Monitoring and species diversity of butterflies and day-active moths in non-crop agricultural habitats in Finland, 2001 - 2010

The data originates from national monitoring on the effects of the Finnish agri-environment support scheme (MYTVAS, see Kuussaari et al. 2004). In 2001, 2005, and 2010 in a total of 58 one km2 quadrates situated in four geographical regions in Finland were sampled using stratified random sampling. Distance between the quadrates was in most cases 10-20 km. In each 1 km2 quadrate, butterflies and moths were recorded using the 'Pollard walk' method in 20 separate 50 m long transect lines (total transect length 1 km/site). The transect lines located at least 50 m distance from each other. They were placed in open and semi-open uncultivated habitat patches, including patches of semi-natural grasslands, field margins, road verges and forest edges.

The methods are described in the following publications:

Heliölä, J. & Kuussaari, M. 2008. Perhoskantojen seuranta maatalousalueilla vuosina 2001-2006. In: Kuussaari, M., Heliölä, J., Tiainen, J., Helenius, J. (Eds.). Maatalouden ympäristötuen merkitys luonnon monimuotoisuudelle ja maisemalle. MYTVAS-loppuraportti 2000-2006 (Significance of the Finnish agri-environment support scheme for biodiversity and landscape: Final report 2000-2006, in Finnish). Suomen ympäristö 4/2008: 50-69.

Kuussaari, M., Heliölä, J., Luoto, M. & Pöyry, J. 2007. Determinants of local species richness of diurnal Lepidoptera in boreal agricultural landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 122: 366-376.

Kuussaari, M., Heliölä, J. & Luoto, M. 2004. Farmland biodiversity indicators and monitoring in Finland. In: Groom, G. (Ed.). Developments in Strategic Landscape Monitoring for the Nordic Countries. Nordic Council of Ministers. ANP 705: 28-40.

Kuussaari, M. & Heliölä, J. 2004. Perhosten monimuotoisuus eteläsuomalaisilla maatalousalueilla. In: Kuussaari, M., Tiainen, J., Helenius, J., Hietala-Koivu, R. & Heliölä, J. (Eds.). Maatalouden ympäristötuen merkitys luonnon monimuotoisuudelle ja maisemalle. MYTVAS-seurantatutkimus 2000–2003 (Significance of the Finnish agri-environment support scheme for biodiversity and landscape: Results of the MYTVAS project 2000-2003, in Finnish). Suomen ympäristö 709: 44-81.

Additional publications using the butterfly data of this project include:

Ekroos, J. & Kuussaari, M. 2011. Landscape context affects the relationship between local and landscape species richness of butterflies in semi-natural habitats. Ecography, in press.

Ekroos, J., Heliölä, J. & Kuussaari, M. 2010: Homogenization of lepidopteran communities in intensively cultivated agricultural landscapes. Journal of Applied Ecology 47:459-467.

Kivinen, S., Luoto, M., Kuussaari, M. & Helenius, J. 2006. Multi-species richness of boreal agricultural landscapes: effects of climate, habitat, soil and geographical location. Journal of Biogeography 33: 862-875.