Moth diversity in different forest successional stages in Lishan National Nature Reserve, Shanxi
Author of the article:HOU Qin-Wen1 BAI Hai-Yan1, 2** TIE Jun1, 2 BIAN Gao-Peng1 SHI Bao-Zhong1
Author's Workplace：1. Department of Biological Sciences and Technology, Changzhi University, Changzhi 046011, China; 2. Ecological and Environmental Research Institute of Taihang Mountain, Changzhi 046011, China
Key Words： forest type, moths diversity, community structure, Lishan National Natural Reserves, succession stages
Abstract： [Objectives] To reveal moth diversity and community structure characteristics in the three forest types: secondary red birch forest, secondary conifer and broad-leaved mixed forest and original liaodong oak forest in Lishan National Nature Reserve, Shanxi Province,China. [Methods] The three sample plots were set up >100 mfrom the forest edge in each of the three forest types. Moths were collected by light trapping in each plot in July and August 2012, and their community composition and diversity index analyzed. [Results] A total of 6 090 moth specimens were collected and 221 species from 23 families were identified. The Tortricoidae were the dominant family, with the most species (41) and individuals (1 217), comprising 18.6% of all species and 20.0% of all individual moths. Moth community composition and species abundance were both significantly higher (P=0.001, P =0.006, respectively) in the secondary red birch and original Liaodong oak forest than in secondary conifer and broad-leaved mixed forest, but moth species number did not differ significantly between secondary red birch and original Liaodong oak forest (P=0.080). The species-abundance curves of moths conformed to the lognormal distribution in all three forest types (P >0.050). Species abundance, diversity, evenness and alpha index of moths in the three forest types were calculated and analyzed. The results show that moth community evenness and alpha index were consistent and contrary to the diversity index. The diversity index was highest in the secondary red birch forest (2.971), followed by the secondary conifer and broad-leaved mixed forest (2.958) and lowest in the original Liaodongoak forest(2.472), however, only the last difference was statistically significant. The Alpha index indicates that rare species were highest in secondary red birch forest followed by original Liaodongoak forestand least in secondary conifer and broad-leaved mixed forest. The Jaccard similarity coefficient and Bray-Curtis Measure coefficient matrix were used to compare moth community structure in the different forest types. The results show that moth community structure is not necessarily similar in each forest type. [Conclusion] Dominant taxa, species and rare species differed in forest of different successional stages. Moth diversity decreased, rare species decreased, and the number of dominant species Change significantly from early successional to climax forest, presumably reflecting changes in habitat suitability. Moth community structure is related to forest successional stage and has a close relationship to forest vegetation conditions.