Assessment of the habitat quality of the threatened butterfly, Zizina emelina (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) in the agro-ecosystem of Japan and implications for conservation

DOI Web Site 34 References
  • KOBAYASHI Takato
    Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Yamanashi Institute of Environmental Sciences
  • KITAHARA Masahiko
    Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Yamanashi Institute of Environmental Sciences
  • SUZUKI Yuta
    Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture
  • TACHIKAWA Shuji
    Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture:(Present office)Association for Nature Restoration and Conservation

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 農地におけるシルビアシジミの生息適地の解析と保全

Search this article

Abstract

We assessed habitat quality of Zizina emelina, a threatened butterfly in Japan, in the farmlands of Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture, in central Japan. We established five 50m census routes at three sites, ridges where weeds are mowed only in spring (hereafter, ridges mowed only in spring), ridges where weeds are mowed every month after spring (hereafter, ridges mowed every month) and meadow of Trifolium repens to count the adult Z. emelina along each route. On the ridges mowed only in spring and the ridges mowed every month, there were no significant differences in the number of adult Z. emelina individuals during the period from early April to late June between the two ridges. However, during the period from late June to early September, the number of adults on the ridges mowed only in spring was significantly higher than that on the ridges mowed in every month. During the period from early September to late October, the number of adults tended to increase on the ridges mowed every month, and decrease on those mowed only in spring; as a result, no significant differences were detected in the number of adults between the ridges. In a meadow of Trifolium repens, the adult emergence period was from late August to late October, and the peak in the number of adults was in late September. The synthetic dominance of Lotus japonicus, the larval host plant of Z. emelina, was high at the lower part of both ridges mowed only in spring and those mowed every month, and at both sides of a non-paved footpath present around paddy fields. On the ridges mowed only in spring, the synthetic dominance of L. japonicus declined from May to October, while on the ridges mowed every month, it declined from May to August, and went up from August to September. This suggests that the synthetic dominance of L. japonicus contributed much to the increase in the number of adults during the period from mid August to early October on the ridges mowed in every month. From these results, it is suggested that, in order to retain a high density of Z. emelina and the predominance of L. japonicus in agroecosystems, it is important that a mixture of both ridges that are mowed both in spring and every month is established in their habitats. Since we observed eggs and larvae of Z. emelina on T. repens in the meadow habitat of this study, a meadow habitat is also thought to be important for conservation of Z. emelina.

Journal

  • Lepidoptera Science

    Lepidoptera Science 60 (1), 25-36, 2009

    THE LEPIDOPTEROLOGICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN

References(34)*help

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top