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The local ecological knowledge of butterfly diversity is derived from utilitarian purposes in Southwest China’s biodiversity hotspot

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Abstract

Local ecological knowledge (LEK) is considered useful for biodiversity monitoring and conservation management. However, LEK may provide limited information if the LEK providers only recognize species that are of their interest. We investigated the utility of LEK provided by community members of the Dai people, one of the major ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China’s biodiversity hotspot. Local villagers of different age and gender were asked to answer a questionnaire to assess the demographic variation in the awareness and perception of butterfly diversity and conservation. A subset of questionnaire respondents provided LEK regarding the current state of local butterfly species. We investigated the taxonomic and morphological characteristics of butterflies identified by the LEK providers. Despite their traditional connections with nature, the local people showed limited awareness and perception of butterfly diversity and conservation. The LEK was provided primarily by older adults who had experience in collecting butterflies for commercial purposes. Taxonomy and morphological characteristics of the butterfly species recognized by the LEK providers clearly reflected their current utilitarian purposes (selling butterflies as souvenirs to tourists). Despite some limitations, the LEK—the status of local butterfly species—may be valuable for areas, such as Xishuangbanna, where long-term monitoring and conservation management are not fully developed.

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Data availability

Data are provided as private-for-peer review via the following link: [https://datadryad.org/stash/share/V3nPphoACRCRymuAlBXmYUlHUzFwy4aY2-HHMYQcxRM]

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Acknowledgements

We sincerely thank the following people: all of the local Dai people who joined our research; our Dai assistant, Yannuo, for his logistical and translation help; Guang-Yu Liu from the Department of Environment Education in XTBG for constructive suggestions for our manuscript; and Yuan-Yuan Quan for editorial assistance.

Funding

YR was supported by XTBG and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, AN by High-End Foreign Experts Program of the High-Level Talent Recruitment Plan of Yunnan Province, National Natural Science Foundation of China General Program (31770472), and Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB31000000), BDB was supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative (2021PB0085), and SH by National Natural Science Foundation of China Regional Program (41761011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 666303, Mengla, Yunnan, China

    Run-Ming Yang, Benjamin D. Blanchard & Akihiro Nakamura

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China

    Run-Ming Yang

  3. School of Biological Science, Pu’er University, 665000, Pu’er, Yunnan, China

    Run-Ming Yang

  4. Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Transboundary Eco-Security, Yunnan University, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, China

    Shao-Ji Hu

  5. Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, China

    Shao-Ji Hu

  6. Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 666303, Mengla, Yunnan, China

    Akihiro Nakamura

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  1. Run-Ming Yang
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Correspondence to Akihiro Nakamura.

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Yang, RM., Hu, SJ., Blanchard, B.D. et al. The local ecological knowledge of butterfly diversity is derived from utilitarian purposes in Southwest China’s biodiversity hotspot. Biodivers Conserv 31, 1927–1943 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-022-02435-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-022-02435-4

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