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Abstract <p>Long-term monitoring is essential for understanding temporal variability and change in insect populations, yet such datasets remain scarce, particularly at high latitudes. Moths (Lepidoptera) are widely used as indicators of environmental change, but baseline information from northern island ecosystems such as Iceland has been limited. Here, we present results from a standardised moth monitoring programme conducted at five locations across southern Iceland between 1995 and 2024 using consistent light trap sampling. This enabled assessment of temporal variation in abundance, species richness and community structure at annual and site-specific scales. Moth abundance and species richness fluctuated markedly among years and sites, with pronounced interannual variability but no consistent long-term directional trend. Assemblages were characterised by strongly uneven dominance, with a small number of families accounting for most individuals alongside many infrequently recorded species. Temporal patterns were broadly similar across sites, although local differences in magnitude and timing were evident. This study establishes the first long-term baseline for moth communities from monitored sites in Iceland and highlights the importance of sustained, standardised monitoring for understanding insect dynamics in highly variable northern environments. The dataset provides a foundation for future analyses of environmental drivers and community change.</p> Implications for insect conservation <p>Long-term standardised monitoring provides essential baseline information for detecting future changes in insect populations. The dataset provides a critical reference for future monitoring of moth communities in Iceland and will support future conservation assessments and biodiversity monitoring in high-latitude ecosystems.</p>

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Three decades of standardised moth monitoring in Iceland: establishing a baseline for high-latitude moth communities

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月4日

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  • Matthías Alfreðsson,
  • Sigurður Björn Alfreðsson,
  • Erling Ólafsson

摘要

Abstract

Long-term monitoring is essential for understanding temporal variability and change in insect populations, yet such datasets remain scarce, particularly at high latitudes. Moths (Lepidoptera) are widely used as indicators of environmental change, but baseline information from northern island ecosystems such as Iceland has been limited. Here, we present results from a standardised moth monitoring programme conducted at five locations across southern Iceland between 1995 and 2024 using consistent light trap sampling. This enabled assessment of temporal variation in abundance, species richness and community structure at annual and site-specific scales. Moth abundance and species richness fluctuated markedly among years and sites, with pronounced interannual variability but no consistent long-term directional trend. Assemblages were characterised by strongly uneven dominance, with a small number of families accounting for most individuals alongside many infrequently recorded species. Temporal patterns were broadly similar across sites, although local differences in magnitude and timing were evident. This study establishes the first long-term baseline for moth communities from monitored sites in Iceland and highlights the importance of sustained, standardised monitoring for understanding insect dynamics in highly variable northern environments. The dataset provides a foundation for future analyses of environmental drivers and community change.

Implications for insect conservation

Long-term standardised monitoring provides essential baseline information for detecting future changes in insect populations. The dataset provides a critical reference for future monitoring of moth communities in Iceland and will support future conservation assessments and biodiversity monitoring in high-latitude ecosystems.