Study

Contrasting the distribution of butterflies and termites in plantations and tropical forests

  • Published source details Basset Y., Barrios H., Ramirez J.A., Lopez Y., Coronado J., Perez F., Arizala S., Bobadilla R. & Leponce M. (2017) Contrasting the distribution of butterflies and termites in plantations and tropical forests. Biodiversity and Conservation, 26, 151-176.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Replace non-native species of tree/shrub with native species

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation
  1. Replace non-native species of tree/shrub with native species

    A replicated, site comparison study in 2014 in 15 tropical forest plantations in Colon Province, Panama (Basset et al. 2017) found that established plantations of native trees had a similar abundance and species richness of butterflies to plantations of exotic trees. In plantations of native trees, both the abundance (17 individuals) and species richness (6 species) of butterflies were similar to plantations of non-native trees (abundance: 5–20 individuals; richness: 1–7 species). However, plantations generally had a higher abundance (16 individuals) and species richness (5 species) of butterflies than old growth forest (abundance: 11 individuals; richness: 4 species). Five established (>20 years old) single species plantations (average size 4.3 ha) of each of three tree species were surveyed: Cedro espino Pachira quinata (native), teak Tectona grandis (non-native) and Terminalia ivorensis (non-native). During 2014, butterflies were surveyed in four months (March: wet season; and May, September, November: all dry season). Each month, 10 surveys were conducted along a 100-m trail in each plantation, and three surveys were conducted along ten 500-m trails in old growth forest.

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)

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