Unexplored hotspot: Spatial, temporal and environmental drivers of butterfly and moth biodiversity on Mount Cameroon

Mount Cameroon is a unique mountain for numerous reasons: the highest mountain in West/Central Africa, active volcano, only altitudinal gradient of continuous rainforest from lowland till timberline in the Afrotropics, extreme seasonality, and one of the rainiest places in the world.

Although being an important part of the global biodiversity hotspot, almost nothing is known about its ecosystems. Using butterflies and moths, we are exploring patterns and dynamics of its biodiversity in both spatial and temporal aspects.

The talk will focus on changes of Lepidoptera communities along the altitudinal gradient, as well as their seasonal changes; the results will be also discussed in terms of how global change affects research. Lastly, it will summarise our research of effects of selected environmental drivers of communities in this unexplored hotspot.