The objective of this study was to investigate the diversity of fireflies and the mating behavior of Luciola anceyi in Guanziling, Tainan. The field study was carried out from September 2010 to April 2012. The nocturnal survey of number of individuals and species of firefly was within one hour after sunset weekly in two transects, Jiulongshan 1 (JS1) and Shiya valley (SV). The diurnal firefly survey was from 2011 March to May once for every two weeks in these two transects. In addition, vegetation species and layers was recorded in these two transects during winter and spring. The sex ratio, population size and mating behavior of L. anceyi were studied in three transects (Jiulongshan 2, Jiulongshan 3 and Dadongshan) with mark-recapture and digital video camera.
Total 6 genus and 14 species of firefly were found in JS1 and SV, Guanziling from September 2010 to December 2011. The maximum number of firefly species reached its peak of 8 in May and June in Guanziling, but no adult firefly was found in January, February and September. Four species of fireflies were found active during daytime, including Drilaster olivieri, Pyrocoelia formosana, Vesta scutellonigra and L. anceyi . The Shannon-Wiener¡¦s diversity index and evenness of nocturnal fireflies were both highest in summer, significantly higher than those from other seasons (Tukey's HSD, P¡Õ0.05). During spring and summer, 12 species of firefly species were recorded but only 4 species was recorded during autumn and winter.
In 2011, Luciola cerata was the most dominant species in firefly community in Guanziling, accounted for 68.21%. The second comeon one was Luciola praeusta (9.48 %), followed by Luciola anceyi (6.42%), Curtos mundulus (5.92%), Diaphanes citrinus (4.47%), and Pyrocoelia praetexta (3.29%). The highest average density within one hour after sunset of L. cerata was from April to May (22.77/ 100 m2 and 15.54/ 100 m2 in JS1 and 6.07/ 100 m2 and 5.91/ 100 m2 in SV). The number of L. cerata was positively correlated with temperature in SV (P¡Õ0.05), but the number of L. anceyi was negatively correlated with relative humidity in SV (P¡Õ0.001). The number of L. praeusta was positively correlated with temperature of these two transects (P¡Õ0.05), and C. mundulus was positively correlated with temperature and relative humidity (P¡Õ0.05) in SV. But the number of D. citrinus and P. praetexta were neither correlated with temperature nor relative humidity from these two transects (P¡Ö0.05).
Vegetation stratification in SV was more complex than in JS1, and firefly communities were influenced by plant stratification. The relative frequency of plant layer was the highest in two layers of shrub and herb (winter¡G31.82%¡Fspring¡G33.64%) and three layers of tree, shrub and herb (winter¡G30.91%¡Fspring¡G34.55%) among seven layers of plants in SV. On the other hand, The relative frequency was the highest in the single herb layer in JS1 (winter¡G47.50%¡Fspring¡G48.75 %), and lacking herb layer, two layers of tree and shrub and three layers of tree, shrub and herb. L. cerata prefers to appear in the grasslands of JS1, and D. citrinus and P. praetexta prefer to appear in the habitat with complex vegetation in SV.
The courtship and copulation behavior of L. anceyi were recorded during daytime as well as nighttime. The number of adult male L. anceyi captured during daytime flying was significantly higher than adult female captured (P¡Õ0.05). During nighttime, the recapture rate of marked adult males of L. anceyi was twice that of adult females (15.94 % versus 8.55 %). It indicates that the adult L. anceyi appears to be active in the daytime and nighttime in the same area. The mating behavior of L. anceyi occurrs both day and night, therefore, male L. anceyi most likely uses chemical signals to find mates during day time. The mating pattern of L. anceyi is not corresponded with any sexual communication systems known for fireflies. Therefore it can be regarded as a new type of activity and sexual communication systems for fireflies.
Although Guanziling area is influenced by long-term cultivation and over development, the quantity and species number of fireflies are plentiful and fireflies occur in all four seasons. Therefore Guanziling has the potential for developing ecotourism and firefly-watch. However, firefly-watch can also increase the damage to the environment. How to appropriately develop ecotourism without destroying the habitat may become the challenge and test for the goal of sustainable management. Finally, the results of this study can provide useful information for habitat conservation and management of fireflies in Guanziling.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NSYSU/oai:NSYSU:etd-0809112-125438 |
| Date | 09 August 2012 |
| Creators | Jheng, You-Cheng |
| Contributors | Wen-Be Hwang, Minna J. Hsu, Ming-Luen Jeng |
| Publisher | NSYSU |
| Source Sets | NSYSU Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive |
| Language | Cholon |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lib.nsysu.edu.tw/ETD-db/ETD-search/view_etd?URN=etd-0809112-125438 |
| Rights | user_define, Copyright information available at source archive |
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