Climate and plant structure determine the spatiotemporal butterfly distribution in a tropical mountain
Cite this dataset
Beirão, Marina; Neves, Frederico S; Fernandes, G Wilson (2020). Climate and plant structure determine the spatiotemporal butterfly distribution in a tropical mountain [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j0zpc86bz
Abstract
Methods
In Serra do Cipó (Minas Gerais, Brazil), seven elevations were selected as sampling units along the western slope of Serra do Cipó ranging approximately from 800 to 1400 m, and separated by at least 2 km. Three transects (about 500 m apart) with four Van-Someren Rydon (VSR) traps were marked at each elevation to attract fruit-feeding butterflies. At each transect, the four traps were separated by about 50 m, baited with fermented banana with sugar cane juice . The data for each transect per period is a set of four days sampling with four traps. There were eight periods of sampling in two years. The diversity parameters calculated were: i) abundance (number of individuals per elevation), ii) gamma diversity (the accumulation of species richness by elevation – γ diversity), (iii) alpha diversity (average species richness by elevation – α diversity), and (iv) spatial and temporal beta diversity (variation of the species composition - β-diversity, obtained through the formula β = γ / αmean, according to Wittaker, 1972).
The abiotic variables (humidity, precipitation, and temperature) were obtained from meteorological towers (Onset HOBO® U30 data-logger) arranged adjacent to the transects of each sampling elevation. So the butterfly diversity parameters were accumulated per elevation per sampling period.
The vegetation was obtained in the paper of Motta et al. 2018, that were done in the same elevation area. For the vegetation analysis the butterfly diversity parameters were accumulated only per elevation.
Usage notes
The abiotic variables are not complete. The meteorological towers suffered from lightning or burning, so we don't have all the data for all altitudes and sampling period.
Funding
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Award: 441515/ 2016-9
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Award: APQ-02158-10