This readme.txt file was generated on 2023-08-07 by Julia Leone Recommended citation for the data: Leone, Julia B; Larson, Diane L; Richards, Anna E; Schatz, Jon; Andersen, Alan N. (2023). Data for fire regime shapes butterfly communities through changes in nectar resources in an Australian tropical savanna, 2019-2020. Retrieved from the Data Repository for the University of Minnesota. http://doi.org/10.13020/9hs4-t089. ------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION ------------------- 1. Title of Dataset: Data for fire regime shapes butterfly communities through changes in nectar resources in an Australian tropical savanna, 2019-2020 2. Author Information Author Contact: Julia B Leone (jleone@fmr.org) Name: Julia B Leone Institution: Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA Email: jleone@fmr.org; leone050@umn.edu ORCID: 0000-0002-2903-7275 Name: Diane L Larson Institution: U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, St. Paul, Minnesota Email: larso268@umn.edu ORCID: 0000-0001-5202-0634 Name: Anna E Richards Institution: CSIRO Land and Water, 564 Vanderlin Drive, Berrimah, Northern Territory, 0828, Australia Email: anna.richards@csiro.au ORCID: 0000-0002-2934-5497 Name: Jon Schatz Institution: CSIRO Land and Water, 564 Vanderlin Drive, Berrimah, Northern Territory, 0828, Australia Email: Jon.Schatz@csiro.au ORCID: 0000-0002-0554-8660 Name: Alan N Andersen Institution: Research Institute for the Environment & Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, 0810, Australia Email: alan.andersen@cdu.edu.au ORCID: 0000-0003-1487-3323 3. Date published or finalized for release: 2023-08-03 4. Date of data collection (single date, range, approximate date): 2019-11 to 2020-06 5. Geographic location of data collection (where was data collected?): Territory Wildlife Park (TWP; 12º41′42″S, 130º58′50″E) fire experiment plots located ~ 40 km southwest of Darwin in the Northern Territory, AU. 6. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide Fellowship National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship University of Minnesota Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology Wally Dayton Wildlife Research Fellowship 7. Overview of the data (abstract): We studied responses of butterflies, vegetation structure, and floral resources to fire regime at a long-term fire experiment near Darwin in the Australian tropical savanna. This dataset consists of data collected during the 2019/2020 wet season at 18 1-ha plots in three blocks, where each block contains six randomly assigned fire treatments. We measured butterfly, vegetation structure, and floral resources data, and collected fire regime data. These data are associated with Leone et al. (2023). Fire regime shapes butterfly communities through changes in nectar resources in an Australian tropical savanna. Ecosphere. Along with its associated paper, we hope these data will provide helpful information for those working in fire management, butterfly conservation, and biodiversity conservation more broadly. Citation: Leone et al. (2023). Under review. -------------------------- SHARING/ACCESS INFORMATION -------------------------- 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: CC0 1.0 Universal (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) 2. Links to publications that cite or use the data: No DOI yet, in publication. Journal will provide DOI upon publication, once data is accessible. 3. Was data derived from another source? No If yes, list source(s): 4. Terms of Use: Data Repository for the U of Minnesota (DRUM) By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. https://conservancy.umn.edu/pages/drum/policies/#terms-of-use --------------------- DATA & FILE OVERVIEW --------------------- 1. File List Filename: FireTreatmentPlotData_Leone.csv Short description: Data from each of 18 1-ha experimental fire treatment plots, including fire treatment data such as fire frequency and season, as well as butterfly, flower, and host plant data. Filename: VegQuadratData_Leone.csv Short description: Data from 9 m² vegetation quadrats within experimental fire treatment plots. Each fire treatment plot contained nine fixed vegetation quadrats as well as vegetation quadrats centered at each butterfly observation. Fixed vegetation quadrats were surveyed three times during the study for vegetation structure and floral resources. Filename: NMDSData_Leone.csv Short description: Data used to visualize butterfly communities under different fire regimes in response to floral and vegetation characteristics using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). 2. Relationship between files: All data were collected during the same surveys in 2019 and 2020 at Territory Wildlife Park outside of Darwin, Northern Territory, AU. -------------------------- METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION -------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: Butterfly, vegetation, and flower surveys were conducted between November 2019 and March 2020 in 18 1-ha fire treatment plots at Territory Wildlife Park. Additional host plant surveys were conducted in June 2020. Butterflies were surveyed four times along three 80 x 3 m transects in each fire treatment plot using a modified Pollard walk. Vegetation structure, ground cover, and flower abunrance and species richness were surveyed three times in nine 3 x 3 m fixed quadrats within each fire treatment plot and in 3 x 3 m quadrats where each observed butterfly was recorded (butterfly-centered quadrats). Eight host plant species associated with observed butterflies were surveyed once in 30 2 x 2 m quadrats and three 90 m transects within each fire treatment plot in June 2020. 2. Methods for processing the data: Simpson’s flower Diversity (D1), Dominance (D2), and Evenness (E) were calculated for treatment plot level (n=18), using only fixed quadrat data. See equation 1 for definitions of D1 and D2. Equation 1: D1 = 1-∑P_i^2 and D2 = 1⁄∑ P_i^2 where pi is the proportion of individuals belonging to species i (Morris et al., 2014). Evenness is calculated from Simpson’s Dominance and species richness (S); E = D2/S. Citation: Morris, E.K., Caruso, T., Buscot, F., Fischer, M., Hancock, C., Maier, T.S., Meiners, T., Müller, C., Obermaier, E., Prati, D., Socher, S.A., Sonnemann, I., Wäschke, N., Wubet, T., Wurst, S., Rillig, M.C., 2014. Choosing and using diversity indices: insights for ecological applications from the German Biodiversity Exploratories. Ecol. Evol. 4, 3514–24. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1155 3. Instrument- or software-specific information needed to interpret the data: MySQL and R Studio were used data curation and interpretation. 4. Standards and calibration information, if appropriate: NA 5. Environmental/experimental conditions: Research was conducted between November 2019 and March 2020. Butterflies were surveyed when weather was clear and calm. 6. Describe any quality-assurance procedures performed on the data: Data were cleaned and checked for errors in MySQL and outliers in R. 7. People involved with sample collection, processing, analysis and/or submission: In addition to the authors of this dataset, Lenkala Vamshidhar Reddy and Shania Wilson helped collected and manage data, Graham Brown provided butterfly natural history and specimen identification assistance, Brian Aukema provided statistical guidance, Alex Leone provided programming and data management guidance, Sarah Hirst provided access to the Northern Territory Herbarium and plant identification assistance, and Shael Martin and others at the Territory Wildlife Park provided site and management history. ----------------------------------------- DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: FireTreatmentPlotData_Leone.csv ----------------------------------------- 1. Number of variables: 40 2. Number of cases/rows: 18 3. Missing data codes: NA not applicable 4. Variable List A. Name: PlotID Description: Letters refer to the block (A, B, C) and numbers to the plot number within each block (1-6). B. Name: Block Description: The letters, A, B, and C, refer to the experimental block. There are three blocks of six replicated plots within the experimental design. C. Name: MgmtFreq Description: The frequency of prescribed fire at each plot; every 1, 2, 3, or 5 years, or NA for unburned plots that have no fire frequency. D. Name: MgmtSeason Description: The season during which prescribed fire occurs in each plot; Early-dry season burns occur in early June (E), late-dry season burns occur in October (L), or plots are unburned (U). E. Name: Burned2019 Description: Experimental plots that were burned in 2019 are indicated with a "1", plots that were not are indicated with a "0." F. Name: XBurned Description: The number of times the experimental plot was burned since the fire experiment was established in 2004. G. Name: TimeSinceLastBurn Description: The number of years since the experimental plot was burned. H. Name: ButterflyAbundance Description: The total number of butterfly individuals recorded within a given fire experiment plot. I. Name: ButterflySpeciesRichness Description: The total number of butterfly species recorded within a given fire experiment plot. J. Name: ButterflySimpsonsDiversity Description: Calculated as: D1 = 1-∑P_i^2 where p_i is the proportion of individuals belonging to butterfly species i. K. Name: ButterflySimpsonsDominance Description: Calculated as: D2 = 1⁄∑ P_i^2 where p_i is the proportion of individuals belonging to butterfly species i. L. Name: ButterflySimpsonsEvenness Description: Calculated as: E = D2/S where D2 is Simpsons butterfly dominance and S is butterfly species richness. M. Name: FlowerAbundance Description: The total number of flowers in bloom recorded within all fixed vegetation 1x1m quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. N. Name: BFlowerAbundance Description: The total number of flowers in bloom recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. O. Name: FlowerSpeciesRichness Description: The total number of flower species in bloom recorded within all fixed vegetation 1x1m quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. P. Name: BFlowerSpeciesRichness Description: The total number of flower species in bloom recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. Q. Name: FlowerSimpsonsDiversity Description: Calculated as: D1 = 1-∑P_i^2 where p_i is the proportion of individuals belonging to flower species i from all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. R. Name: BFlowerSimpsonsDiversity Description: Calculated as: D1 = 1-∑P_i^2 where p_i is the proportion of individuals belonging to flower species i from all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. S. Name: FlowerSimpsonsDominance Description: Calculated as: D2 = 1⁄∑ P_i^2 where p_i is the proportion of individuals belonging to flower species i from all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. T. Name: BFlowerSimpsonsDominance Description: Calculated as: D2 = 1⁄∑ P_i^2 where p_i is the proportion of individuals belonging to flower species i from all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. U. Name: FlowerSimpsonsEvenness Description: Calculated as: E = D2/S where D2 is Simpsons flower dominance and S is flower species richness from all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. V. Name: BFlowerSimpsonsEvenness Description: Calculated as: E = D2/S where D2 is Simpsons flower dominance and S is flower species richness from all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. W. Name: AvgPctLitter Description: The average percent of litter cover recorded within all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. X. Name: BAvgPctLitter Description: The average percent of litter cover recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. Y. Name: AvgPctBasalArea Description: The average percent of basal area cover recorded within all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. Z. Name: BAvgPctBasalArea Description: The average percent of basal area cover recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. AA. Name: AvgPctLowShrub Description: The average percent cover of low shrubs (<1 m) recorded within all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. AB. Name: BAvgPctLowShrub Description: The average percent cover of low shrubs (<1 m) recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. AC. Name: AvgPctMidShrub Description: The average percent cover of medium height shrubs (2-3 m) recorded within all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. AD. Name: BAvgPctMidShrub Description: The average percent cover of medium height shrubs (2-3 m) recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. AE. Name: AvgPctProjectedFoliage Description: The average percent projected foliage cover recorded within all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. AF. Name: BAvgPctProjectedFoliage Description: The average percent projected foliage cover recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. AG. Name: AvgPctStandingDeadWoody Description: The average percent standing dead woody cover recorded within all fixed 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. AH. Name: BAvgPctStandingDeadWoody Description: The average percent standing dead woody cover recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats established around a butterfly observation within a given fire experiment plot. AI. Name: TepsppFrequency Description: The frequency of Tephrosia speices was calulated as the number of 2 x 2 m host plant quadrats in which the host plant was observed in a given fire treatment plot divided by the total number of host plant quadrats surveyed per treatment plot (30). AJ. Name: TepsppPresence Description: A "1" is denoted where Tephrosia speices were observed during host plant surveys in a given fire experiment plot. Where Tephrosia species were not observed, a "0" is denoted. AK. Name: ViglanPresence Description: A "1" is denoted where Vigna speices were observed during host plant surveys in a given fire experiment plot. Where Vigna species were not observed, a "0" is denoted. AL. Name: BrecerPresence Description: A "1" is denoted where Breynia cernua was observed during host plant surveys in a given fire experiment plot. Where Breynia cernua was not observed, a "0" is denoted. AM. Name: HettriFrequency Description: The frequency of Heteropogon triticeus was calulated as the number of 2 x 2 m host plant quadrats in which the host plant was observed in a given fire treatment plot divided by the total number of host plant quadrats surveyed per treatment plot (30). AN. Name: HettriPresence Description: A "1" is denoted where Heteropogon triticeus was observed during host plant surveys in a given fire experiment plot. Where Heteropogon triticeus was not observed, a "0" is denoted. AO. Name: SorintFrequency Description: The frequency of Sorghum intrans was calulated as the number of 2 x 2 m host plant quadrats in which the host plant was observed in a given fire treatment plot divided by the total number of host plant quadrats surveyed per treatment plot (30). AP. Name: SorintPresence Description: A "1" is denoted where Sorghum intrans was observed during host plant surveys in a given fire experiment plot. Where Sorghum intrans was not observed, a "0" is denoted. AQ. Name: ThetriPresence Description: A "1" is denoted where Themeda triandra was observed during host plant surveys in a given fire experiment plot. Where Themeda triandra was not observed, a "0" is denoted. AR. Name: EurhecAbundance Description: The number of butterfly species Eurema hecabe recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AS. Name: FamnisAbundance Description: The number of butterfly species Famegana nisa recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AT. Name: MycperAbundance Description: The number of butterfly species Mycalesis perseus recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AU. Name: ToxxipAbundance Description: The number of butterfly species Toxidia xiphiphora recorded within a given fire experiment plot. ----------------------------------------- DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: VegQuadratData_Leone.csv ----------------------------------------- 1. Number of variables: 22 2. Number of cases/rows: 609 3. Missing data codes: NA Not applicable NULL Not recorded 4. Variable List A. Name: VegSurvey Description: A unique number for each vegetation quadrat survey. B. Name: Block Description: The letters, A, B, and C, refer to the experimental block. There are three blocks of six replicated plots within the experimental design. C. Name: TreatmentPlotID Description: Letters refer to the block (A, B, C) and numbers to the plot number within each block (1-6). D. Name: VegPlotID Description: A unique identifier for each vegetation quadrat. Identifiers that begin with a "V" denote fixed vegetation quadrats returned to during every survey round. Identifiers that begin with a "B" denote vegetation quadrats centered on butterfly observations and surveyed at the time of these observations. E. Name: SurveyRound Description: The numbers refer to the survey round during which observations were made. Three rounds of surveying occurred during the study, the first from November 5-15, 2019, the second from December 3-13, 2019, and the third from January 29-February 14, 2020. F. Name: Day Description: The day of the month on which observations took place. G. Name: Month Description: The month during which observations took place. H. Name: Year Description: The year during which observations took place. I. Name: PctLitter Description: The percent of litter cover recorded during a given 1x1m vegetation quadrat survey. J. Name: PctBasalArea Description: The percent of basal area cover recorded during a given 1x1m vegetation quadrat survey. K. Name: LowShrub Description: The percent of low shrub (<1 m) cover recorded during a given 1x1m vegetation quadrat survey. L. Name: MidShrub Description: The percent of mid shrub (2-3 m) cover recorded during a given 1x1m vegetation quadrat survey. M. Name: ProjectedFoliage Description: The percent of projected foliage cover recorded during a given 1x1m vegetation quadrat survey. N. Name: StandingDeadWoody Description: The percent of standing dead woody cover recorded during a given 1x1m vegetation quadrat survey. O. Name: MgmtFreq Description: The frequency of prescribed fire at each plot; every 1, 2, 3, or 5 years, or NA for unburned plots that have no fire frequency. P. Name: MgmtSeason Description: The season during which prescribed fire occurs in each plot; Early-dry season burns occur in early June (E), late-dry season burns occur in October (L), or plots are unburned (U). Q. Name: Burned2019 Description: Quadrats within experimental plots that were burned in 2019 are indicated with a "1", sites that were not are indicated with a "0." R. Name: XBurned Description: The number of times the experimental plot containing a given quadrat was burned since the fire experiment was established in 2004. S. Name: TimeSinceLastBurn Description: The number of years since the experimental plot containing a given quadrat was burned. T. Name: PlotType Description: A "V" denotes fixed vegetation quadrats that were returned to during every survey round. A "B" denotes vegetation quadrats centered on butterfly observations that were surveyed at the time of these observations. U. Name: FlowerAbundance Description: The number of flowers in bloom recorded during a given 1x1m vegetation quadrat survey. V. Name: FlowerSpeciesRichness Description: The number of flower species in bloom recorded during a given 1x1m vegetation quadrat survey. ----------------------------------------- DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: NMDSData_Leone.csv ----------------------------------------- 1. Number of variables: 35 2. Number of cases/rows: 19 3. Missing data codes: NA Not applicable or no data available 4. Variable List A. Name: PlotID Description: Unique identifier for each of 18 1-ha experimental plots. The first two characters refer to the season (E=early dry-season fire, L=late-dry season fire, U=unburned) and frequency (every 1, 2, 3, 5 years) of prescribed fire. The final letters, A, B, and C, refer to the experimental block. There are three blocks of six replicated plots within the experimental design. B. Name: MgmtFreq Description: The frequency of prescribed fire at each plot; every 1, 2, 3, or 5 years, or NA for unburned plots that have no fire frequency. C. Name: MgmtSeason Description: The season during which prescribed fire occurs in each plot; Early-dry season burns occur in early June (E), late-dry season burns occur in October (L), or plots are unburned (U). D. Name: FlowerAbundance Description: The average number of flowers in bloom recorded within all vegetation 1x1m quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. E. Name: FlowerSpeciesRichness Description: The average number of flower species in bloom recorded within all vegetation 1x1m quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. F. Name: AvgPctBasalArea Description: The average percent of basal area cover recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. G. Name: AvgPctLitter Description: The average percent of litter cover recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. H. Name: AvgPctLowShrub Description: The average percent cover of low shrubs (<1 m) recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. I. Name: AvgPctMidShrub Description: The average percent cover of medium height shrubs (2-3 m) recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. J. Name: BAvgPctProjectedFoliage Description: The average percent of projected foliage cover recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. K. Name: AvgPctStandingDeadWoody Description: The average percent of standing dead woody cover recorded within all 1x1m vegetation quadrats within a given fire experiment plot. L. Name: Arheup Description: The number of butterfly species Arhopala eupolis recorded within a given fire experiment plot. M. Name: Erieri Description: The number of butterfly species Erina erina recorded within a given fire experiment plot. N. Name: Ceptri Description: The number of butterfly species Cephrenes trichopepla recorded within a given fire experiment plot. O. Name: Crecre Description: The number of butterfly species Cressida cressida recorded within a given fire experiment plot. P. Name: Danpet Description: The number of butterfly species Danaus petilia recorded within a given fire experiment plot. Q. Name: Euccne Description: The number of butterfly species Euchrysops cnejus recorded within a given fire experiment plot. R. Name: Eupcor Description: The number of butterfly species Euploea corinna recorded within a given fire experiment plot. S. Name: Eurali Description: The number of butterfly species Eurema alitha recorded within a given fire experiment plot. T. Name: Eurhec Description: The number of butterfly species Eurema hecabe recorded within a given fire experiment plot. U. Name: Eurher Description: The number of butterfly species Eurema herla recorded within a given fire experiment plot. V. Name: Eurlae Description: The number of butterfly species Eurema laeta recorded within a given fire experiment plot. W. Name: Eursmi Description: The number of butterfly species Eurema smilax recorded within a given fire experiment plot. X. Name: Famnis Description: The number of butterfly species Famegana nisa recorded within a given fire experiment plot. Y. Name: Gracho Description: The number of butterfly species Graphium choredon recorded within a given fire experiment plot. Z. Name: Hypadi Description: The number of butterfly species Hypocysta adiante recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AA. Name: Hypbol Description: The number of butterfly species Hypolimnas bolina recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AB. Name: Junori Description: The number of butterfly species Junonia orithya recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AC. Name: Mycper Description: The number of butterfly species Mycalesis perseus recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AD. Name: Toxxip Description: The number of butterfly species Toxidia xiphiphora recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AE. Name: Pellye Description: The number of butterfly species Pelopidas lyelli recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AF. Name: Tarina Description: The number of butterfly species Taractrocera ina recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AG. Name: Telcol Description: The number of butterfly species Telicota colon recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AH. Name: Themis Description: The number of butterfly species Theclinesthes miskini recorded within a given fire experiment plot. AI. Name: Yptarc Description: The number of butterfly species Ypthima arctous recorded within a given fire experiment plot.