Butterfly Conservation in China: From Science to Action

Abstract

About 10% of the Earth’s butterfly species inhabit the highly diverse ecosystems of China. Important for the ecological, economic, and cultural services they provide, many butterfly species experience threats from land use shifts and climate change. China has recently adopted policies to protect the nation’s biodiversity resources. This essay examines the current management of butterflies in China and suggests various easily implementable actions that could improve these conservation efforts. Our recommendations are based on the observations of a transdisciplinary group of entomologists and environmental policy specialists. Our analysis draws on other successful examples around the world that China may wish to consider. China needs to modify its scientific methodologies behind butterfly conservation management: revising the criteria for listing protected species, focusing on umbrella species for broader protection, identifying high priority areas and refugia for conservation, among others. Rural and urban land uses that provide heterogeneous habitats, as well as butterfly host and nectar plants, must be promoted. Butterfly ranching and farming may also provide opportunities for sustainable community development. Many possibilities exist for incorporating observations of citizen scientists into butterfly data collection at broad spatial and temporal scales. Our recommendations further the ten Priority Areas of China’s National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2011–2030).

The validity of the subspecies, Teinopalpus aureus wuyiensis Lee, from complete mitochondrial genome

“…The butterfly of golden kaiserihind, Teinopalpus aureus, is endemic to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia (Zhou 1994;Igarashi 2001;Wu and Xu 2017), it has been listed as Red Species of IUCN since 1985(Gimenez Dixon 1996, and also being as one of the First-class of National Key Protected Animals in China since 1989. Teinopalpus aureus is one of flagship species to insect-diversity conservation in East Asia (Wang et al 2020), so it has attracted lots of attention worldwide, from entomologists (e.g., Igarashi 2001;Collard 2007;Zeng et al 2008) as well as conservation biologists (Wang et al 2018;Xing et al 2019), environmental protectors (Li et al 2013) and (local to national) governments.…”

New records of two lycaenid butterfly species (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in China, with the description of a new subspecies

“…China is a country with mega-biodiversity of butterflies, especially the southwest mountainous part ( Wang et al 2020 ). Yunnan Province harbours great species richness with a lot of new taxa and new records of lycaenid butterflies discovered in recent times ( Hu and Zhang 2009 , Hu and Zhang 2010 , Hu et al 2012a , Hu et al 2012b , Zhang et al 2020 ).…”

Complete mitochondrial genomes of two insular races of Pazala swordtails from Taiwan, China (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Graphium)

“…The complete mitogenomes of the two insular endemic subspecies of Pazala reported herein would facilitate future research related to in-depth butterfly conservation (Wang et al. 2020 ).…”