The impacts of recurrent fires on diversity of fruit-feeding butterflies in a south-eastern Amazon forest

Author(s)

de Andrade, Rafael B. ; Balch, Jennifer K. ; Carreira, Junia Y. O. ; Brando, Paulo M. ; Freitas, Andre V. L.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY; v. 33, p. 11-pg., 2017-01-01.

Abstract

In the south-eastern Amazon, positive feedbacks between land use and severe weather events are increasing the frequency and intensity of fires, threatening local biodiversity. We sampled fruit-feeding butterflies in experimental plots in a south-eastern Amazon forest: one control plot, one plot burned every 3 y, one plot burned yearly. We also measured environmental parameters (canopy cover, temperature, humidity). Our results show no significant differences in overall species richness between plots (34, 37 and 33 species respectively), although richness was lower in burned plots during the dry season. We found significant differences in community composition and structure between control and burned plots, but not between burned treatments. In the control plot, forest-specialist species represented 64% of total abundance, decreasing to 50% in burned every 3 y and 54% in yearly burned plots. Savanna specialist species were absent in the control plot, but represented respectively 8% and 3% of total abundance in burned plots. The best predictor of the change in spatial community patterns and abundance of forest specialists was canopy cover. Although we found high resilience to forest burning in many species, our study suggests that fire disturbance can still be a threat to forest specialists due to changes in microclimate. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/50225-3 - Natural history, phylogeny and conservation of Neotropical Lepidoptera
• Grantee: André Victor Lucci Freitas
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/19024-7 - Changes in fire regime in southeastern Amazonia and the effects on biodiversity: the impact of recurrent fires on invertebrate communities
• Grantee: Rafael Barreto de Andrade
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 13/00375-4 - Changes in fire regime in Southeastern Amazonia and the effects on biodiversity: The impact of recurrent fires on invertebrate communities.
• Grantee: Rafael Barreto de Andrade
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 12/50260-6 - Structure and evolution of the Amazonian biota and its environment: an integrative approach
• Grantee: Lúcia Garcez Lohmann
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants