Hostplant abundance and vegetation structure critically influence butterfly-hostplant systems, particularly for the specialist. Luehdorfia chinensis (Papilionidae), a protected species in China, depends exclusively on Asarum (Aristolochiaceae) species for larval development, but its population responses to hostplant abundance and vegetation structure are underexplored, as it is classified as Data Deficient (DD) on the IUCN Red List. This study investigates oviposition sites, egg density, and hostplant occupancy across three altitudinal habitats (Qinling, QL; Taohongling, THL; Nanjing, NJ) to examine how hostplant abundance and vegetation structure influence oviposition behavior in varying resource contexts. Our results show that oviposition behavior is shaped by both hostplant abundance and vegetation structure, with habitat-specific patterns. In resource-poor habitats (e.g., THL), females displayed stronger oviposition selectivity preferentially laying eggs in microhabitats containing more abundant and higher-quality hostplants. This selectivity was associated with hostplant leaf number (HPLN), nectar resources, and vegetation composition. In contrast, oviposition selectivity weakened in resource-rich habitats (NJ and QL), with weaker associations to vegetation variables like arbor height (AH) and shrub cover (SC). These findings suggest that local variation in hostplant availability plays an important role in shaping oviposition strategies. Our study extends the "resource-based habitat" concept and highlights the context-dependent applicability of the "Preference-Performance Hypothesis" in monophagous butterflies. Conservation efforts for L. chinensis should focus on restoring hostplant resources and maintaining appropriate vegetation structure to ensure long-term population viability.
Zhu et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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