Butterflies as bioindicators of environmental quality: A review of their contribution to ecosystem assessment and conservation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60923/issn.2281-4485/25881Keywords:
Biodiversity conservation, Biomonitoring, Ecological integrity, Environmental monitoring;, LepidopteraAbstract
Assessing environmental quality is a major challenge for ecosystem conservation and the development of effective environmental management strategies. In this context, bioindicators provide valuable tools for detecting and interpreting ecological changes resulting from both anthropogenic pressures and natural processes, offering an integrated assessment of ecosystem condition. This review aimed to analyse the contribution of butterflies as bioindicators of environmental quality, highlighting their applications in ecosystem assessment, environmental monitoring, and biodiversity conservation. The review was based on peer-reviewed scientific articles, books, and institutional reports addressing bioindicators, butterfly ecology, environmental monitoring, and ecosystem assessment. The evidence indicates that butterflies exhibit high sensitivity to habitat fragmentation, land-use change, pollution, and climate change, making them reliable indicators of ecological integrity and ecosystem condition. Their biological characteristics and ecological responses support a wide range of applications, including biodiversity monitoring, habitat assessment, ecological restoration, and conservation planning. The review also proposes the Butterfly-Based Environmental Quality Assessment Framework (BEQAF), a conceptual framework that integrates environmental pressures, butterfly community responses, ecological indicators, and their applications in ecosystem assessment and biodiversity conservation. Overall, the evidence reviewed indicates that butterflies represent effective bioindicators for supporting evidence-based environmental management and promoting biodiversity conservation.
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