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A tale of two communities: Neotropical butterfly assemblages show higher beta diversity in the canopy compared to the understory

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Abstract

Tropical fruit-feeding nymphalid butterflies generally restrict adult foraging exclusively to either the canopy or understory strata. We compared canopy and understory butterfly communities using data from four long-term studies in Central and South America. At all study sites we found little similarity in species composition between canopy and understory, with most species showing a strong affinity for one of the two habitats. There was a consistent phylogenetic signal for canopy and understory association, suggesting a substantial evolutionary history with these habitats. In addition to compositional differences, we found different patterns of beta diversity between canopy and understory communities. Across all study sites, the canopy had greater temporal and spatial beta diversity compared to the understory. Although these two communities are composed of the same feeding guild and separated only by a relatively small vertical space, each has its own stratum-specific species composition and community dynamics.

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Acknowledgments

We thank C. Dunn, C. Funk, R. Guerra, H. Greeney, R. Hill, J. Lavaca, L. Jost, E. Schwartz, and T. Walla for field assistance at the Garza Cocha and Shiripuno (Ecuador); C. Cascante, I. A. Chacon, C. “Gato” Miranda, S. Padilla, and E. Rojas for field support at Tirimbina Biological Reserve (Costa Rica); A. Forsyth, T. Larsen and N. Pittman for field support at Los Amigos Biological Station (Peru); B. Fitzpatrick, C. Hamm, C. Nice, Z. Marion, C. Penz and N. Sanders for critical comments and discussion. These studies were supported by grants from the National Geographic Society (P. J. D.), the Amazon Conservation Association (P. J. D.), and the University of Tennessee (J. A. F.). Our long-term work at Tirimbina has been possible due to the generosity of Judy Paskel and Hans van der Wielen. This study is dedicated to the diverse work of H. T. Silver, G. Rubalcaba, S. Salgado, T. Chalar da Silva, and the late H. M. DeVries.

Author contribution statement

P. J. D. conceived the trap-study design and collected the data. J. A. F. and P. J. D. analyzed the data. J. A. F. and P. J. D. wrote the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    James A. Fordyce

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, 70148, USA

    Philip J. DeVries

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  1. James A. Fordyce
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  2. Philip J. DeVries
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Correspondence to James A. Fordyce.

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Communicated by Roland A. Brandl.

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Fordyce, J.A., DeVries, P.J. A tale of two communities: Neotropical butterfly assemblages show higher beta diversity in the canopy compared to the understory. Oecologia 181, 235–243 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-016-3562-0

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