An Evaluation of Paddy Area Habitats in Different Surroundings Resulting from the Interactions of Butterfly Communities and Plants

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate paddy area habitats according to butterfly communities and their biological interactions with plants. Five study areas were selected in the Kamiina district, Nagano Prefecture, on the basis of variation in the following conditions: consolidation of paddies or lack thereof; and urbanized or hilly and mountainous area. The number of butterflies and the frequency of interactions with plants were recorded by the route census method.Land utilization was surveyed to determine the relationship between the bio-diversity index and the environmental evaluation index. The number of species and individuals, environmental evaluation index, and frequency of used by butterflies for nectar in 3 hilly and mountainous areas region were higher than in 2 urban areas. The bio-diversity index and percentage of native plant species used by butterflies for nectar in the non-consolidated paddy areas in hilly and mountainous regions were higher than other areas. However, the lowest values in all areas for these indices were observed in consolidated paddy areas in hilly and mountainous regions. Biological interactions between butterfly communities and plants in consolidated paddy areas in the same region were qualitatively different to those in non-consolidated paddy areas.Non-consolidated paddy areas in hilly and mountainous regions were evaluated as the best of the observed habitats. In hilly and mountainous regions, proportions of housing areas were lower, and the proportions of forested areas were thus correspondingly higher. Butterfly communities and biological interactions were substantially affected by consolidation and urbanization.