Non-native plants provide nectar and host plant resources to native butterflies

Sze Huei Yek and Zhi hoong wong and Pei wen hon (2024) Non-native plants provide nectar and host plant resources to native butterflies. Journal Of Tropical Biology And Conservation, 21. pp. 1-8. ISSN 1823-3920

Text FULL TEXT.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Urban restoration projects often aim to completely remove non-native plant species from the restored landscape and replace them with native plant species. However, this is unrealistic as early successional plants in urban settings comprise predominantly of non-native plant species. In this study, we investigate whether native butterfly species showed a preference on using native versus non-native plant species in their nectar sourcing and caterpillar host plant choice in two urban gardens at Monash University Malaysia. Native butterflies significantly preferred non-native plant species as nectar food plants, suggesting butterflies are generalists in nectar sourcing. Native butterflies showed no preference towards non-native plants as caterpillar host plants. However, six native butterfly species in our study (Zizula hylax, Hypolycaena erylus, Chliaria othona, Junonia orithya, Yppthima spp., and Eurema hecabe) can use non-native plants as their caterpillar host plants. This demonstrates the usefulness of these non-native plant species in an urban garden by maintaining native butterfly biodiversity. This study indicates a paradigm shift is required among urban ecologists to recognize that not all non-native plants have negative impacts on biodiversity. For more effective urban restoration planning and management, further research emphasising how native insects use non-native plant species is required to maximise biodiversity and ecosystem services restoration.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	non-native species; nectar food plants; caterpillar host plants; Zizula hylax; Lantana camara; Acraea terpsicore.
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA1-939 Mathematics Q Science > QL Zoology > QL1-991 Zoology > QL360-599.82 Invertebrates > QL461-599.82 Insects
Department:	INSTITUTE > Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Depositing User:	ABDULLAH BIN SABUDIN -
Date Deposited:	18 Dec 2024 15:36
Last Modified:	18 Dec 2024 15:36
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/42338

Actions (login required)

View Item