Species Diversity of Butterflies in Several Habitat Types in Pondok Ambung Tanjung Puting National Park Central Kalimantan

Abstract

Tanjung Puting National Park, has megabiodiversity which still unexplorated all of them. Butterflies as part of biodiversity which still unexplorated, has important role as pollinator and with it’s wonderful colored wings has high value economically. Purposes of this study are to identified species diversity of butterflies in several habitat types and to analyze species richness, species diversity, evenness, and similarity of butterflies in every habitat types and to analyze correlation between habitat characteristics and species diversity of butterflies includes species richness, species diversity, and evenness of butterflies. This study conducted for two months from July to August 2009 in Pondok Ambung, Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, which located in eight different types of habitats included lowland forest, swamp forest, peat swamp forest, kerangas (dry-land habitat), grassland, burned forest, Camp Ambung, and nursery camp. The method used is by transect method in length 500 m, one transect for every habitat types, by method of sweeping and trapping used rambutans and watermelon as trap bait. Data collected were butterflies species, individuals per species, habitat characteristics included structure, composition, types of vegetation and physics and biotic component of habitat. Data analysis included species richness, species diversity, evenness, similarity coefficient, vegetation analysis, and correlation analysis between habitat characteristics and butterflies diversity. During the study, a total of 76 butterflies species were recorded included family of Papilionidae (11 species), Pieridae (6 species), Nymphalidae (43 species), Lycaenidae (14 species), and Hesperiidae (2 species). Species number for every type of habitat founded lowland forest 33 species, swamp forest 24 species, peat swamp forest 13 species, kerangas (dry-land habitat) 20 species, grassland 11 species, burned forest 27 species, Camp Ambung 37 species, and nursery camp 32 species. The highest for species richness is Camp Ambung and the lowest is grassland area. For species diversity the highest is lowland forest and the lowest is grassland. Types of habitat with low scale for evenness are grassland and burned forest. Types of habitat with highest scale for similarity are between Camp Ambung and nursery camp and the lowest are between peat swamp forest and grassland. There is founded a relation between habitat condition and butterflies diversity which depend on temperature and relative humidity, open area, water source, and vegetation as food plant, shelter, and cover for butterflies.