Spatial patterns of Lepidoptera in the eucalypt woodlands of the Sydney Basin, New South Wales, Australia

The patterns of spatial distribution and abundance were investigated for moth assemblages in the eucalypt woodlands of the Sydney Basin. A total of 228 species of Lepidoptera, distributed among 25 families, were recorded from three national parks located on the perimeter of the Sydney metropolitan region. From within the eucalypt woodland habitat of the Sydney Basin, the study investigated the spatial variation of night-flying Lepidoptera present at several different scales of observation, from the trap level through to across the landscape. Assemblages varied with spatial scale, with uniformity occurring across the landscape as a whole, however becoming patchy at finer spatial scales. Multivariate and turnover analysis indicated that although heterogeneity of abundance and richness may vary significantly depending on spatial scale, sites and national parks contained their own unique suite of species in comparison to one another. The structure of the assemblages of moths in the eucalypt woodlands of the Sydney Basin can vary, and is dependant on the level of spatial scale of observation. Further study needs to be conducted at a range of temporal scales to ascertain the presence of patterns in the Lepidoptera communities in the Sydney region in order to contribute to the development of suitable conservation strategies in the Sydney Basin.