Elevation and moths in a central eastern Queensland rainforest

Elevational gradients are powerful natural experiments for the investigation of ecological responses to changing climates. Automated modified Pennsylvania light traps were used to sample macro-moth assemblages for three consecutive nights at each of 24 sites ranging from 200m asl to 1200m asl within continuous tropical rainforest at Eungella, Queensland, Australia (21°S, 148°E). A total of 13861 individual moths representing approximately 713 morphospecies and 10045 individuals belonging to approximately 607 morphospecies where sampled during November 2013 and March 2014 respectively. Moth assemblages exhibited a strong elevational signal during both sampling seasons; we grouped these into lowland and upland assemblages. The dispersal pattern of moth assemblages across the landscape reflected the stratification of vegetation communities across elevation and correlated with shifts in eco-physical variables, most notably temperature and substrate organic matter. Regional historical biogeographical events likely contributed to the observed patterns. The analysis presented here identifies a set of statistically defined elevationally restricted moths which may be of use as part of a multi-taxon predictor set for monitoring future ecosystem level changes associated with elevation and, by implication, with climate.