0157-B1

Biodiversity Maintenance and Conservation of Butterfly-Plant Association in Some Forests of Bangladesh

M.A. Bashar^[1] and SK.M. Rahman

Abstract

Records are kept of the abundance of wild and semi-wild plants in the Chittagong and Cox's Bazar forests throughout the year. Results presented showed that, out of 85 plant families found to be associated with butterflies, 57 had only 1-2 species per family. The rest showed less than 11 species per family. On the study of family-related abundance of butterflies throughout the year, populations of the families Papilionidae, Pieridae, Dainidae and Nymphalidae had peak butterfly populations in the months of March to June. But the family Satyridae had its high population during the months of November-December and January. The family Hesperiidae and Lycaenidae had a more or less similar population throughout the year.

It was found that the locations Karerhat, Mirersarai and Chunati had similar patterns of butterfly population curves. But Fashiakhali and Eidgaon had different patterns of population abundance. Plant phenology and species richness could be the factors causing such abundance, rather than seasonal variation. The plant-butterfly association was tested at the different locations. Some butterfly families were found to be related to some specific plant families in the forests.

Introduction

Deforestation remains one of the major environmental issues in South Asia, and the biota of the region are more threatened now than ever before (UNEP, 1997). The fastest deforestations are in Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand (FAO, 1993). The rapid deterioration of the forest stocks in Bangladesh caused mainly for shifting agriculture in the conversion of forest vegetation as a result of high population growth (Bashar et.al, 2001; Bashar et.al, 2002). Certain groups of plants are particularly at risk notably of medicinal importance (Hussain 1983). The theme of nature conservation is the global maximization of the plant and animal diversity where the role and significance of plant-animal association is the center focus. This association has got great importance in the maintenance of the wild plant and animal population. Biodiversity of any area is the measurement of the species richness on random basis in that area. Insects are particularly useful in the evaluation of forests for biological resource conservation (Kim, 1993; Samways, 1994). Among the diversity of insects, butterflies are ideal subjects for ecological study in the forests. (Spitzret. et.al 1997; Molina & Palma, 1996; Parmesan, 1996). Monitoring of butterflies has proven useful in the evaluation of terrestrial landscape for biological resource conservation. In the protected areas-management systems, management agencies have expressed an interest in butterflies and their potential use in evaluation and management of natural areas like forests (Ripe and Toborg, 1996).

No survey work has been carried out to study the diversity of butterfly species in Bangladesh in relation to the associated plants. According to Feeny (1976), "If you like to know plants, go to insects and if you like to know insects, go to plants". This is our source to know the butterfly species richness and the associated plants in the forest of Bangladesh.

Materials and Methods

The present work was divided into two sections. A. Study sites and B. Methodology.

Study sites

The site selection was made according to the procedures of Marsh & Geer, 1992; Walpole and Sheldon, 1999. The selected sites are given below.

Karerhat Forest: Karerhat (Longitude: 91°34'0"-91°34'35" and Latitude: 22°55'10"-22°55'30" N.) is a forest area in Mirassharai, Chittagong. It is slightly hilly area, having both natural and plantation forests.

Mirersarai Forest: The area starts at the Dhaka-Chittagong high way at the west side and continues towards upto hill-tracts district at east. The entire area occupies topographically 90°00'00" to 92°02'00" longitude and from 22°07'00" to 22°09'00" latitude. It's a natural hilly forest area distributed with large diversity of wild vegetation.

Chunati Forest: Chunati (Longtitude: 92°4'0" and Latitude: 21°58'0" N.) is a forest area divided into eastern and western part by the Chitagong-Cox's Bazar Highway. The western side is mainly natural forest area in which still some wild elephants (Elephus maximus) are surviving.

Fashiakhali Forest: Fashiakhali (Longitude: 92°4'15"-92°6'26" and Latitude: 21°39'45"-21°40'24" N.) is a natural, reserve forest in Chokoria, Cox's Bazar. Some of the areas are replanted. The Chittagong-Cox's Bazar Highway has divided this zone in to western zone and eastern zone.

Eidagon Forest: This (Longitude: 92°5'0"-92°9'0" and Latitude: 21°32'0"-21°35'0" N.) is a hilly area and with a vast old (about 100 years) natural forest at Eidgaon; continued to Banderban Hill district.

Methodology

Methodology adopted for conducting the present work has been tabulated under six major steps. The steps are stated below.

• The collection of butterfly and survey of butterfly-plant distribution were followed according to Walpole & Sheldon, 1999; Hill et.al., 2001; Simonson, 1998; Stohlgren, 1997.

• Data-recording on 'herbs, shrubs, grasses, vines climbers and trees in the forests' was made according to Simoson et.al., 2001; Wiklund, 1977

• Butterfly and associated plant families with their range of species throughout the year was sampled by N. Ahmed, 1977; Kim, 1993; Samways, 1994; Price, 1991.

• 'Abundance of butterflies throughout the year analyzed as per families was made according to Marsh & Geer, 1992; Roberts, 2001; Fres, 1975.

• Station-wise abundance of butterfly populations through out the year was studied by flowing Stohlgren, 1995; Pollard & Yates, 1993.

• Analyses of plant-butterfly association and interactions were made according to Suzuki, 1987; Price et.al., 1991.

Results and Discussion

The "Environmental biology and Biodiversity Lab" of the Dhaka University has a programme on 'Bioresource Conservation and Management' to carry out in the forest ecosystems. The present work deals with 'Butterfly-Plant association' and its role in the forest biodiversity conservation. Selected forest areas are located along the eastern side of Bangladesh (Figure -1: A,B,C). From Chittagong forest zone five sites have been identified for the study (Figure 1: C). We have made a survey on the plants associated with butterflies in the stations. Table 1 and Figure 2 present the picture of the types of plants and the wilderness of species.

Table -1. Categorization as Herbs, Shrubs, Grasses, Vines and Trees are found flowering during the sampling period in the forests.

Figure -1. Bangladesh with different forest areas and forests

A. Bangladesh with Chittagong and Sylhet forest areas.

B. Sylhet forest area with experimental stations

C. Chittagong forest area with experimental stations

D. Forest area with little human intervention

E. Forest area with heavy human intervention

Total 85 plant families are found associated with butterflies in the field. Herbs, shrubs and trees were in more than 20 families; and vines and grasses were in less than 10 families in each. In total 249 species were identified belonging to the 85 families. The plant species were categorized into three forms. Totally wild species - that are not found generally in the cultivated areas. Planted species - that are forest-plants (mainly trees) have been planted by forest departments. Mixed species - that are found both as wild in the forest and in cultivated areas. Of them, more than 70 species for herbs, shrubs and trees in each category were recorded. But for the vines and grasses less than 20 species were found interacting with the butterflies (Table-1). In the species range, it was found that about 55 families (out of 85) were with only 1-2 species per family. 8 families were with 3-4 species and 11 with 5-6 species. Very few families were with more than 11 species. Very often we find that there is positive correlation between plant species richness and butterfly diversity. However, variance in relations between butterfly richness and the various components of plant species richness could also prove informative. Phenological stages and the plant resource presence is an essential factor for this assemblage of the butterfly population (Simonson et.al. 2001; Suzuki et.al. 1987.).

We recorded 3566 individuals of 167 species and 208 varieties of butterflies from July 1999 to June 2000. The individuals which were only found interacting with the available plants (Table of Figure-2) were recorded. The varieties recorded may increase the number of species (Table-2). The butterflies of seven different families were common in the stations with variations. Figure-3 presents the abundance of butterflies in the stations throughout the year. In the months of November and December butterflies of all the families were abundant in the forests. But, butterflies of the families Papilionidae, Pieridae, Danaidae and Nymphalidae were found more abundant during the months from March - May of the year. This curve differs for the families Satyridae, Hesperiidae and Lycaenidae. More peculiar abundance was noticed for the Satyridae family. From May to December, the members of this family were densely abundant in all the stations. From July to October all other family members were thinly abundant. Disturbed areas may be the only areas in forested landscapes with sufficient light intensities for butterfly thermoregulation, a pattern that has been observed in other regions of the world (Spoyzer et.al. 1997). But in our context, in terms of species/individual richness, there are reasons why butterflies have been successful in abundance. The chemical range, food plants and the variety of plant microhabitats, such as leaves, stems, roots, galls, seeds, and fruit, that can be exploited for the other purposes such as defense against predation and parasitism are a driving force in butterfly abundance.

Table-2. Behavioural Status of association of the butterflies with their respective plants in the forests

Ar-Aristolochiaceae; Fu-Fumariaceae; Sc-Scrophulariaceae; Ru-Rutaceae; An-Annonaceae; La-Lauraceae; Um-Umbelliferae; Ana-Anacardiaceae; Ro-Rosaceae; Br-Brassicaceae; Sa-Santalaceae; Ma-Magnoliaceae; Ca⁺-Capparidaceae; Lo-Loranthaceae; Co-Compositae; Le-Leguminosae; Rh-Rhamnaceae; Zy-Zygophyllaceae; Er-Ericaceae; Mo⁺-Moraceae; Fl-Flacourtiaceae; Eu-Euphorbiaceae; Ac-Acanthaceae; Pl-Plantaginaceae; Ur-Urticaceae; Mal-Malvaceae; Ol-Oleaceae; St-Sterculaceae; Pa-Palmaceae; As-Asclepiadaceae; Po,-Poaceae; Di-Dipterocarpaceae; Ge-Geraniaceae; Pr-Primulaceae; Pol-Polygonaceae; Am-Amaranthaceae; Pap⁺-Papilionaceae; Faga⁺-Fagaceae; My-Myrtaceae; Com⁺-Combretaceae; Me-Meliaceae; Sa-Sabiaceae; Fa-Fabaceae; Ve⁺-Verbanaceae; Lor-Loraceae; Mu-Musaceae; Zi-Zingiberaceae; Li-Liliaceae; Cy-Cyperaceae; La-Labiatae; Cu-Cucurbitaceae;

I=Larval food plant; II=Egg-laying; III=Pupal attachment & adult host plant; IV=Adult foraging & adult food; V=Predator protection and camouflage; VI=Fermenting fruits & human droppings; VII=Adult resting & mating; VIII=Adult colony; IX=Pre-ovipositional searching.

Figure 2. Plant families with range of species are found associated with the butterflies in the forest during sampling.

Figure - 3. Family-wise abundance of butterflies throughout the year (1999-2000) in the forests.

Patterns of butterfly species occurrence were analyzed to identify area of high butterfly diversity and availability in the stations. Difference in butterfly richness by vegetation type and phenological stages were explored by our regular sampling. The relative abundance was calculated on month wise data. In Karerhat, Mirersarai and Chunati the butterfly record was high in the months of April to May; and low during August to October (Figure-4). These stations have the similar type of vegetation. In Fshikhali the distribution of butterfly was more or less equal all over the year. In Eidgaon, the butterfly population was fluctuating before the month of June, but it was more abundant in July-December. The vegetation availability was also different in the two even near by stations. The availability and dominance of flowering wild plants are found to influence on the butterfly number richness. Composition of herbaceous plant species in an ecosystem may bring an importance on butterfly species richness; and vegetation types can contribute disproportionately high numbers of butterfly species compared to dominant vegetation type of the single species of plant (Hill et.al. 2001; Simonson et.al. 2001). Woody plant species richness may not good predictor for butterfly species richness (Simonson et.al. 2001). In the present investigation it is found harmonious. In Fashiakhali and Eidgaon the herbaecous plant species were more in flowering conditions in comparison to Karerhat, Mirersarai and Chunati. In the three stations human involvement on the plant species was more (Bashar et.al. 2002).

Figure - 4. Station-wise abundance of butterflies in the forests throughout the year (1999-2000).

Table 2, plates 1 & 2 present the interaction and style of association between available plants and butterflies. Some butterfly families are related with some specific plant families in different interacting criteria. The interacting criteria was divided into nine major points like I; II; III; IV; V; VI; VII; VIII and IX (Table-2). The family Papilionidae associated with 10 plant families; Pieridae with 10; Nymphalidae with 12; Danaidae with 6; Satyridae with 3; Lycaenidae with 16 and Hesperiidae with 20 plant families. It is evident from the table-2 that butterflies are indicator and most mobile insects in the forest to determine the plant-species richness. The different butterfly families are found in different food and feeding association with the plant species. But the Nymphalids are associated with fruits and feeding on even human droppings (Hill et.al. 2001). Butterflies have evidential capabilities to recognize the plant source of food (Simonson et.al. 2001). Not only that butterflies are considered for their potential mobility in the adult stage, but for the gene-flow of plant population by acting as best pollinators. For the reason, it is important to note that each of the vegetation type can make unique contribution to the measured butterfly diversity, and the butterflies for the plant diversity (Strohlgren & Bachand, 1997; Suzuki et.al. 1987; Fiegri & Vander, 1996).

Plate -1. Foraging and visiting behavior of different families on related plants.

A= Chilasa clytia (Papilionidae) on Lantana camara (Verbenaceae);

B= Delias descombesi (Pieridae) on Kalanchoe sp. (Crasulaceae);

C= Danaus plexippus (Danaidae) on Zizyphus oenoplea (Rhamnaceae);

D= Zemeros flegyas (Nymphalidae) on Amaranthus indica (Amaranthaceae);

E= Mycalesis sp. (Satyridae) on Lantana sp. (Verbenaceae);

F= Celaenorrhinus sp. (Hesperiidae) on Costus specious (Costaceae);

G= Deudorix sp. (Lycaenidae) on Curcuma sp. (Zingiberaceae).

Plate - 2. Mating and copulation in different families on related plants.

A= Papilio demoleus (Papilionidae) on Papilionaceae;

B= Terias hecabe (Pieridae) on Ficus sp. (Moraceae);

C= Euploea core (Danaidae) on Acacia sp. (Leguminosae);

D= Neptis soma soma (Nymphalidae) on the family Vitaceae;

E= Ypthima bolanica (Satyridae) on Aristolochia sp. (Aristolochiaceae);

F= Baoris mathias (syn: Pelopidas mathias) (Hesperiidae) on Cymbopogon sp. (Gramineae);

G= Castalius rosimon (Lycaenidae) on Juglans sp. (Euphorbiaceae).

In result, it is evident that richness of butterfly species and families is dependent on the richness of plant species and family in a forest ecosystem. So, there is a deep association; and this association is strategic and characteristic for the conservation of biodiversity not only for the plant and butterfly species richness, but also for the wildlife in the forests. As this association is an indicator for understanding biodiversity status in a forest ecosystem, further studies in the field should be attempted.

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