US EPA

5525355 

Journal Article 

The Influence of Agricultural and Forest Landscapes on the Diversity of Lepidoptera 

Silva-Brandao, KL; Ribeiro, DB; de Brito, MM; Arab Olavarrieta, AJ; Freitas, AVL 

2016 

190-205 

WOS:000473684300013 

Lepidoptera is one of the most diverse groups of insects in the neotropics. It has been thoroughly used as model in several areas of Biology, with special interest in studies of evolution and interactions with larval host plants. Although a huge body of information is available for host plant use for lepidopterans, the influence of crop plants in Brazilian agroecosystems conditions on the evolution and diversification of populations is still reduced. This chapter presents current available data on genetic diversity of moths of economic interest in Brazilian conditions, with special discussion on the role of cultivated and wild host plants surrounding crops systems affecting the genetic structure of populations. The role of host plants, including important crops in Brazil, will also be presented in the discussion on Ecological Speciation in Lepidoptera, with information about what it is been done on this subject in Brazilian agroecosystems aiming the application on Integrated Pest Management. How the information gathered with model pest insects on Ecological Speciation due to host plant use can be used to understand speciation mechanisms on wild herbivorous insects will also be discussed. The third main discussion will focus on how the surrounding vegetation formed by contact zone between pastures and secondary forests influence the structure of butterfly assemblages and determine richness and abundance of groups, and how these studies can offer broader understanding of patterns of distribution of butterflies in fragmented landscapes.