preprints.org > biology and life sciences > ecology, evolution, behavior and systematics > doi: 10.20944/preprints202308.0254.v1

Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 2 August 2023 / Approved: 2 August 2023 / Online: 3 August 2023 (08:35:34 CEST)

Landscape configuration and forest structure assume an increasing importance as determinants of animal communities. This paper focused on nocturnal lepidoptera inhabiting alder patches in the Sila National Park, Italy. According to their shape, patches were divided into linear and compact ones to disentangle the role of forest structure and landscape configuration in determining the composition of nocturnal lepidopteran communities at different observation scales. We used the Mann-Whitney test for medians to Shannon diversity, Equitability, Fisher’s alpha, and nestedness to test differences among moth communities. We found that compact patches inhabit richer and more abundant communities. The abundance-based Correspondence Analysis showed moth communities clustered according to woodlot shape, except a compact woodlot having a linear-like moth community because entirely surrounded by grasslands. Percentage of forested area and abundance and composition of communities are positively correlated at 50 and 200 m buffers, while correlations are absent at smaller and larger buffers. Our results demonstrated that a width of 50 m may not be sufficient to give proper functionality to the wooded area, at least for moths. As consequence, planning of forest restorations should consider the importance to increase structural habitat continuity at larger scales.

Lepidoptera; landscape ecology; riparian forest; Alnus glutinosa; natural park; beta-diversity; South Italy

Biology and Life Sciences, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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