The Community Ecology of Australian Moths

Community ecology examines ecological patterns and processes that affect assemblages of species – such as moths – at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The science examines diversity, trophic ecology, community assembly, landscape patterns and biogeography (this last dealt with in Chapter 4). Moths are particularly useful as targets for community-level study because of their familiarity, ease of sampling using lights, their abundance and species richness, and the history of previous taxonomic and ecological study. This chapter further discusses key Australian-based studies examining the impacts of climate, latitude, verticality and human impact. The open question of a general decline is discussed, as are the many knowledge gaps and current and future technological innovations which will open new opportunities in the study of moth assemblages.