Jgb. Oostermeijer et Cam. Vanswaay, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUTTERFLIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATOR VALUES - A TOOL FOR CONSERVATION IN A CHANGING LANDSCAPE, Biological Conservation, 86(3), 1998, pp. 271-280
We examined relationships between Dutch butterfly species and the Elle
nberg indicator values for nutrients, acidity and moisture. Presence/a
bsence data on butterflies were obtained from monitoring transects of
the Dutch Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Mean indicator values were calc
ulated from vegetation samples of a selection of transect sections. Si
ngle and multiple logistic regression models were used to analyse the
relationships. Except for the moisture value, the vegetation samples c
overed the Ellenberg scales quite well. Significant correlations betwe
en moisture and acidity (-) and nutrients and acidity (+) were observe
d. Sites that were both acid and nutrient-rich were not observed. Most
of the observed significant relationships were unimodal (Gaussian), i
n which species show a clear optimum indicator value. Other species sh
owed a sigmoidal (linear) response to one or more of the ecological in
dicator values. Several species were significantly correlated with all
three indicator values. For a small group this was also the case in t
he multiple regression model. This was probably caused by multicolline
arity of the indicator values, leading to some spurious significant si
ngle regression models. We discuss methodical problems and possibiliti
es for refinements of the models. The observed relationships between b
utterflies and indicator values agreed well with available ecological
information. The observed regression models can be used to (a) predict
the effects of environmental factors on the butterfly fauna, (b) use
changes in the abundances of certain species as indicators of ecologic
al processes and (c) determine the sensitivity of butterflies for eutr
ophication, acidification and ground-water draining. In conclusion, th
e models provide a powerful aid in the conservation of butterflies in
a changing environment. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese
rved.