Resumen

CARRERO S., Diego Armando; SANCHEZ MONTANO, Luis Roberto  y  TOBAR L., Diego Enrique. DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF BUTTERFLIES IN AN ALTITUDINAL GRADIENT IN THE NORTHWESTERN ANDEAN REGION OF COLOMBIA. Bol. Cient. Mus. Hist. Nat. Univ. Caldas [online]. 2013, vol.17, n.1, pp.168-188. ISSN 0123-3068.

The butterfly's community could have variation in the abundance, richness and composition of species in one ecosystem; this variation was depending of multiples factors such as: forest size, shapes, structural complexity and connectivity between fragment. Likewise, the altitudinal gradient that can influence species diversity in a particular habitat. The present study evaluated the diversity, richness and abundance of butterflies and shrub and tree plants in the altitudinal gradient from 1200 to 2000 m.a.s.l, in a riparian forest of northeast of the Andes mountains. The samples were collected in five stations spaced 200 m in altitude. Two transects of 100 x 5 m were established in each sampling station, in wich observations were made and catches butterflies The collection of butterflies in each transect was performed by one-hour tours between 8:00 to 16:00 hours, in three field trips, lasting 15 days per month. Butterflies data recording includes, elevation, activity (perching, flying, feeding), transect vegetation and date with a total of 20 hours per station. A total of 766 individuals were registered, belonging to 101 species of butterflies, also counted 220 shrubs and 428 trees. Higher values of abundance and richness of species were registered in the station of 1200 m.a.s.l. and the lowest values at the station of 2000 m.a.s.l. Inverse correlation was found between altitude and richness of butterfly species together with the Shannon index. This result showed a reduction in the number of butterflies species while increasing altitude. The cluster analysis separated two groups: Group 1 (1200 - 1600 m) and Group 2 (1800 - 2000m). The Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) selected of number of individual of tree and shrub and tree species richness how variables that explain the butterfly richness in La Quebrada La Tigra. Forest area from 1800 to 2000 m.a.s.l. played an important role for the conservation of butterflies in the region.

Palabras clave : Conservation; Biodiversity; Conservation indicator; Altitudinal distribution; Norte de Santander.

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