Dalechampii oak (Quercus dalechampii Ten.), an important host plant for folivorous lepidoptera larvae

Abstract

We conducted a structured analysis of lepidoptera larvae taxocenoses living in leaf bearing crowns of Dalechampii oak (Quercus dalechampii Ten.) in nine study plots in the Malé Karpaty Mountains (Central Europe). The differences between lepidoptera taxocenoses in individual oak stands were analyzed. A total of 96 species and 2,140 individuals were found. Species abundance peaked in May, while number of species and species diversity reached the highest values from April to May and from April to June, respectively. Abundance showed two notable peaks in flush feeders and in late summer feeders. Lepidoptera taxocenosis in the study plot Horný háj (isolated forest, high density of ants) differed significantly from all other taxocenoses according to Sörensen’s index of species similarity, species diversity, analysis of similarity on the basis of permutation and pairwise tests (ANOSIM), seasonal variability of species composition, and NMDS ordination.