Aparicio-Jiménez, Dayneris D.

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Effects of forest cover on the recovery of diurnal butterflies (Lepidoptera Papilionoidea) after an extreme disturbance in subtropical humid forests of Puerto Rico
(2020-05-28) Aparicio-Jiménez, Dayneris D.; Hulshof, Catherine; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Massol-Deyá, Arturo A.; Puente-Rolón, Alberto R.; Department of Biology; Ramírez-Duran, Lillian
Butterflies represent a model taxon in biodiversity and conservation studies; yet few studies have documented changes in butterfly abundance over time in tropical ecosystems, especially in Puerto Rico or the Caribbean where frequent hurricanes (like Hurricane Maria, 2017) likely impact butterfly composition and abundance. The objectives of this study were to: assess the impact of an extreme disturbance on butterfly diversity, abundances, wing characteristics and vegetation cover, humidity, and temperature in two forests differing in structure. Monthly sampling over the course of a year showed no significant relationships between species abundance and canopy openness, temperature or humidity; however, species abundance fluctuated seasonally. In contrast, wing size and color were correlated with changes in environmental conditions, indicating that the hurricane differentially impacted smaller-sized and functionally specialized species. In summary, extreme disturbances impact complex interactions between diurnal butterflies, their abundances, traits, succession, and seasonality.