LAUSR

Distribution breadth and species turnover rates of two night-flying insect groups (moths and beetles) were analyzed on two mountains in warm temperate forests of South Korea, Mt. Hallasan (range 278–1109 m) on Jejudo island (HL) and Mt. Jirisan (range 319–1330 m) in southern Korea (JR). The goals of the study were to compare the spatial changes in the two insect groups on both mountains and to identify ecological factors influencing the diversity pattern. Insects were collected from 16 sites in two mountains from May to October of 2013 and 2014 using a UV light trap. Moths were generally more diverse on JR than on HL, but similarity among sites was higher on JR than on HL. However, beetles were not different between the two mountains in diversity and similarity of assemblages among sites. The distributional range of both moths and beetles were significantly narrower on HL than JR, while the distributional range curves peaked at mid-elevations, being positively skewed at HL and negatively skewed at JR. Whittaker’s species turnover rates of moths and beetles were higher for HL than JR. On both mountains, latitude was a significant variable influencing moth species richness and abundance, while soil fertility and plant species richness were significant variables influencing beetle abundance. Geographic distance and elevation played a significant role in segregating insect assemblages on both mountains, except for moths in JR. The pattern and mechanism of spatial changes in night-flying insect assemblages on both mountains varied depending on insect group and location.