Based on an increase in productivity and an increase in diversity in the successional
process after reforestation, it was proven that the community structure of herbivores
would also change. This research represents an investigation of the community structure
of butterflies in the Danongdafu Flatplain Forest Park in Hualien County in 2009, 2012,
and 2019 to understand the influence of plantation succession and plant species richness
on butterfly species richness, abundance, and diversity. In the 3-yr survey of 44 plots,
2364 total individuals of 101 species in 5 butterfly families were observed, among which
the Nymphalidae, Lycaenidae, and Pieridae were more abundant. The seasonally dominant
species were Jamides celeno celeno, Neptis hylas luculenta, Ypthima baldus zodina,
and Pieris rapae crucivora. Since this area was reforested in 2002, the species richness
and abundance of butterflies have continued to increase after 7, 10, and 17 years, but the
diversity showed only slight seasonal fluctuations. Butterfly abundances were affected
by the species richness of plantation tree species, but the butterfly species richness was
less affected. Butterfly species richness and abundance were both affected by the species
richness of ground cover plants of the forest. A significant positive relationship was also
found between the species richness of ground cover plants and that of plantation tree species.
These results showed that the species richness of plantation tree species may have
less influence on the butterfly species richness than the species richness of ground cover
plants. Comparing a monoculture plantation with a multi-species mixed tree plantation,
the latter increased the associated plant species richness, and also increased the butterfly
species richness.