[en] Focal species are a valuable tool for proposing and evaluating management practices for biodiversity conservation. Assemblages of indicator species could be used to cover a wide range of habitats. We identified the main patterns of variation in butterfly assemblages on a diverse set of wet meadows in southern Belgium. We used multivariate techniques to identify the butterfly assemblages and the species that characterize these habitats. Three main assemblages were identified, based principally on the dominance of five butterfly species : Brenthis ino, Closiana selene, Lycaena helle, Lycaena hippothoe and Proclossiana eunomia. These are indicator species of different habitats structured along a vegetation gradient. This gradient is partially determined by altitude and edaphic factors (base-richness, pH, fertility). We assume that focusing the conservation practices upon these species will promote the preservation of a wide range of organisms inhabiting the wet meadows.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Sawchik, Javier; Unité d'Écologie et de Biogéographie, Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité, Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 5, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, Sección Ecología Terrestre, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Dufrêne, Marc ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Forêts, Nature et Paysage > Biodiversité et Paysage
Lebrun, Philippe
Language :
English
Title :
Distribution patterns and indicator species of butterfly assemblages of wet meadows in southern Belgium
Publication date :
2005
Journal title :
Belgian Journal of Zoology
ISSN :
0777-6276
eISSN :
2295-0451
Publisher :
Royal Belgian Zoological Society, Bruxelles, Belgium
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