Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on butterfly assemblages within undisturbed landscape matrix
Data files
Nov 13, 2025 version files 317.46 KB
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cultivation_bio_vs_conv.csv
221 B
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grazing_density_dung_age_-_without_PRA6.csv
667 B
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grazing_density_dung_age.csv
704 B
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grazing_dung_data_RAW.csv
971 B
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nestedness_matrix_total.csv
1.90 KB
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README.md
12.84 KB
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surrounding_cultivation.csv
596 B
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surrounding_pasture.csv
554 B
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surrounding_seminatural.csv
536 B
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surrounding_total.csv
1.49 KB
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TOTAL_species_inventory_RAW.csv
178.20 KB
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transects_landuse_species_individuals_grazing_flowers_altitude.csv
1.35 KB
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vegetation_layer_per_transect_RAW.csv
463 B
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vegetation_parameter_RAW_2024.csv
107.91 KB
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vegetation_parameters_RAW_final.csv
9.05 KB
Abstract
The global decline of insects in general and pollinators in particular poses a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Butterflies serve as sensitive indicators of environmental changes due to their specific habitat requirements and rapid responses to ecosystem alterations. Available studies are mostly devoted to analyzing the effect of anthropogenic disturbance on abundance and diversity of butterflies within disturbed landscape matrices.
In this study, we investigated how disturbances influenced butterfly populations within an undisturbed landscape matrix usually overlooked in the literature. Eighteen sites were monitored biweekly from May to September over three years (2022–2024) using standardized visual counts along 500 m long transects. Grazing intensity and the surface of human-disturbed lands were used as a measure of disturbance at local and landscape scales. A total of 16,017 individuals and 78 species were recorded. No significant differences in species richness or abundance were observed across the land use types, but analyses showed distinct species compositions between cultivated sites and grasslands. Butterfly community compositions were mainly influenced by structural habitat characteristics rather than land use. Low grazing intensity and the presence of forests in the surroundings positively influenced abundance and species richness of butterflies. Within an undisturbed landscape matrix, cultivations play a different ecological role than in disturbed landscape matrix increasing landscape heterogeneity and butterfly diversity and hosting ecotonal communities. Anyway, disturbed land use types inhabit impoverished butterfly communities compared to semi-natural ones in which the presence of protected species further emphasizes their critical role for conservation.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.1c59zw497
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset contains observational data on pollinator Lepidoptera collected during the project “Monitoraggio dei lepidotteri impollinatori nel Parco Nazionale della Sila” (LEPIPARK). The data were gathered across multiple transects in the Sila National Park, Calabria, South Italy, documenting species occurrences and abundance in different habitats. Eighteen sites were monitored biweekly from May to September over three years (2022–2024) using standardized visual counts along 500 m long transects. The study aims to monitor pollinator diversity and support conservation efforts in the region.
Overview "Transect codes" for all files:
(transect: A fixed 500-meter long sampling path for standardized visual counts of e.g. Lepidoptera. )
| Transect code | Land use | Land management |
|---|---|---|
| SL_BIO_1 | Cultivation | Organic |
| SL_BIO_2 | Cultivation | Organic |
| SL_BIO_3 | Cultivation | Organic |
| SL_CONV_1 | Cultivation | Conventional |
| SL_CONV_2 | Cultivation | Conventional |
| SL_CONV_3 | Cultivation | Conventional |
| SL_PRA_1 | Meadow | Semi-natural |
| SL_PRA_2 | Meadow | Semi-natural |
| SL_PRA_3 | Meadow | Semi-natural |
| SL_PRA_4 | Meadow | Semi-natural |
| SL_PRA_5 | Meadow | Semi-natural |
| SL_PRA_6 | Meadow | Semi-natural |
| SL_PAS_1 | Pasture | Grazing |
| SL_PAS_2 | Pasture | Grazing |
| SL_PAS_3 | Pasture | Grazing |
| SL_PAS_4 | Pasture | Grazing |
| SL_PAS_5 | Pasture | Grazing |
| SL_PAS_6 | Pasture | Grazing |
Files and variables
File: cultivation_bio_vs_conv.csv
Description: Comparison of conventionally and organically managed agricultural fields
Variables
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transect code
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category: type of cultivation: biological (organic) or conventional cultivation
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species: number of species
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individuals: number of indvidualsFile: grazing_density_dung_age.csv
File: grazing_density_dung_age.csv
Description: Comparison/Overview of varying grazing intensities on meadows
Variables
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transect code
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category: grazing densities from low to intermediate to high density categorized by the amount of dung piles on the meadows
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species: number of species
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individuals: number of individuals
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grazing_density_cow: number of counted cow dung piles
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grazing_density_horse: number of counted horse dung piles
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grazing_density_total: total number of counted dung piles
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dung_fresh: number of fresh dung
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dung_dry: number of already dried dung piles
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dung_old: number of old, almost rotten dung
File: grazing_density_dung_age_-_without_PRA6.csv
Description: Comparison/Overview of varying grazing intensities on meadows (without transect Pra6)
Variables
- transect code
- category: grazing densities from low to intermediate to high density categorized by the amount of dung piles on the meadows
- species: number of species
- individuals: number of individuals
- grazing_density_cow: number of counted cow dung piles
- grazing_density_horse: number of counted horse dung piles
- grazing_density_total: total number of counted dung piles
- dung_fresh: number of fresh dung
- dung_dry: number of already dried dung piles
- dung_old: number of old, almost rotten dung
File: transects_landuse_species_individuals_grazing_flowers_altitude.csv
Variables
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transect code
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category: for meadows: grazing densities from low to intermediate to high density categorized by the amount of dung piles on the meadows; for cultivation: type of cultivation: biological (organic) or conventional cultivation
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landuse: The investigated plots cover different land-use categories: conventional and organic cultivations, semi-natural grasslands, and meadows under intensive and extensive management
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landuse_supra: classified sites into major land-use types: cultivated land, semi-natural habitats, and different managed meadows.
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altitude: Elevation of the sampling site above sea level, measured in meters.
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species: number of species
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individuals: number of indviduals
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flower_dens: average flowering vegetation coverage in %-categories: 1: > 10%; 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: > 50%
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flower_height: average flowering vegetation height in cm
File: surrounding_cultivation.csv
Description: Categorized surrounding landscape of the transects of the cultivations within a 1 km radius.
Variables
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transect_code
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species: number of species
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individuals: number of individuals
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seminatural: area of seminatural land in m² within the surveyed plot.
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pasture: grazing land area in m² within the surveyed plot.
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forest: area covered by forest in m² within the surveyed plot.
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waterbody: area of standing or flowing water in m² within the surveyed plot.
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cultivation: Area of agricultural cultivated land m² within the surveyed plot.
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orchard: area of orchards in m² within the surveyed plot.
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urban: area occupied by buildings, roads, and other urban infrastructure in m² within the surveyed plot.
File: surrounding_pasture.csv
Description: Categorized surrounding landscape of pasture transects within a 1 km radius.
Variables
- transect_code
- species: number of species
- individuals: number of individuals
- seminatural: area of seminatural land in m² within the surveyed plot.
- pasture: grazing land area in m² within the surveyed plot.
- forest: area covered by forest in m² within the surveyed plot.
- waterbody: area of standing or flowing water in m² within the surveyed plot.
- cultivation: Area of agricultural cultivated land m² within the surveyed plot.
- orchard: area of orchards in m² within the surveyed plot.
- urban: area occupied by buildings, roads, and other urban infrastructure in m² within the surveyed plot.
File: surrounding_seminatural.csv
Description: Categorized surrounding landscape of seminatural transects within a 1 km radius.
Variables
- transect_code
- species: number of species
- individuals: number of individuals
- seminatural: area of seminatural land in m² within the surveyed plot.
- pasture: grazing land area in m² within the surveyed plot.
- forest: area covered by forest in m² within the surveyed plot.
- waterbody: area of standing or flowing water in m² within the surveyed plot.
- cultivation: Area of agricultural cultivated land m² within the surveyed plot.
- orchard: area of orchards in m² within the surveyed plot.
- urban: area occupied by buildings, roads, and other urban infrastructure in m² within the surveyed plot.
File: surrounding_total.csv
Description: Categorized surrounding landscape of all transects within a 1 km radius.
Variables
- transect_code
- species: number of species
- individuals: number of individuals
- seminatural: area of seminatural land in m² within the surveyed plot.
- pasture: grazing land area in m² within the surveyed plot.
- forest: area covered by forest in m² within the surveyed plot.
- waterbody: area of standing or flowing water in m² within the surveyed plot.
- cultivation: Area of agricultural cultivated land m² within the surveyed plot.
- orchard: area of orchards in m² within the surveyed plot.
- urban: area occupied by buildings, roads, and other urban infrastructure in m² within the surveyed plot.
File: TOTAL_species_inventory_RAW.csv
Description: RAW Data of the total Species inventory of the project of all years. The columns show the number of individuals of each species recorded.
Variables
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Species: Name of the species
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Transect_code:
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SL_Conv1_sez01: Convetional cultivated Transect 1 - Section 1
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SL_Conv1_sez02: Convetional cultivated Transect 1 - Section 1
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...
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SL_Bio1_sez01: Biological cultivated Transect 1 - Section 1
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SL_Bio1_sez02...
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...
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SL_Pra1_sez01: Seminatural Transect 1 - Section 1
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...
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SL_Pas1_sez01: Pasture Transect 1 - Section 1
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...
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species_number: Number of species
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individuals_number: number of individuals
File: grazing_dung_data_RAW.csv
Description: RAW Data of grazing density by numbers of counted dung piles of COWs (left side) and HORSEs (right side) categorized by their consistence on the respective dates
Variables
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Transect_code
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fresh: number of fresh dung
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dry: number of already dried dung piles
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old: number of old, almost rotten dung
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TOTAL: total number of dung piles
File: vegetation_layer_per_transect_RAW.csv
Description: Vegetation layers directly along the transect (in meters), categorized into herbs, trees, shrubs, and agricultural vegetation. These layers were detected and measured using aerial imagery.
Variables
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transect_code
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herbs_in_m: Length (in meters) of herbaceous vegetation along the transect.
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shrubs_in_m: Length (in meters) of shrub vegetation along the transect.
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trees_in_m: Length (in meters) of tree cover along the transect.
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acgriculture_in_m: Length (in meters) of agricultural land along the transect.
File: vegetation_parameter_RAW_2024.csv
Description: RAW data of the vegetation and environmental conditions, including the corresponding date, of the monitoring year 2024.
Notes on table structure: Each row in the table represents vegetation parameter measurements along transects of 10 sections × 50 m. Rows with empty cells in the first column indicate data collected from individual sections within a single transect. This structure applies to the following parameters:
- height__vegetation(cm)
- height__flowers(cm)
- flower_coverage(%)
- shrubs_coverage(%)
- trees_coverage(%)
Variables
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Parameter: vegetation parameters and environmental conditions
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transect_code
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Date: recording date
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clouds (%): cloud coverage in %
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Temperature (°C): temperature in °C
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Wind (direction): Wind direction
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Wind (intensity): Wind intensity in categories: 0: no wind; 1: light air; 2: light breeze; 3: gentle breeze; 4: moderate breeze; 5: fresh breeze.
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height_ vegetation(cm): vegetation height in cm
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height_ flowers(cm): flowering vegetation height in cm
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flower_coverage(%): flowering herbal vegetation coverage in %-categories: 1: > 10%; 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: > 50%
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shrubs_coverage(%): coverage of flowering shrubs on the transect in %-categories: 1: > 10%; 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: > 50%
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tree_coverage(%): coverage of flowering trees on the transect in %-categories: 1: > 10%; 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: > 50%
File: vegetation_parameters_RAW_final.csv
Description: RAW data of the vegetation parameters flowering vegetation height (in cm) and the flower coverage (in % categories) of all monitoring years (2022, 2023, 2024). The data are divided by the individual years, including the corresponding date and a calculated average value.
Variables
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Year: Monitoring year
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transect_code
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date: recording date
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flower_cover(%): flowering herbal vegetation coverage in %-categories: 1: > 10%; 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: > 50%
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HEIGHT_in_cm: flowering vegetation height in cm
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TOT.AVERAGE: Average values of the regarding year
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all_year_average: average values of all years
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2023+2024: average values of all years
File: nestedness_matrix_total.csv
Description: Matrix of species occurrences across sites used for the nestedness analysis. Each cell indicates the presence or absence of a given species at the specific landuse type
Variables
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landuse: the transects categorized into the three landuse types: cultivation, seminatural and pasture
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species names: names of the species
Code/software
The data files are provided in CSV format , Raw data as XLS and can be opened with any standard spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or Google Sheets. For more advanced analysis, open-source programming languages such as R (version 4.2.0 or later) or Python (version 3.8 or later) can be used.
R: package stats, vegan, indicspecies
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
No other public repositories host this dataset besides Dryad.
Data was derived from the following sources:
The data were collected directly during the project; no external data sources were used.