Community Turnover and Species Diversity of Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocerathe Paneki River Riparian Zone, Pombewe Village, Sigi Biromaru District

Abstract

The Paneki River riparian zone is a habitat that strongly supports the life cycle of butterflies. As a group of insects that are sensitive to environmental changes, butterflies have the potential to serve as bioindicators of riparian habitat quality. However, environmental changes inevitably occur over time and may affect butterfly community composition and diversity. This study aimed to determine butterfly species richness and diversity and to estimate the magnitude 
of biodiversity loss and gain in the Paneki River riparian zone. Data were collected using a transect walk method combined with butterfly capture using insect nets. Data analysis included species richness, the Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H'), the evenness index (E), the Margalef species richness index (Dmg), biodiversity loss and gain analysis were assessed through a temporal comparison of butterfly species composition between the current survey (2025) and a previous study conducted (2024) at the same study site. Species loss represented previously recorded species that were no longer detected, whereas species gain represented newly recorded species in the current survey, providing an estimate of community turnover over time. The results recorded 35 butterfly species belonging to five families: Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, and Hesperiidae. The diversity index (H' = 3.05), evenness index (E = 0.85), and species richness index (Dmg = 7.57) indicate that the Paneki River riparian habitat continues to support a diverse and relatively stable butterfly community. Species loss of 36.84% and species gain of 45.61% indicate a high butterfly community turnover, suggesting changes in species composition between the previous (2024) and current (2025) sampling periods in the Paneki River riparian habitat.