Elevational distribution of montane Afrotropical butterflies is influenced by seasonality and habitat structure

Determinants of elevational distribution of butterfly species richness and abundance in the tropics are poorly understood. Here we assess the combined effects, both additive and interactive, of seasonality and habitat structure on the elevational distribution of butterflies in the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania. We sampled butterflies along a 1100 m elevational gradient that extended from 1540 to 2639 m using a time-constrained fixed-area method during the short to long rains and long to short rains transitions, and in habitat structure classified as closed or open. We used semi-parametric generalized linear mixed models to assess the relation between butterfly species richness or abundance, and seasonality, habitat structure, family and elevation. For all species combined, species richness declined with elevation in both open and closed habitats during the long to short rains transition. During the short to long rains transition, species richness displayed a mid-elevation peak across habitats. Among the three focal families (Nymphalidae, Papilionidae and Pieridae) similar patterns in the elevational distribution of species richness were observed. Species abundance declined or remained stable with elevation across seasons and habitat structure; the exception being species abundance in open habitat during the short to long rain transition and increased slightly with elevation. Abundance by family did not vary significantly by habitat structure or season. Our results indicate that seasonality and habitat structure shape species richness and abundance of butterflies along an elevational gradient in the Uluguru Mountains. These patterns are important for informing conservation actions because temperature as well as annual and seasonal variation in precipitation are predicted to increase in East Africa as a result of climate change, important determinants of seasonality, while habitat disturbance may increase due to a projected doubling in Tanzania’s population over the next 27 years.