant nestedness and modularity, with the urban network featuring the most modules ( i.e. , 10 modules). Conclusions Converting native habitats to urban or agricultural areas reshapes species composition, diversity and interaction network structure for butterfly communities and plants. The urban network showed more links and modules, suggesting intricate urban ecosystems due to diverse species, enhanced resources, and ecological niches encouraging interactions and coexistence. These findings emphasize the impacts of land use change on plant-butterfly interactions and the structure of their interaction networks.
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