The impact of military activities on preserving butterfly diversity in the central Slovenian military area – Poček

Authors

  • Tatjana Čelik
  • Rudi Verovnik

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14720/abs.63.2.15937

Keywords:

Lepidoptera, butterflies, transect monitoring, species richness, species composition

Abstract

In 2007 and 2019, a quantitative inventory of the butterfly fauna was conducted in the central part of the Poček military training area, with the aim of comparing the fauna from both periods and evaluating the impact of military activities on the butterfly diversity. Using a standardized linear transect method and covering all habitat types represented in the military area, a total of 73 species were observed in both years (2007: 62,2019: 61), including 11 threatened species (2007: 9, 2019: 8). The fauna of both sampling periods differed significantly in composition but not in species diversity, average population density of species on single transects, and in average population density of species in the area. The difference in the faunal composition is the result of species turnover and changes in the size and spatial distribution of the population densities of the species at an individual transects. Among species whose population density decreased in 2019 compared to 2007, those with the highest densities in forest vegetation types in 2007 prevailed. On the other hand, the predominantly grassland species became more abundant in 2019. This means that regular, but temporally and spatially uneven military activities, represent heterogeneous disturbances that maintain an extremely diverse mosaic of habitat types, in which large scale extensively maintained dry calcareous grasslands and dry grasslands in the early stages of succession have the greatest conservation value. Military activities thus make an important contribution to the conservation of the biodiversity and landscape diversity of the area.

References

Asiss, D.S., Santos, I.A.D., Ramos, F.N., Barrios-Rojas, K.E., Majer, J.D., Vilela, E.F., 2018. Agri- cultural matrices affect ground ant assemblage composition inside forest fragments. PLoS ONE, 13(5), e0197697. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0197697

Braü, M., Dolek, M., 2013. Phengaris alcon (Dennis & Schiffermüller 1775). V: Braü M., Bolz R., Kolbeck H., Nunner A., Voith J., Wolf W. (ur.): Tagfalter in Bayern. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, pp. 266–272.

Conell, J.H. 1978. Diversity in tropical forest and coral reef. Science, 24, 1302–1310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.199.4335.1302

Čelik, T., Verovnik, R., Gomboc, S., Lasan, M., 2005. Natura 2000 v Sloveniji: Metulji (Lepidoptera). Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, 288 pp. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3986/9789612545116

Direktiva Sveta 92/43/EGS. Direktiva o ohranjanju naravnih habitatov ter prostoživečih žival- skih in rastlinskih vrst. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLE- G:1992L0043:20070101:SL:PDF

Čarni, A., Marinček, L., Seliškar, A., Zupančič, M., Puncer, I., Marinček, L., Wraber, M., Prešeren, M., Žagar, V., Accetto, M., Tregubov, V., Dakskobler, I., Mršić, N., Jarnjak, M., 2002. Vegetacijska karta gozdnih združb Slovenije (s komentarjem), merilo 1:400.000. Biološki inštitut Jovana Hadžija ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana.

Čelik, T., 2019. Monitoring dnevnih metuljev na osrednjem vadišču slovenske vojske – poligona Poček in Bač. Končno poročilo. Biološki inštitut Jovana Hadžija ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, 23 pp.

Hillebrand, H., Blasius, B., Borer E.T., Chase, J.M., Downing, J.A., Eriksson, B.K., Filstrup, C.T., Harpole, W.S., Hodapp, D., Larsen, S., Lewandowska, A.M., Seabloom, E.W., Van de Waal, D.B., Ryabov, A.B., 2018. Biodiversity change is uncoupled from species richness trends: Consequences for conservation and monitoring. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55, 169–184. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12959

Kitahara, M., Yumoto, M., Kobayashi, T., 2008. Relationship of butterfly diversity with nectar plant species richness in and around the Aokigahara primary woodland of Mount Fuji, central Japan. Biodiversity and Conservation, 17, 2713–2734. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-007-9265-4

Kudrna, O., 1986. Butterflies of Europe. Vol. 8, Aspects of the conservation of butterflies in Europe. Aula Verlag, Wiesbaden, 323 pp.

Loos, J., Dorresteijn, I., Hanspach, J., Fust, P., Rakosy, L., Fischer, J., 2014. Low-intensity agricultural landscapes in Transylvania support high butterfly diversity: Implications for conservation. PLoS ONE, 9(7), e103256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103256

Maes, D., Verovnik, R., Wiemers, M., Brosens, D., Beškov, S., Bonelli, S., Buszko, J., Cantú-Salazar, L., Cassar, L.F., Collins, S., in sod. (69 avtorjev), 2019. Integrating national Red Lists for priori- tising conservation actions for European butterflies. Journal of Insect Conservation, 23, 301–330. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-019-00127-z

Perović, D., Gámez-Virués, S., Börschig, C., Klein, A.M., Krauss, J., Steckel, J., Rothenwöhrer, C., Erasmi, S., Tscharntke, T., Westphal, C., 2015. Configurational landscape heterogeneity shapes functional community composition of grassland butterflies. Journal of Applied Ecology, 52, 505–513. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12394

Polak, S., 1997. Okoljevarstvene ocene za vadbišče Bile – živalstvo. Elaborat. Notranjski muzej Postojna, 21 pp.

Rebeušek, F., 2006. Mravljiščarji Slovenije – razširjenost, ekologija, varstvo. Center za kartografijo favne in flore Slovenije, Miklavž na Dravskem polju, 14 pp.

Settele, J., Shreeve, T., Konvička, M., Van Dyck, H., 2009. Ecology of Butterflies in Europe. Cambridge University Press, 513 pp.

Slancarova, J., Benes, J., Kristynek, M., Kepka, P., Konvicka, M., 2014. Does the surrounding landscape heterogeneity affect the butterflies of insular grassland reserves? A contrast between composition and configuration. Journal of Insect Conservation, 18, 1–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-013-9607-3

Smith, M.A., Turner, M.G., Rusch, D.H., 2002. The effect of military training activity on eastern lupine and the Karner blue butterfly at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, USA. Environmental Management, 29, 102–115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-001-0044-9

Thomas, J.A., 2005. Monitoring change in the abundance and distribution of insects using butterflies and other indicator groups. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 360, 339–357. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1585

Uradni list RS, 82, 2002. Pravilnik o uvrstitvi ogroženih rastlinskih in živalskih vrst v rdeči seznam. Uradni list Republike Slovenije (24. 9. 2002). Uredbe, 82, 8893–8975.

Uradni list RS, 46, 2004. Uredba o zavarovanih prosto živečih živalskih vrstah. Uradni list Republike Slovenije (30.4.2004), 5933–6016.

Van der Merwe, L.J., Pryke, J.S., Samways, M.J., 2019. Well-managed grassland heterogeneity promotes butterfly conservation in a corridor network. Journal of Environmental Management, 238, 382–395. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.03.021

Van Nieukerken, E.J., Kaila, L., Kitching, I.J., Kristensen, N.P., Lees, D.C.,…in sod., 2011. Order Lepidoptera Linnaeus, 1758. V: Zhang Z.-Q. (ed.): Animal biodiversity. An outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness. Zootaxa, 3148: 212–221. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3148.1.39

Van Sway, C.A.M., Warren, M.S., Loïs, G., 2006. Biotope use and trends of European butterflies. Journal of Insect Conservation, 10 (2), 189–209. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-006-6293-4

Van Sway, C.A.M, Van Strien, A.J., 2008. The European butterfly indicator for grassland species 1990- 2007. Report VS2008.022. De Vlinderstichting, Wageningen.

Van Swaay, C.A.M., Cuttelod, A., Collins, S., Maes, D., López Munguira, M., Šašić, M., Settele, J., Verovnik, R., Verstrael, T., Warren, M., Wiemers, M., Wynhof, I., 2010. European Red list of butterfies. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 47 pp.

Van Sway, C.A.M., 2010. The European grassland butterfly indicator. Newsletter No 1 (September 2010), Butterfly Conservation Europe.

Verovnik, R., 2008. Dnevni metulji. V: Tome D. (ur.): Naravovarstveno ovrednotenje izbranih vojaških območij v Sloveniji: primerjalna študija z referenčnimi območji, CRP Znanje za varnost in mir 2006–2010. Nacionalni inštitut za biologijo, Ljubljana, pp. 150–178.

Verovnik, R., 2019. Prenovljeni seznam dnevnih metuljev (Lepidoptera: Papilionidea) Slovenije. Acta Entomologica Slovenica, 27, 5–15.

Verovnik, R., Rebeušek, F., Jež, M., 2012. Atlas dnevnih metuljev (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) Slovenije.

Center za kartografijo favne in flore, Miklavž na Dravskem polju, 456 pp.

Warren, S.D., Büttner, R., 2008. Active military training areas as refugia for disturbance-dependent endangered insects. Journal of Insect Conservation, 12, 671–676. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-007-9109-2

Warren, S.D., Holbrook, S.W., Dale, D.A., Whelan, N.L., Elyn, M., Grimm, W., Jentsch, A., 2007. Biodiversity and the heterogeneous disturbance regime on military training lands. Restoration Ecology, 15, 606–612. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-100X.2007.00272.x

Wiemers, M.W., Balleto, E., Dinca, V., Fric, Z.F., Lamas, G., Lukhtanov, V., Munguira, M.L., van Sway, C.A.M., Vila, R., Vliegenthart, A., Wahlberg, N., Verovnik, R., 2018. An updated checklist of the European Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea). ZooKeys, 811, 9–45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.811.28712

Downloads

Published

01.12.2020

Issue

Section

Original Research Paper

How to Cite

Čelik, T., & Verovnik, R. (2020). The impact of military activities on preserving butterfly diversity in the central Slovenian military area – Poček. Acta Biologica Slovenica, 63(2), 45-63. https://doi.org/10.14720/abs.63.2.15937