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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Simple Summary

To form a better understanding and benefit future conservation of the apollo and swallowtail butterflies in the Hengduan Mountains in China, the present research projected the 59 Papilionidae species’ spatial richness using the Maxent model and predicted the response to climate change. The spatial pattern of apollos concentrated in the subalpine to alpine areas in western Sichuan, northwestern Yunnan, and eastern Tibet, while that of swallowtails is more confined to the tropical and subtropical valleys of western Yunnan and western Sichuan. Both subfamilies would exhibit northward and upward range shifts with climate change but many apollos would experience drastic habitat contraction, resulting in lower species richness, while most swallowtails would experience habitat expansion, and the species richness would increase. Species with habitat contraction, narrow-ranged distribution and endemicity require more conservation measures in the future.

Abstract

The family of Papilionidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) is a group of butterflies with high ecological and conservation value. The Hengduan Mountains (HMDs) in Southwest China is an important diversity centre for these butterflies. However, the spatial distribution pattern and the climate vulnerability of Papilionidae butterflies in the HDMs remain unknown to date. The lack of such knowledge has already become an obstacle in formulating effective butterfly conservation strategies. The present research compiled a 59-species dataset with 1938 occurrence points. The Maxent model was applied to analyse the spatial pattern of species richness in subfamilies Parnassiinae and Papilioninae, as well as to predict the response under the influence of climate change. The spatial pattern of both subfamilies in the HDMs has obvious elevation prevalence, with Parnassiinae concentrated in the subalpine to alpine areas (2500–5500 m) in western Sichuan, northwestern Yunnan and eastern Tibet, while Papilioninae is concentrated in the low- to medium-elevation areas (1500–3500 m) in the river valleys of western Yunnan and western Sichuan. Under the influence of climate change, both subfamilies would exhibit northward and upward range shifts. The majority of Parnassiinae species would experience drastic habitat contraction, resulting in lower species richness across the HDMs. In contrast, most Papilioninae species would experience habitat expansion, and the species richness would also increase significantly. The findings of this research should provide new insights and a clue for butterfly diversity and climatic vulnerability in southwestern China. Future conservation efforts should be focused on species with habitat contraction, narrow-ranged distribution and endemicity with both in situ and ex situ measures, especially in protected areas. Commercialised collecting targeting these species must also be regulated by future legislation.

Details

Title
Species Richness of Papilionidae Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in the Hengduan Mountains and Its Future Shifts under Climate Change
Author
Xin-Tong, Yu 1 ; Fei-Ling, Yang 1 ; Wa Da 2 ; Yu-Chun, Li 3 ; Hong-Mei, Xi 3 ; Cotton, Adam M 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Hui-Hong, Zhang 5 ; Duan, Kuang 5 ; Zhen-Bang, Xu 5 ; Zhi-Xian Gong 3 ; Wen-Ling, Wang 1 ; Shao-Ji, Hu 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China; Asian International River Center, Kunming 650500, China 
 Tibet Plateau Institute of Biology, Lhasa 850008, China 
 Yulong Xueshan Provincial Nature Reserve, Yulong, Lijiang 674100, China 
 86/2 Moo 5, Tambon Nong Kwai, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai 50230, Thailand 
 School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China 
First page
259
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20754450
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2791651938
Copyright
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.