RELATION BETWEEN AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI) AND BUTTERFLY RICHNESS: A STUDY FROM ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT OF RAMMOHAN COLLEGE

Abstract: Butterflies are a crucial component of the environment due to their role in pollination,. They are also regarded as reliable ecological indicators because to their sensitivity to climatic and environmental changes. The characteristics that make these species so-called "bio-indicators of the area" include their great sensitivity to environmental changes, the relative ease with which they may be seen, and knowledge of their natural history. An important indicator of air pollution is the Air Quality Index (AQI). Considering that Rammohan College is located in the centre of Kolkata, AQI may have an impact on butterfly mortality, reducing the number of species (species richness) or individuals within a species (species abundance). After 5 year survey, we found that, 21 species of butterfly are present in the Rammohan College campus but there is no significant correlation between butterfly species richness and AQI (PM2.5,10,O3).

Keywords: AQI, Butterfly, Rammohan College, Environment, Audit