Abstract
Semi-natural habitats are currently one of the most important environments for many taxa. The main aim of this study was to discover how diurnal butterflies (Lepidoptera) and flower-visiting beetles (Coleoptera) respond to the environment of traditional fruit orchards. In total, 25 orchards were studied in the rural-agricultural landscape in the Czech Republic. Both study taxa were sampled using timed survey walks in 2010. Seven variables in two environmental categories (patch and geography) were evaluated with respect to the species richness of the studied taxa using partial regression, hierarchical partitioning and generalized linear modeling of the best selected variables. Butterflies were highly influenced at a patch level. An increased number of flowering plants, as a reflection of nectar sources for adults, significantly explained a high level of variability, both alone and via interaction with other studied variables. Beetles were influenced by patch and geography to the same degree, although altitude (as a reflection of geographical heterogeneity) significantly negatively explained the highest level of variability. The results indicate that diurnal butterflies and flower-visiting beetles as insect taxa with similar habitat requirements respond differently in heterogeneous environments of traditional fruit orchards. They also indicate the need for multi-taxa studies, even in marginal ecosystems of recent landscapes.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the Internal Grant Agency (IGA No. A10/14), Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. Mr. Besitzer corrected the English and an anonymous referee helped to improve this paper.
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Horak, J. Insect taxa with similar habitat requirements may differ in response to the environment in heterogeneous patches of traditional fruit orchards. J Insect Conserv 18, 637–642 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-014-9667-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-014-9667-z