Avaluació dels efectes dels incendis forestals i la recuperació ecològica postincendi mitjançant ropalòcers com a bioindicadors d’hàbitat

Abstract

Wildfires are a recurrent ecological disturbance in Mediterranean ecosystems, with a significant impact on

vegetation and fauna. This study evaluates post-fire habitat recovery in three localities in the Alt Empordà

region affected by consecutive wildfires: Llançà (2023), Roses (2022), and Portbou (2021), with the aim of

characterizing the ecological regeneration of Mediterranean habitats. Through vegetation sampling and the

observation of Rhopalocera butterflies as bioindicators, we analyzed spatial and temporal regeneration

patterns. Vegetation surveys and butterfly counts were carried out in four seasonal periods throughout the year

using standardized protocols for assessing biological communities. The results show that Llançà and Roses

show more stable vegetation cover, while Portbou presents more pronounced seasonality and a greater degree

of disturbance, likely related to the shorter time since the last fire. Regarding plant richness, two distinct

temporal groups were identified: one in spring and early summer with high species diversity and another in

late summer and autumn with lower values. The butterfly community also exhibited strong seasonality, with

abundance peaks in early summer. These communities responded more strongly to plant species richness than

to the total number of flowers, highlighting the importance of resource quality rather than sheer quantity . Bare

soil was confirmed to be an indicator of vegetation disturbance, but it may also favor the presence of

opportunistic and heliophilous butterfly species during certain periods. This study underscores the structural

and functional role of vegetation in post-fire habitat recovery and emphasizes the value of Rhopalocera as

reliable bioindicators for ecological monitoring and adaptive management of Mediterranean habitats affected

by wildfires. Moreover, the spatial distribution of butterfly species shows locality-specific responses,

evidencing the need for management strategies tailored to the landscape context and its temporal dynamics

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