Butterfly diversity in the urban ecosystem of Karnal, Haryana, India: seasonal patterns and conservation implications

Abstract Objective This study assessed butterfly diversity within an urban educational landscape, specifically focusing on the ICAR–National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) campus in Karnal, Haryana, India. The campus provides a mosaic of ecological niches including open grasslands, lawns, agricultural plots, managed gardens, and scattered patches of trees and shrubs, which contribute to the presence of a wide range of butterfly species. Methodology Butterfly surveys were conducted from June 2023 to May 2024 using the Pollard Walk method along five fixed line transects ranging from 350 to 1000 m in length during the peak activity hours (7:00–14:00) encompassing various habitat types. Seasonal variations in butterfly species richness, abundance, and diversity were analyzed using one-way ANOVA across four seasons: summer, monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter. To identify seasonal patterns in butterfly assemblages, hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to group the seasons based on similarities in species composition. Result A total of 1,737 individual butterflies representing 38 species, 29 genera and five families were recorded. Nymphalidae was the most diverse family (11 species), followed by Lycaenidae and Pieridae (10 species each), Hesperiidae (4 species), and Papilionidae (3 species). In terms of abundance, Pieridae dominated with 587 individuals, followed by Lycaenidae (530), Nymphalidae (236), Hesperiidae (221), and Papilionidae (163). Zizeeria karsandra was the most common species, while four species were recorded as ‘unique singletons,’ each represented by a single individual. Monthly species richness exhibited bi-annual peaks in October (29 species) and April (35 species). Significant seasonal variations ( p < 0.05) were observed in species richness, population abundance and diversity, with the highest species richness recorded in summer (36) and the lowest in winter (28). Hierarchical cluster analysis among seasons, based on the Jaccard similarity index using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA), revealed a higher similarity of butterfly assemblages between the monsoon and post-monsoon season. Conclusion The study highlights significant seasonal variations in butterfly communities in an urban ecosystem, with marked differences in species richness and abundance across seasons. The occurrence of rare, legally protected, and IUCN-listed species underscores the ecological importance of urban green spaces and reinforces the need for their conservation and effective management.