Biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems: The case of diurnal butterflies

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Keywords:

butterflies, bioindicator taxon, monitoring, citizen science, population declines, fauna homogenization, global change.

Abstract

Diurnal butterflies are a recognized bioindicator taxon because of their sensitivity to environmental changes, their strategic position in terrestrial ecosystems (as herbivores, pollinators, and prey for many other organisms), and the relative ease with which their populations can be monitored. In Catalonia there is an extensive butterfly monitoring scheme based on citizen science which, since 1994, has provided reliable population trends for a large number of species. Approximately 70% of Catalan butterfly species are declining, the regressions being particularly notable in habitat specialists, leading to a phenomenon of fauna homogenization.

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