Potential impacts of the proposed Brazilian Forest Act on native butterflies

Abstract

This paper discusses how the proposed changes in the Brazilian Forest Act could affect native butterflies. As showed, the main impacts include the reduction in the riparian forests (with consequent loss of connectivity) and the major changes that could take place in the large areas of montane forest. Moreover, changes in the regional landscape, with the reduction of permanently protected areas (Brazilian APPs) and the destruction of hilltop habitats could markedly affect extant butterfly assemblages, which have been severely modified in the past 500 years of deforestation and degradation in all Brazilian habitats.