Species Diversity And Fauna Analysis Of Butterflies In Mount Tai

The species diversity of butterflies in Mount Tai was investigated by using the methods of"sample plot"and"Poolard route". 160 specimens of butterflies were collected in total and 40 species of butterflies belonging to 7 families and 31 genera were identified, among which one new-recorded species to Mount Tai, Eurema laeta Boisduval and the butterfly under Class II State protection, Parnassius glacialis Butler were found. Of the butterflies collected, the 13 species and 11 genera belonged to Nymphalidae with the most abundant species, Papilionidae 6 species and 3 genera, Satyridae 6 species and 5 genera, Pieridae 6 species and 3 genera, Hesperiidae 6 species and 3 genera, Hesperiidae 4 species and 4 genera, Lycaenidae 4 species and 4 genera and Parnassidae 1 species and 1 genus with the rare species.Based on the method of Poolard route, three lines named"east line","middle line"and"west line"were set for surveying the butterflies in Mount Tai. The butterfly diversity of each line was comparatively analyzed monthly from March to November. In the east line, the number of species and individuals of butterflies was most abundant in east line in July, but the highest diversity and the evenness of the butterflies appeared in August. In west line, the time with the most abundant species of butterfly was from June to August, the highest diversity and the evenness of butterflies of different months also appeared in August, but the most number of individuals appeared in July. In middle line, the numbers species and individuals, the diversity and the evenness of butterflies all peaked in July. The comparison of the community characteristics of the three lines concluded that the number of butterfly species in the east and the west line paralleled, the middle line had slightly fewer species; the order of number of butterfly individuals was the east line > the west line > the middle line; the indexes of diversity and the evenness in the three lines all trends the same as the order of the number of butterfly individuals. The similarity analysis showed that the similarity coefficient between the west line and the middle line was the highest, and the lowest one was between the west and the middle line. All the results showed that the middle line which visitors often climb the Mount Tai had lower diversity of butterflies, meaning the tourism exerted an adverse effect on the biodiversity and the survival of butterflies.The diversity of butterflies in three vertical altitudes, <500m, 500~1000m and 1000~1500m, in Mount Tai was surveyed and analysed by using the method of sample plot. The order of richness, i.e. the number of the species, was( <500m)= (500~1000m) > (1000~1500m); the total number of individuals (500~1000m )> (<500m)> (1000~1500m), the Shannon-Wiener diversity indexes (500~1000m) > (<500m) > (1000~1500m), the evenness (500~1000m) > (<500m) > (1000~1500m). The number of butterfly species in the mountain decreased with the rise of altitude, but the total number was first increased and then decreased. Diversity index of butterflies in 500~1000m was highest, i.e. the mixed deciduous broad-leaved and coniferous forests are more suitable for the survival of the butterflies than the single deciduous broad-leaved forest, or shrubs and coniferous forest environment in the higher altitude.The butterflies in Mount Tai emerge from March each year, the number of butterfly populations rise gradually and peak in June, adult butterflies still were seen in November in the wild, but no butterflies adult were found from December to next February.The dominant species of butterflies in Mount Tai were Pieris rapae Linnaeus, Celastrina argiola Linnaeus and Polygonia c-aureum Linnaeus.The fauna of butterflies in Mount Tai was analyzed. 3 species belonged to Oriental region, accounting for 7.5% with lowest proportion; 11 species in Palaearctic region, accounting for 27.5%; 18 common species in Oriental and Palaearctic region, accounting for 45% with largest proportion; and 8 widespread species, accounting for 20%, Butterflies in Mount Tai in fauna were dominated by common species.