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The Effects of Forest Destruction on the Abundance, Species Richness and Diversity of Butterflies in the Bosomkese Forest Reserve, Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana

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The Effects of Forest Destruction on the Abundance, Species Richness and Diversity of Butterflies in the Bosomkese Forest Reserve, Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana Addai and Baidoo.… J. Appl. Biosci. 2013. Effects of forest destruction on butterflies in Bosomkese forest reserve, Ghana Journal of Applied Biosciences 64: 4763 – 4772 ISSN 1997–5902 The effects of forest destruction on the abundance, species richness and diversity of butterflies in the Bosomkese Forest Reserve, Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana. Addai, G. and Baidoo P. K*. Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. *Corresponding author’s email address: [email protected] Original submitted in on 15th January 2013. Published online at www.m.elewa.org on 25th April 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jab.v64i1.88465 ABSTRACT Objectives: Despite the substantial loss of natural forest in the Bosomkese Forest Reserve, little is known on the effects of the massive habitat loss and degradation on forest biota. The study therefore assessed the effects of anthropogenic activities on butterfly species composition and abundance in the Bosomkese Forest reserve in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. Methodology and Results: The effects of anthropogenic activities on butterflies were studied in three forest types identified in the forest reserve namely, disturbed canopy (DC) slightly disturbed canopy (SDC) and undisturbed canopy (UC), which was the control. The data on the butterflies were collected using fruit – baiting traps on a 1 kilometer line transect selected in each of the study areas. Species richness and diversity were analyzed using Simpson’s Diversity Index. Five butterfly families were identified during the study. These were: Numphalidae, Hesperiidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae and Papilionidae. Nymphalidae recorded the largest number of species whilst Papilionidae was the least abundant. The undisturbed canopy recorded the largest number of butterflies whilst the disturbed canopy recorded the least number of butterflies. In terms of diversity, the undisturbed canopy showed the greatest diversity whilst the disturbed canopy showed the least diversity. Conclusion and application of findings: Strict enforcement of forest laws by the law enforcement agencies and creating alternative source of livelihood for the people living in and around the forest reserve will help reduce the dependence on the forest as a source of livelihood. INTRODUCTION The exploitation of the natural forest by man for his as well as a sink for carbon dioxide thereby survival has left in its wake massive degradation reducing global warming (Myers, et al., 2000). and destruction. Forests provide many social, According to Swanes et al. (1997), close to 40% of economic, and environmental benefits to the pharmaceutical products used in the USA are survival of man. It is a source of timber and paper either based on or synthesized from material products, habitat for wildlife, recreational facilities compounds found in plants, animals, or 4763 Addai and Baidoo.… J. Appl. Biosci. 2013. Effects of forest destruction on butterflies in Bosomkese forest reserve, Ghana microorganisms. Other uses of the forest include makes them sensitive to changes in biotic and the promotion of eco-tourism, with financial abiotic environment. Butterflies are among the benefits to the local citizens (The International best-known insects that are involved in pollinating Eco-Tourism Society, 1992), aesthetic and cultural flowers. Butterflies are also good indicators of benefits (Gormey, 1997), and scientific research. habitat quality as they respond rapidly to Forests have therefore contributed and continue to modification of vegetation (Robbins and Opler, contribute to the survival of man. 1996). They are extremely susceptible to unusual In spite of the enormous benefits obtained from climatic conditions and certain species can be forests, large areas of the richest forests in the used to indicate certain environmental conditions. world have been cleared for fuel wood, timber Butterflies are widely recognized as potentially products, and agriculture (Alonso et al., 2001). valuable ecological indicator. Their presence can Based on a five- year study, FAO (2005) found that prove that habitats are suitable and indicate that forest areas throughout the world were declining at certain conditions have been met. Butterflies are a rate of about 7.3 million hectares per year, an often colourful and sensitive to habitat and area equivalent to Panama and Sierra Leone. The environmental changes. Therefore, any change in Upper Guinean forests of Ghana are among the the forest can lead to changes in butterfly most biologically unique in the world because they communities (Daily and Ehrlich 1995). harbour a wide diversity of plant and animal Certain butterfly species can be used to define species, many of which are found nowhere else, environmental health simply by the presence of but these are also among the most critically particular species. In contrasts, their absence may threatened forests in the world (Larson et al., reflect declining health (Larson and Collins, 1998). 2007)Only about 10-15% of original forest cover The influence of landscape patterns on butterfly has not been destroyed and what remains is highly communities have been documented by different fragmented and degraded With the exception of authors (Schneider et al., 2003., Natuhara et al., sacred forest groves, virtually no forest cover 1999). Sparks and Carey (1995) observed an remains outside the boundaries of designated influence of the floral composition on butterfly reserves (Allotey, 2007). diversity. Similarly, Schoonhoven et al. (1998) A wide range of human activities such as farming reported that tree species diversity and cover had and logging result in degradation of biotypes and a positive effect on butterfly, but high proportion of loss of habitats. Loss of habitats such as large trees had a negative effect on butterflies. unimproved grasslands and wetlands has been Butterflies are day flying insects and relatively particularly dramatic and has led to reduction in abundant in areas of luxuriant vegetation. They are Lepidoptera population in many European sensitive to changes in temperature, humidity, and countries (Kudrna, 1986, Van Swaay and Warren, light levels that are caused by habitat changes. 1999., Balber and Erhardt, 2000., Ricketts et al., Changes in butterfly composition and abundance 2001). Population increase, coupled with can point to suitable changes in forest habitat urbanization and industrialization over the years because the larvae have specialized host-plant have led to over-exploitation of forest resources requirements and adults are important for studies resulting in high deforestation and disappearance that can reveal the stabilization or decline of of some plant and animal species (Fermon, 2002). butterflies’ species population due to habitat Insects are important in environmental quality destruction or loss of forest ecosystem. The study assessment because of their dominance in therefore assessed the effects of anthropogenic terrestrial ecosystem. Their short life cycles can activities on butterfly species composition and result in rapid population responses to abundance in the Bosomkese Forest Reserve in disturbances and their wide range of life style the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. 4764 Addai and Baidoo.… J. Appl. Biosci. 2013. Effects of forest destruction on butterflies in Bosomkese forest reserve, Ghana MATERIALS AND METHODS Study Area: The study was undertaken in the butterflies once they enter the trap as recommended by Bosomkese Forest Reserve, which is located about (Barlow et al., 2007). Four different traps were set in 28km East of Sunyani, Ghana and covers a total area each of the transect lines in all the blocks by hanging of 138km2. The Forest Reserve lies approximately the trap nets on supports or shrubs and within 0.1m between latitude 00N, 7˚15N, longitude 2˚05W, and and 1m from the ground level (Bossat et al., 2006). 2˚30W. It is located within the semi-deciduous South Traps were baited with different attractants such as East forest zone (Swanes, 1996) and has a mean pulverised, fermenting banana, flowers, and fermented annual precipitation of between 900 mm to 1500mm. fruit, covered in a rubber bucket two days prior to each There are two well-defined seasons, a rainy season collection. The prepared bait was mixed with fresh palm from April to October and dry season from November to wine for maximum attraction of the butterflies and to March. There are two rainfall peaks-May/June and speed up the fermentation process. The traps were September/October. However, long periods of drought hanged from ropes attached to branches of trees and are normal in December and January. The Forest or shrubs. Whenever a butterfly was captured, the bait Reserve is divided into 84 compartments with three was replaced with fresh one. The trap stations were designations based on the nature of their canopies. labelled as treatment, T1, T2, T3, and T4. Baits were then These include open canopy, where only selective put in plastic plates and placed in the trap to complete logging is allowed under the strict forest laws and the procedure. Each trap was replicated four times. In regulations, closed canopy where little or no human addition to this, walk- and- catch -method using activities is allowed to take place, and disturbed canopy butterfly nets was employed within one kilometre line where the forest has been destroyed or near transect in each of the study area. With this, any destruction due to the activities of the inhabitants of the butterfly
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