Fauna of Lepidoptera on wetlands damaged by peat extraction and undisturbed by human: analysis and comparison (Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia)

Abstract

This paper aimed to compare the diversity and abundance of fauna of Lepidoptera on wetland sites damaged by peat extraction and remained in their natural state, which locate on the territory of the Ramsar wetland in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The surveys were curried out monthly in May–September 2021. We used methods of attracting moths to a white screen using mercury and ultraviolet lamps (5 nights per each study plot). Diurnal butterflies were being identified along pedestrian routes (total length – 11.4 km) during a day. Indices characterizing the α- and β-diversity of Lepidoptera were calculated. At both plots, we revealed the species diversity of Macrolepidoptera more than 70%. According to our results the abundance and diversity of Macrolepidoptera in the study plots seem to be the same. In the course of succession, after the complete destruction of peat bogs and forests on a site surrounded by intact communities, species abundance and diversity is rapidly restored and reaches a high level. The composition of faunas in the transformed and undisturbed plots differs significantly; the similarity in Jacquard is 44.7%. The ecological features of butterfly species recorded only on one of the study plots were evaluated. The role of the surveyed territories as habitats of rare and endangered butterfly species is shown as well.