A new comprehensive trait database of European and Maghreb butterflies, Papilionoidea

Abstract

Trait-based analyses explaining the different responses of species and communities to environmental changes are increasing in frequency. European butterflies are an indicator group that responds rapidly to environmental changes with extensive citizen science contributions to documenting changes of abundance and distribution. Species traits have been used to explain long- and short-term responses to climate, land-use and vegetation changes. Studies are often characterised by limited trait sets being used, with risks that the relative roles of different traits are not fully explored. Butterfly trait information is dispersed amongst various sources and descriptions sometimes differ between sources. We have therefore drawn together multiple information sets to provide a comprehensive trait database covering 542 taxa and 25 traits described by 217 variables and sub-states of the butterflies of Europe and Maghreb (northwest Africa) which should serve for improved trait-based ecological, conservation-related, phylogeographic and evolutionary studies of this group of insects. We provide this data in two forms; the basic data and as processed continuous and multinomial data, to enhance its potential usage.

Thermal flexibility and a generalist life history promote urban affinity in butterflies

“…The traits investigated were: (1) average number of flight months; (2) overwintering strategy; (3) mean temperature in a species’ range; (4) number of adult food types; (5) hostplant specificity; (6) hostplant specialism index; (7) wind index; (8) mean voltinism; (9) egg laying type; (10) hostplant growth forms; and (11) number of egg laying locations. Trait data were extracted from Middleton‐Welling et al (2020) for all traits besides the mean temperature of a species' range (a measure of thermal preference), which was extracted from Schweiger et al (2014). After taxonomic matching (all names were matched to the taxonomy provided by Middleton‐Welling et al, 2020), we were left with 159 species that had both an urban affinity score and associated trait data (Table S2).…”

“…Trait data were extracted from Middleton‐Welling et al (2020) for all traits besides the mean temperature of a species' range (a measure of thermal preference), which was extracted from Schweiger et al (2014). After taxonomic matching (all names were matched to the taxonomy provided by Middleton‐Welling et al, 2020), we were left with 159 species that had both an urban affinity score and associated trait data (Table S2). One of these species, however, Geranium Bronze ( Cacyreus marshalli ) had an urban affinity score 5× greater than any other species in our dataset because it is a known invasive pest that often relies on houseplants and has known synanthropy with novel anthropogenic environments (Quacchia et al, 2008).…”

Two ways to be endemic. Alps and Apennines are different functional refugia during climatic cycles

“…The traits of species which entities belong to were compared between endemics from different centres and between endemics and nonendemics from the same centre. We used a series of 10 ecological traits for European butterflies (Middleton‐Welling et al, 2020; Platania et al, 2020). These traits were used to describe both the alpha niche (i.e., functional traits describing the primary functions of invertebrates), and the beta niche (features related to distributional and environmental preferences; Table 1).…”

Climate drivers of adult insect activity are conditioned by life history traits

“…This is particularly problematic because our results highlight the importance of life history traits in predicting all aspects of adult insect phenology. Therefore, to better understand how insects will respond to climate change and urbanization, it is imperative that continued effort goes into generating, compiling, and archiving openly available insect life history information (e.g., Middleton-Welling et al, 2020). Improving insect trait knowledge and access will allow researchers to better understand ecological processes using the accelerating accumulation of occurrence and other natural history records.…”