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From Inventories to Insights: Environmental Gradients Structuring Macro-Moths Assemblages Recorded in Nature
Zuzana Kubincová1, Zdeněk Faltýnek Fric2,3, Radek Hejda4
1Department of Biology, Geosciences and Environmental Education, Faculty of Education University of West Bohemia Pilsen Czech Republic.
Ecology and Evolution
|June 10, 2026
Summary
Biodiversity inventories in Czech nature reserves reveal macro-moth patterns. Reserve characteristics like altitude and habitat influence moth species richness and composition, aiding conservation efforts.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Entomology
Background:
- Biodiversity inventories are crucial for conservation, but patterns in hyper-diverse insect groups like macro-moths (Lepidoptera) are often underexplored.
- Understanding factors influencing species richness and community composition is vital for effective reserve management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze macro-moth inventories from 292 Czech nature reserves to identify ecological patterns.
- To examine how reserve characteristics and species traits influence moth species richness and assemblage composition.
Main Methods:
- Collated and analyzed macro-moth inventory data from 292 nature reserves.
- Investigated relationships between species richness, assemblage composition, and environmental factors (altitude, habitat, geography) and species traits.
Main Results:
- Species richness increased with elevational scope and was highest in steppe and mesic grassland reserves.
- Reserve altitude, elevational scope, and geographic position significantly affected moth assemblage composition.
- Low-altitude reserves hosted larger moths with multiple generations; high-altitude reserves hosted species with fewer generations and broader habitat ranges. Regional biogeography influenced specialist species.
Conclusions:
- Heterogeneous biodiversity data, even from amateur lepidopterists, can reveal consistent ecological patterns when analyzed through species traits.
- Findings support informed reserve management strategies and identification of key habitats for conservation of macro-moths.
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