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Butterfly populations in the Florida Big Cypress Swamp: Can they be used as bioindicators?

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Date Issued:
2001
Summary:
The need for biological monitoring is increasing in importance as conservation programs are established for natural areas. The primary purpose of this study was to gain basic information on butterfly assemblages that would be useful in developing the use of butterflies as bioindicators. I examined the diversity and seasonal abundance of adult butterflies in seven locations comprising seven habitat types in the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in southern Florida; two wet meadows, two pine flatwoods, two ecotones, and a disturbed roadside were studied. One ecotone occurred between a wet meadow and a dry hammock, the other between a pine flatwoods and a wet prairie marsh community. Forty-three butterfly species were found during the one-year study. Several butterfly species were found to be potential indicators in most of the habitats studied. Overall, butterfly diversity did not differ significantly among habitats or between seasons, although seasonal differences in abundance were apparent.
Title: Butterfly populations in the Florida Big Cypress Swamp: Can they be used as bioindicators?.
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Name(s): DaCosta, Michelle A.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Volin, John C., Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2001
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 66 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The need for biological monitoring is increasing in importance as conservation programs are established for natural areas. The primary purpose of this study was to gain basic information on butterfly assemblages that would be useful in developing the use of butterflies as bioindicators. I examined the diversity and seasonal abundance of adult butterflies in seven locations comprising seven habitat types in the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in southern Florida; two wet meadows, two pine flatwoods, two ecotones, and a disturbed roadside were studied. One ecotone occurred between a wet meadow and a dry hammock, the other between a pine flatwoods and a wet prairie marsh community. Forty-three butterfly species were found during the one-year study. Several butterfly species were found to be potential indicators in most of the habitats studied. Overall, butterfly diversity did not differ significantly among habitats or between seasons, although seasonal differences in abundance were apparent.
Identifier: 9780493097640 (isbn), 12741 (digitool), FADT12741 (IID), fau:9620 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2001.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Indicators (Biology)--Florida--Big Cypress Swamp
Butterflies--Florida--Big Cypress Swamp
Biological monitoring--Florida--Big Cypress Swamp
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12741
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.