Seasonal Diversity of Butterflies in the Fragmented Habitats of Waghai Botanical Garden of The Dangs - Gujarat

  • Authors

    • Suchi Gandhi Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara - 390002, Gujarat
    • Dolly Kumar Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara - 390002, Gujarat
    2016-10-04
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijbr.v4i2.6651
  • Butterflies, Botanical Garden, Gujarat, Habitat Preference, Seasonal Diversity.

  • Abstract

    Background: The world is currently undergoing a very rapid loss of butterfly biodiversity comparable with the great mass extinction events that have previously occurred only five or six times in the Earth’s history. This is an alarming call of these tiny scraps of biodiversity which now have scarce appearance surrounding the huge human kingdom.

    Objective: The richness of biodiversity depends on the climatic conditions and area of the region. The present research work focuses on studying butterflies diversity, their habitat preferences and seasonal distribution in structured plots of Waghai Botanical Garden.

    Method: For carrying out systematic study, Waghai Botanical Garden was fragmented into five sub habitats i.e. Dry & Moist Deciduous plot, Evergreen plot, Bamboo plot & Dang plot, Scrub Thorn Forest & Medicinal & Taxonomy plot. Intra-individual comparative abundance study for observed butterfly species within fragmented plots of Waghai botanical garden was carried out graphically to study the butterfly’s preference in the plots of botanical garden.

    Results: Out of 70 species, the maximum number of species i.e. 27 species were observed from family Nymphalidae, followed by 18 species from Lycaenidae, 15 species from Pieridae, Papilionidae with 7 species and 3 species from Hesperiidae.

    Conclusion: During post-monsoon season, highest total average rainfall of around 850 mm was observed in Waghai during monsoon, which provided excellent quality and quantity of larval food plants for the caterpillars and nectar rich flower source for adult butterflies in post-monsoon months. Thus maximum numbers of butterflies’ species were observed during the months of October & November.

  • References

    1. [1] Aldrich, HC, (1946). Butterflies of Kaira district - a list. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 46(2), pp.374- 377.

      [2] Barua KK, Slowik J, Bobo KS., & Muehlenberg M. (2010). Correlations of Rainfall and Forest Type with Papilionid Assemblages in Assam in Northeast India. Psyche, 1- 10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/560396.

      [3] Bhalodia K, Bhuva VJ, Dave SM & Soni VC, (2002)a. Butterflies of Vansda National Park, Gujarat. Zoos' Print Journal, 17(10), pp.903- 904. http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.17.10.903-4.

      [4] Bhalodia K, Bhuva VJ, Dave SM & Soni VC, (2002)b. Butterflies of Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary,Gujarat. Zoos' Print Journal, 17(10), pp.905- 906. http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.17.10.905-6.

      [5] Bhalodia K, Bhuva VJ, Dave SM & Soni VC, (2002)c. Butterflies of Narayansarovar Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat. Zoos' Print Journal, 17(10), pp.906- 907. http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.17.10.906-7.

      [6] Evans, W. (1932). The Identification of Indian Butterflies (2nd Edition ed.). Bombay: The Bombay Natural History Society.

      [7] Gandhi S & Kumar D (2015) Studies on butterfly diversity, abundance and utilization of plant resources in urban localities of Banyan city- Vadodara, Gujarat, India. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 3(4): 476-480.

      [8] Gandhi S & Kumar D (2015) Butterfly Species Abundance in Agricultural fields of Vadodara, Gujarat with Special Emphasis on the Conservation of Complementary Plantations. International Journal of Science and Research 4(10): 1933-1936.

      [9] Kehimkar I. (2008). The Book of Indian Butterflies (1 ed.). (M. Gadgil, Ed.) Mumbai: Bombay Natural History Society.

      [10] Koh LP, & Sodhi NS (2004). Importance of Reserves, Fragments and Parks for Butterfly Conservation in a Tropical Urban Landscape. Ecological Applications, 14(6), 1695- 1708. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/03-5269.

      [11] Kunte K. (2000). India- A lifescape- Butterflies of Peninsular India. (M. Gadgil, Ed.) Hyderabad: Universities Press (India) Private Limited.

      [12] Mali M, Khokhariya BP & Dabgar YB (2014). Biotic Interrelationship of Plants and Butterflies in Surrounding of Gandhinagar, Gujarat. International Journal of Scientific Research, 3(4), pp.420- 422. http://dx.doi.org/10.15373/22778179/APR2014/149.

      [13] Mora C, Tittensor D, Adl S, Simpson A, & Worm B (2011). How Many Species Are There on Earth and in the Ocean? PLoS Biol, 9(8), 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127.

      [14] Mosse AH, (1929). A note on the butterflies and hawkmoths of Kathiawar. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 33(3), pp.888- 892.

      [15] Parasharya BM, & Jani J (2007). Butterflies of Gujarat. Anand: Anand Agricultural University.

      [16] Pollard E, Yates TJ (1993). Monitoring Butterflies for Ecology and Conservation. Chapman & Hall, London, UK.

      [17] Saikia MK, Kalita J, & Saikia PK. (2010). Seasonality of Nymphalid butterflies in Rani-Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Assam, India. NeBIO, 1(4), 10- 21.

      [18] Sarjan, HN., Yangchan J, Kripa SK, Fatima S, Husna AA, & Naik P (2014). Butterfly diversity in Manasaganangotri campus of Mysore University. Zoos' Print, 29(8), 20- 25.

      [19] Sharma A & Ahmed SI (2013). Butterfly diversity in Dry Deciduous teak forests of Gir Protected Area, Gujarat, India. International Journal of Advanced Research, 1(7), pp.73- 82.

      [20] Shull EM, (1963). The butterflies of South Gujarat. Journal of Bomaby Natural History Society, 60(3), pp.585- 599.

      [21] Shull, EM (1964). Supplementary note on the butterflies of South Gujarat. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 61(2), pp.464- 466.

      [22] Wynter Blyth MA (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. New Delhi: Today & Tomorrow's Printers and Publishers.

  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Gandhi, S., & Kumar, D. (2016). Seasonal Diversity of Butterflies in the Fragmented Habitats of Waghai Botanical Garden of The Dangs - Gujarat. International Journal of Biological Research, 4(2), 237-244. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijbr.v4i2.6651

    Received date: 2016-08-26

    Accepted date: 2016-09-22

    Published date: 2016-10-04