Biodiversity Patterns of Butterflies and Moths on Mount Cameroon
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School of Doctoral Studies in Biological Sciences University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice Faculty of Science Biodiversity patterns of butterflies and moths on Mount Cameroon Ph.D. Thesis M.Sc. Vincent Maicher Supervisor: RNDr. Robert Tropek, Ph.D. Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, & Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague Consultant: Prof. RNDr. Vojtěch Novotný, CSc. Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, & Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice České Budějovice, 2019 This thesis should be cited as: Maicher V. (2019) Biodiversity patterns of butterflies and moths on Mount Cameroon, Ph.D. Thesis Series, No. 6. University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, School of Doctoral Studies in Biological Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, 215 pp. ANNOTATION Biodiversity patterns of butterflies and moths are investigated on the southwestern slope of Mount Cameroon, the only continuous elevational gradient of near-pristine forests in the Afrotropics. Three distinct seasons between 2014 and 2017 are sampled by two standardised methodologies (i.e., bait-trapping and manual catching of selected groups of moths at light). First, the effects of seasonality and forest habitat associations on butterflies and moths are investigated in the lowland rainforest. Then, the impacts of elephant-made natural disturbances on tree, butterfly, and moth diversities at mid-elevations is evaluated. The thesis also includes faunistic records of species never reported from the area, combining them with life history notes on selected taxa and species description of nine new species of Alucita. Finally, the last chapter focuses on the biodiversity of birds, trees, and butterflies in the last large patch of coastal forest of the studied area, and discusses its current conservation status. DECLARATION [IN CZECH] Prohlašuji, že svoji disertační práci jsem vypracovala samostatně pouze s použitím pramenů a literatury uvedených v seznamu citované literatury. Prohlašuji, že v souladu s § 47b zákona č. 111/1998 Sb. v platném znění souhlasím se zveřejněním své disertační práce, a to v úpravě vzniklé vypuštěním vyznačených částí archivovaných Přírodovědeckou fakultou elektronickou cestou ve veřejně přístupné části databáze STAG provozované Jihočeskou univerzitou v Českých Budějovicích na jejích internetových stránkách, a to se zachováním mého autorského práva k odevzdanému textu této kvalifikační práce. Souhlasím dále s tím, aby toutéž elektronickou cestou byly v souladu s uvedeným ustanovením zákona č. 111/1998 Sb. zveřejněny posudky školitele a oponentů práce i záznam o průběhu a výsledku obhajoby kvalifikační práce. Rovněž souhlasím s porovnáním textu mé kvalifikační práce s databází kvalifikačních prací Theses.cz provozovanou Národním registrem vysokoškolských kvalifikačních prací a systémem na odhalování plagiátů. České Budějovice, 11/03/2019 ……………………………. Vincent Maicher This thesis originated from a partnership of the Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia and the Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre CAS, as part of doctoral studies in the Entomology study program. FINANCIAL SUPPORT Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR) No. 14-36098G, 16-11164Y. Grant Agency of the University of South Bohemia (GA JU) No. 030/2016/P and 152/2016/P. Charles University (PRIMUS/17/SCI/8 and UNCE204069). Incorporation of the Biological Centre CAS into the European Research Area (IBERA; reg. no. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/16_028/0006247) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Without a shadow of doubt, I would first like to thank my supervisor: Robert Tropek. He spent a lot of time consulting and supporting me in every possible way during the past years, and simply never failed to be present when requested or needed, or to back me up during hard times. One must admire the unshakeable support that he - in his own peculiar way - provides to his students: I am deeply grateful for that. Immediately after, I would like to thank my consultant, prof. Vojtěch Novotný, for providing me with the opportunity to contribute to the Mt. Cameroon project from the beginning. From the European team, and in alphabetic order, I personally would like to warmly thank Michael Bartoš, Sylvain Delabye, Štěpán Janeček, Petra Janečková, Yannick Klomberg, Pavel Kratochvíl, Jan Mertens, Eliška Padyšáková, Pavel Potocký, and Szabolcs Sáfián with whom I shared unforgettable field memories, as well as all my co-authors for all the work back in the lab, starting from theoretical discussion and identification of specimens to data analysis and manuscript preparation. Nothing would have been possible without our collaboration with two Museums: I am thankful to Tomasz Pyrcz, Ewelina Sroka, Karolina Sroka, Jadwiga Lorenc-Brudecka, and Rafał Garlacz (Centre for Nature Education, Krakow) for their generous hospitality, and the incredible number of specimens that they handled with admirable professionalism. I also thank Axel Hausmann and Mei-Yu Chen (Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Munich) for the processing of several tens of thousands of Geometridae and providing access to an incredible reference collection. Overseas, I must mention all our colleagues, who quickly became our friends: Francis “Escobar” Luma, Jacques E. Chi, Collins Njie, Francis M. Teke, and John Ngoto from the Bokwango and Bakingili villages, and Congo S. Kulu from the Mapanja village. Their efforts and friendly disposition were critical to the smooth running of our field trips: all those sleepless-nights and months spent in the bush often turned into joyful holidays thanks to them. From the University of Buea, we are highly grateful to Eric B. Fokam. He was influential during the obtention of research permits, and greatly contributed to our projects by connecting us with four local Master students: Jennifer T. Kimbeng, Mercy Murkwe, Nestor T. Fominka, and Ishmeal N. Kobe. The latter three recently started their Ph.D. studies and will surely contribute to raising a new generation of Cameroonian scientists. I also must mention the staff of the Mt. Cameroon National Park, and especially the conservator Simon Besong for his support. Warm remembrances go to the late Mbeng Tanyi. I also thank the staff of the Bimbia-Bonadikombo Community forest for welcoming us. Many ninjas were operating in the shadows. I’ll just name the most proficient ones: Katya, Ben, Vesna, Rohit, Michi, Malihe, Tanya, Vojta, Stefan, Ingrid, Harvey, Micki, Inga, Mélanie, Daniel, Sam, Sophie, Chia- Hua, Fanny, Arnaud… Thanks guys for your contagious enthusiasm, as well as for damaging my liver. I am willingly forgetting you guys from France: almost none of you speak English anyway. But “- Toi même tu sais” once said the poet. I also thank and kiss my family here: it is worthless to mention how much I love them. They were here at every moment of this Ph.D. and they know it all. Finally, I am most thankful to Andreja, the one with whom I share my life… I would simply not have been able to finish any of these projects without her unshakeable love and patience every day. This thesis is dedicated to the memory of Philippe and Louise Maicher. “Je m'habille de nos rêves Orphelin jusqu'aux lèvres” Jojo, 1977 LIST OF PAPERS AND AUTHORS’ CONTRIBUTION The thesis is based on the following publications/manuscripts: I. Maicher, V., Sáfián, Sz., Murkwe, M., Przybyłowicz, Ł., Janeček, Š., Fokam, E.B., Pyrcz, T., & Tropek, R. (2018) Flying between raindrops: Strong seasonal turnover of several Lepidoptera groups in lowland rainforests of Mount Cameroon. Ecology and Evolution, 8, 12761-12772 (IF=2.537) VM participated in the sampling planning and data collection (attended all sampling expeditions), identified most fruit-feeding moths and most groups of moths caught at the light (all but Arctiinae), analyzed data and crucially participated in results interpretation, and led the writing of the manuscript. II. Delabye, S., Maicher, V., Sáfián, Sz., Doležal, J., Altman, J., Janeček, Š., Kobe, I.N., Murkwe, M., Šebek, P., & Tropek, R. Response of butterfly and moth communities to habitat structure in lowland rainforests of Mount Cameroon. Manuscript. VM participated in sampling, identification of most fruit-feeding moths, and manuscript preparation. III. Maicher, V., Delabye, S., Murkwe, M., Kobe, I.N., Doležal, J., Altman, J., Desmist, J., Fokam, E.B., Pyrcz, T., & Tropek, R. Does rainforest biodiversity stand on the shoulders of giants? Effect of disturbances by forest elephants on trees and insects on Mount Cameroon. Manuscript. VM participated in the sampling planning, collected a large part of the data (directly led two sampling expeditions), identified a large part of the fruit-feeding moths and most groups of moths caught at the light (all but Lymantriinae), analyzed data, interpreted results, and led the writing of the manuscript. IV. Maicher, V., Sáfián, Sz., Murkwe, M., Delabye, S., Przybyłowicz, Ł., Potocký, P., Kobe, I.N., Janeček, Š., Mertens, J.E.J., Fokam, E.B., Pyrcz, T., Doležal, J., Altman, J., Hořák, D., Fiedler, K., & Tropek, R. Seasonal shifts of biodiversity patterns and species’ elevation ranges of butterflies and moths along a complete rainforest elevational gradient on Mount Cameroon. Submitted manuscript. VM participated in the sampling planning and data collection (attended five of the six expeditions), identified most fruit-feeding moths, as well as moths caught at the light (all but Arctiinae and Lymantriinae), analyzed data,