Abstract
We conducted transect and quadrat surveys of butterflies in a Satoyama woodland on Mt. Amamori, Inagawa cho, Hyogo Prefecture, central Japan from April to October in 2006, to elucidate differences in assemblage structure and species diversity of butterflies in coppices managed at different levels. In the transect survey, 204 individuals of butterflies belonging to 41 species were recorded in the whole transect, and both species richness and density were highest in the section where young Quercus acutissima trees dominated, whereas they were lowest in the section with an abandoned pine forest. In the quadrat survey, a total of 37 individuals belonging to 13 species were recorded, although most of them were recorded from 4 quadrats in coppices dominated by Q. acutissima, and few individuals were observed in quadrats in an abandoned coppice and a pine forest. In coppices, both species richness and density were higher in 2-year coppice quadrats than in 6-year ones. Our results demonstrate that both assemblage structure and species diversity of butterflies are affected by seral stages of vegetation, and traditional coppice management is effective for the conservation of species diversity of butterflies in Satoyama woodlands.
