DOI: 10.5061/dryad.1c59zw497
title: Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on butterfly assemblages within undisturbed landscape matrix

description: The global decline of insects in general and pollinators in particular
 poses a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
 Butterflies serve as sensitive indicators of environmental changes due to
 their specific habitat requirements and rapid responses to ecosystem
 alterations. Available studies are mostly devoted to analyzing the effect
 of anthropogenic disturbance on abundance and diversity of butterflies
 within disturbed landscape matrices. In this study, we investigated how
 disturbances influenced butterfly populations within an undisturbed
 landscape matrix usually overlooked in the literature. Eighteen sites were
 monitored biweekly from May to September over three years (2022–2024)
 using standardized visual counts along 500 m long transects. Grazing
 intensity and the surface of human-disturbed lands were used as a measure
 of disturbance at local and landscape scales. A total of 16,017
 individuals and 78 species were recorded. No significant differences in
 species richness or abundance were observed across the land use types, but
 analyses showed distinct species compositions between cultivated sites and
 grasslands. Butterfly community compositions were mainly influenced by
 structural habitat characteristics rather than land use. Low grazing
 intensity and the presence of forests in the surroundings positively
 influenced abundance and species richness of butterflies. Within an
 undisturbed landscape matrix, cultivations play a different ecological
 role than in disturbed landscape matrix increasing landscape heterogeneity
 and butterfly diversity and hosting ecotonal communities. Anyway,
 disturbed land use types inhabit impoverished butterfly communities
 compared to semi-natural ones in which the presence of protected species
 further emphasizes their critical role for conservation. 
description: # Effects of anthropogenic disturbances on butterfly assemblages within
 undisturbed landscape matrix Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.1c59zw497](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1c59zw497) ##
 Description of the data and file structure This dataset contains
 observational data on pollinator Lepidoptera collected during the project
 “Monitoraggio dei lepidotteri impollinatori nel Parco Nazionale della
 Sila” (LEPIPARK). The data were gathered across multiple transects in the
 Sila National Park, Calabria, South Italy, documenting species occurrences
 and abundance in different habitats. Eighteen sites were monitored
 biweekly from May to September over three years (2022–2024) using
 standardized visual counts along 500 m long transects. The study aims to
 monitor pollinator diversity and support conservation efforts in the
 region. **Overview "Transect codes" for all files:**
 (transect: A fixed 500-meter long sampling path for standardized visual
 counts of e.g. Lepidoptera. ) | Transect code | Land use | Land management
 | | :------------ | :---------- | :-------------- | | SL\_BIO\_1 |
 Cultivation | Organic | | SL\_BIO\_2 | Cultivation | Organic | |
 SL\_BIO\_3 | Cultivation | Organic | | SL\_CONV\_1 | Cultivation |
 Conventional | | SL\_CONV\_2 | Cultivation | Conventional | | SL\_CONV\_3
 | Cultivation | Conventional | | SL\_PRA\_1 | Meadow | Semi-natural | |
 SL\_PRA\_2 | Meadow | Semi-natural | | SL\_PRA\_3 | Meadow | Semi-natural
 | | SL\_PRA\_4 | Meadow | Semi-natural | | SL\_PRA\_5 | Meadow |
 Semi-natural | | SL\_PRA\_6 | Meadow | Semi-natural | | SL\_PAS\_1 |
 Pasture | Grazing | | SL\_PAS\_2 | Pasture | Grazing | | SL\_PAS\_3 |
 Pasture | Grazing | | SL\_PAS\_4 | Pasture | Grazing | | SL\_PAS\_5 |
 Pasture | Grazing | | SL\_PAS\_6 | Pasture | Grazing | 
 
 ### Files and variables #### File: cultivation_bio_vs_conv.csv
 **Description:** Comparison of conventionally and organically managed
 agricultural fields ##### Variables * transect code * category: type of
 cultivation: biological (organic) or conventional cultivation * species:
 number of species * individuals: number of indvidualsFile:
 grazing_density_dung_age.csv 
 
 #### File: grazing_density_dung_age.csv **Description:** 
 Comparison/Overview of varying grazing intensities on meadows #####
 Variables * transect code * category: grazing densities from low to
 intermediate to high density categorized by the amount of dung piles on
 the meadows * species: number of species * individuals: number of
 individuals * grazing_density_cow: number of counted cow dung piles *
 grazing_density_horse: number of counted horse dung piles *
 grazing_density_total: total number of counted dung piles  * dung_fresh:
 number of fresh dung * dung_dry: number of already dried dung piles *
 dung_old: number of old, almost rotten dung 
 
 #### File: grazing_density_dung_age_-_without_PRA6.csv **Description:**
 Comparison/Overview of varying grazing intensities on meadows (without
 transect Pra6) ##### Variables * transect code * category: grazing
 densities from low to intermediate to high density categorized by the
 amount of dung piles on the meadows * species: number of species *
 individuals: number of individuals * grazing_density_cow: number of
 counted cow dung piles * grazing_density_horse: number of counted horse
 dung piles * grazing_density_total: total number of counted dung piles  *
 dung_fresh: number of fresh dung * dung_dry: number of already dried dung
 piles * dung_old: number of old, almost rotten dung  
 
 #### File:
 transects_landuse_species_individuals_grazing_flowers_altitude.csv #####
 Variables * transect code * **category**: for meadows: grazing densities
 from low to intermediate to high density categorized by the amount of dung
 piles on the meadows; for cultivation: type of cultivation: biological
 (organic) or conventional cultivation * landuse: The investigated plots
 cover different land-use categories: conventional and organic
 cultivations, semi-natural grasslands, and meadows under intensive and
 extensive management * landuse_supra: classified sites into major land-use
 types: cultivated land, semi-natural habitats, and different managed
 meadows. * altitude: Elevation of the sampling site above sea level,
 measured in meters. * species: number of species * individuals: number of
 indviduals * flower_dens: average flowering vegetation coverage in
 %-categories: 1: &gt; 10%; 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: &gt; 50% *
 flower_height: average flowering vegetation height  in cm 
 
 #### File: surrounding_cultivation.csv **Description:** Categorized
 surrounding landscape of the transects of the cultivations within a 1 km
 radius. ##### Variables * transect_code * species: number of species *
 individuals: number of individuals * seminatural: area of seminatural land
 in m² within the surveyed plot. * pasture: grazing land area in m² within
 the surveyed plot. * forest: area covered by forest in m² within the
 surveyed plot. * waterbody: area of standing or flowing water in m² within
 the surveyed plot. * cultivation: Area of agricultural cultivated land m²
 within the surveyed plot. * orchard: area of orchards in m² within the
 surveyed plot. * urban: area occupied by buildings, roads, and other urban
 infrastructure in m² within the surveyed plot. 
 
 #### File: surrounding_pasture.csv **Description:** Categorized
 surrounding landscape of pasture transects within a 1 km radius.
 **Variables** * transect_code * species: number of species * individuals:
 number of individuals * seminatural: area of seminatural land in m² within
 the surveyed plot. * pasture: grazing land area in m² within the surveyed
 plot. * forest: area covered by forest in m² within the surveyed plot. *
 waterbody: area of standing or flowing water in m² within the surveyed
 plot. * cultivation: Area of agricultural cultivated land m² within the
 surveyed plot. * orchard: area of orchards in m² within the surveyed plot.
 * urban: area occupied by buildings, roads, and other urban infrastructure
 in m² within the surveyed plot. #### #### File:
 surrounding_seminatural.csv **Description:** Categorized surrounding
 landscape of seminatural transects within a 1 km radius. **Variables** *
 transect_code * species: number of species * individuals: number of
 individuals * seminatural: area of seminatural land in m² within the
 surveyed plot. * pasture: grazing land area in m² within the surveyed
 plot. * forest: area covered by forest in m² within the surveyed plot. *
 waterbody: area of standing or flowing water in m² within the surveyed
 plot. * cultivation: Area of agricultural cultivated land m² within the
 surveyed plot. * orchard: area of orchards in m² within the surveyed plot.
 * urban: area occupied by buildings, roads, and other urban infrastructure
 in m² within the surveyed plot. #### #### File: surrounding_total.csv
 **Description:** Categorized surrounding landscape of all transects within
 a 1 km radius. **Variables** * transect_code * species: number of species
 * individuals: number of individuals * seminatural: area of seminatural
 land in m² within the surveyed plot. * pasture: grazing land area in
 m² within the surveyed plot. * forest: area covered by forest in m² within
 the surveyed plot. * waterbody: area of standing or flowing water in m²
 within the surveyed plot. * cultivation: Area of agricultural cultivated
 land m² within the surveyed plot. * orchard: area of orchards in m² within
 the surveyed plot. * urban: area occupied by buildings, roads, and other
 urban infrastructure in m² within the surveyed plot. #### #### File:
 TOTAL_species_inventory_RAW.csv **Description:** RAW Data of the total
 Species inventory of the project of all years. The columns show the number
 of individuals of each species recorded. ##### Variables * Species: Name
 of the species  * Transect_code: * SL_Conv1_sez01: Convetional cultivated
 Transect 1 - Section 1 * SL_Conv1_sez02: Convetional cultivated Transect 1
 - Section 1 * ... * SL_Bio1_sez01: Biological cultivated Transect 1 -
 Section 1 * SL_Bio1_sez02... * ... * SL_Pra1_sez01: Seminatural Transect 1
 - Section 1 * ... * SL_Pas1_sez01: Pasture Transect 1 - Section 1 * ... *
 species_number: Number of species * individuals_number: number of
 individuals 
 
 #### File: grazing_dung_data_RAW.csv **Description:** RAW Data of grazing
 density by numbers of counted dung piles of COWs (left side) and HORSEs
 (right side) categorized by their consistence on the respective dates
 ##### Variables * Transect_code * fresh: number of fresh dung *
 dry: number of already dried dung piles * old: number of old, almost
 rotten dung  * TOTAL: total number of dung piles 
 
 #### File: vegetation_layer_per_transect_RAW.csv
 **Description:** Vegetation layers directly along the transect (in
 meters), categorized into herbs, trees, shrubs, and agricultural
 vegetation. These layers were detected and measured using aerial imagery.
 ##### Variables * transect_code * herbs_in_m: Length (in meters) of
 herbaceous vegetation along the transect. * shrubs_in_m: Length (in
 meters) of shrub vegetation along the transect. * trees_in_m: Length (in
 meters) of tree cover along the transect. * acgriculture_in_m: Length (in
 meters) of agricultural land along the transect. 
 
 #### File: vegetation_parameter_RAW_2024.csv **Description:** RAW data of
 the vegetation and environmental conditions, including the corresponding
 date, of the monitoring year 2024. **Notes on table structure:** Each row
 in the table represents vegetation parameter measurements along transects
 of 10 sections × 50 m. Rows with empty cells in the first column indicate
 data collected from individual sections within a single transect. This
 structure applies to the following parameters: * height__vegetation(cm) *
 height__flowers(cm) * flower_coverage(%) * shrubs_coverage(%) *
 trees_coverage(%) ##### Variables * Parameter: vegetation parameters and
 environmental conditions * transect_code * Date: recording date * clouds
 (%): cloud coverage in %  * Temperature (°C): temperature in °C * Wind
 (direction): Wind direction * Wind (intensity): Wind intensity in
 categories: 0: no wind; 1: light air; 2: light breeze; 3: gentle breeze;
 4: moderate breeze; 5: fresh breeze. * height\_ vegetation(cm): vegetation
 height  in cm * height\_ flowers(cm): flowering vegetation height  in cm *
 flower_coverage(%): flowering herbal vegetation coverage in %-categories:
 1: &gt; 10%; 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: &gt; 50% * shrubs_coverage(%):
 coverage of flowering shrubs on the transect in %-categories: 1: &gt; 10%;
 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: &gt; 50% * tree_coverage(%): coverage of
 flowering trees on the transect in %-categories: 1: &gt; 10%; 2: 11-30%;
 3: 31-50%; 4: &gt; 50% 
 
 #### File: vegetation_parameters_RAW_final.csv **Description:** RAW data
 of the vegetation parameters flowering vegetation height (in cm) and the
 flower coverage (in % categories) of all monitoring years (2022, 2023,
 2024). The data are divided by the individual years, including the
 corresponding date and a calculated average value. ##### Variables * Year:
 Monitoring year * transect_code * date: recording date *
 flower_cover(%): flowering herbal vegetation coverage in %-categories: 1:
 &gt; 10%; 2: 11-30%; 3: 31-50%; 4: &gt; 50% * HEIGHT_in_cm: flowering
 vegetation height  in cm * TOT.AVERAGE: Average values of the regarding
 year * all_year_average: average values of all years * 2023+2024: average
 values of all years 
 
 #### File: nestedness_matrix_total.csv **Description:** Matrix of species
 occurrences across sites used for the nestedness analysis. Each cell
 indicates the presence or absence of a given species at the specific
 landuse type **Variables** * landuse: the transects categorized into the
 three landuse types: cultivation, seminatural and pasture * species names:
 names of the species 
 
 ## Code/software The data files are provided in CSV format , Raw data as
 XLS and can be opened with any standard spreadsheet software such as
 Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or Google Sheets. For more advanced
 analysis, open-source programming languages such as **R** (version 4.2.0
 or later) or **Python** (version 3.8 or later) can be used. R: package
 stats, vegan, indicspecies ## Access information **Other publicly
 accessible locations of the data:**\ No other public repositories host
 this dataset besides Dryad. **Data was derived from the following
 sources:**\ The data were collected directly during the project; no
 external data sources were used.