Investigating the effects of fragmentation and environmental change on tropical montane butterflies and moths

Deforestation is a major threat to biodiversity in South-East Asia where more than 14% of forest cover was lost in the last decade [1]. Combined with climate change, which is expected to rise by 6C in Asia by the turn of the century, montane species are facing an unprecedented risk of extinction [2].
There are fewer than 50 articles published globally on the impacts of habitat degradation on tropical montane insects [3]. Given that montane forests in Peninsular Malaysia have been rapidly depleted due to agricultural expansion, assessing the impact of deforestation and fragmentation on montane biodiversity is imperative. Further, montane forests are the last refuges for many vulnerable species since most lowland forests are cleared. These forests are essential for maintaining habitat connectivity and gene flow across the peninsular and between the highlands and lowlands. However, little research has attempted to assess how the insect communities respond to the deterioration of montane forests in Peninsular Malaysia. Here, we focus on butterflies and moths as they play a crucial ecological role as pollinators.
This project will combine well established ecological research methods with molecular analysis to assess the butterfly and moth diversity, distribution, genomic diversity and gene flow across multiple montane forest sites with varying levels of disturbance and fragmentation. The outcome of this project will provide the scientific basis to inform conservation management and mitigation in insect biodiversity hotspots.