Research lines

Landscape changes have an impact on biodiversity

Global change has strong and direct effects on the land uses that make up the landscape. Butterflies respond quickly to habitat alterations and as a result CBMS data show how landscape modifications affect biodiversity, at both regional and local scales. The knowledge gained through this work is useful for the correct management of natural and protected areas with the aim of conserving biodiversity.

In collaboration with different research teams, several analyses are carried out to quantify the effects of habitat fragmentation and modification on population trends and the diversity of Catalan and European butterflies. Significant efforts have been devoted to understanding how landscape abandonment and vegetation encroachment affect butterfly populations. The impact of agricultural intensification on biodiversity has also been investigated using butterfly data.

More generally, habitat indicators have been developed from CBMS data, which allow rapid and simple diagnosis of changes occurring at community level in response to changes in land uses.

The TAO index, of butterfly habitat preference, shows us very clearly that in Catalonia the vast majority of species are associated with different types of meadows and grasslands. The encroachment process that affects many areas of the country is therefore one of the factors that explains the recent decline of many of our butterflies.

Recommended references:

• Colom, P., Traveset, A., Stefanescu, C. (2021). Long-term effects of abandonment and restoration of Mediterranean meadows on butterfly-plant interactions. Journal of Insect Conservation. DOI 10.1007/s10841-021-00307-w
• Fernández-Chacón, A., Stefanescu, C., Genovart, M., Nichols, J.D., Hines, J.E., Páramo, F., Turco, M. & Oro, D. (2013) Determinants of extinction-colonization dynamics in Mediterranean butterflies: the role of landscape, climate and local habitat features. Journal of Animal Ecology, 83: 276-285
• Herrando, S., Brotons, L., Anton, M., Páramo, F., Villero, D., Titeux, N., Quesada, J. & Stefanescu, C. (2015). Assessing impacts of land abandonment on Mediterranean biodiversity using indicators based on bird and butterfly monitoring data. Environmental Conservation. Doi: 10.1017/S037689215000260.
• Lee, M. S., Comas, J., Stefanescu , C., Albajes, R. (2020). The Catalan Butterfly Monitoring Scheme has the capacity to detect effects of modifying agricultural practices. Ecosphere, 11:e03004. DOI 10.1002/ecs2.3004
• Marull, J., Otero, I., Stefanescu, C., Tello, E., Miralles, M., Coll, F., Pons, M. & Diana, G.L., 2015. Exploring the links between forest transition and landscape changes in the Mediterranean. Does forest recovery really lead to better landscape quality? Agroforestry Systems. DOI 10.1007/s10457-015-9808-8.
• Oliver, T.H., Stefanescu, C., Páramo, F. & Roy, D.B. (2014). Latitudinal gradients in butterfly population variability are influenced by landscape heterogeneity. Ecography, 37: 863-871.
• Puig-Montserrat, X., Stefanescu, C., Torre, I., Palet, J., Fàbregas, E., Dantart, J., Arrizabalaga, A., Flaquer, C. (2017). Effects of organic and conventional crop management on vineyard biodiversity. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 243: 19-26.
• Stefanescu, C., Carnicer, J. & Peñuelas, J. (2011). Determinants of species richness in generalist and specialist Mediterranean butterfly: the negative synergistic forces of climate and habitat change. Ecography, 34: 353-363.
• Stefanescu, C., Herrando, S. & Páramo, F. (2004). Butterfly species richness in the northwest Mediterranean Basin: the role of natural and human-induced factors. Journal of Biogeography, 31: 905-915.
• Stefanescu, C., Peñuelas, J., Filella, I. (2005). Butterflies highlight the conservation value of hay meadows highly threatened by land-use changes in a protected Mediterranean area. Biological Conservation, 126: 234-246.
• Stefanescu, C., Peñuelas, J. & Filella, I. (2009). Rapid changes in butterfly communities following the abandonment of grasslands: a case study. Insect Diversity and Conservation, 2: 261-269.
  
• Stefanescu, C., Torre, I, Jubany, J., Páramo, F. (2011). Recent trends in butterfly populations from north-east Spain and Andorra in the light of habitat and climate change. Journal of Insect Conservation, 15: 83-93.
• Ubach, A., Páramo, F., Gutiérrez, C., Stefanescu, C. (2020). Vegetation encroachment drives changes in the composition of butterfly assemblages and species loss in Mediterranean ecosystems. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 13: 151-161. DOI 10.1111/icad.12397