V2I11P22

Butterflies as Sentinels of Climate Change: Global Insights and Emerging Implications for Northeast India

Debojani Narzary^1*, Indira Boro²

Abstract

Butterflies are widely recognized as ecological indicators due to their sensitivity to temperature, humidity, and habitat conditions. In recent decades, evidence of range shifts in butterfly species has been documented across the globe, with many populations moving towards higher elevations and latitudes in response to climate change. Northeast India, located at the interface of the Indo-Burma and Himalayan biodiversity hotspots, harbors exceptionally rich butterfly diversity, including rare and endemic taxa. This review synthesizes current knowledge on butterfly range shifts in Northeast India, highlighting zoological mechanisms such as physiological tolerance, behavioral adaptations, phenological shifts, and ecological interactions. The paper identifies critical research gaps and emphasizes the need to integrate zoological approaches linking physiology, behavior, and ecology into climate change studies. The findings suggest that future research should prioritize continuous field surveys, species-specific vulnerability assessments, and habitat modeling to support effective conservation strategies for butterfly communities in the ecologically sensitive landscapes of Northeast India.

Keywords:

Butterfly; Climate Change; Altitudinal Range Shift; Zoology; Northeast India