Selection of 30 Indicator Species for Climate Change in Agroecosystem Using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Expert Questionnaire Survey

It is more efficient to select and monitor a few climate-sensitive organisms to assess the impacts of climate change on agroecosystems. In this study, indicator species of climate change in agroecosystem in South Korea were selected through analytical hierarchy process and an expert questionnaire survey. Climate sensitivity, agroecosystem symbolism, survey easiness, identification easiness, and public interest were selected as criteria for indicator species, with weights of 0.38 (±0.15), 0.23 (±0.13), 0.18 (±0.11), 0.14 (±0.09), and 0.07 (±0.06), respectively. According to these criteria, 30 indicator species were finally selected from six taxonomic groups of plants, aquatic invertebrates, bees, terrestrial beetles, butterflies, and spiders as follows. Seven plant species were selected: Taraxacum officinale, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Veronica persica, Hypochaeris radicata, Lamium amplexicaule, Trigonotis peduncularis, and Conyza sumatrensis. Seven aquatic invertebrate species were selected: Pomacea canaliculata, Cybister chinensis, Hydrochara affinis, Sternolophus rufipes, Hydaticus grammicus, Appasus japonicus, and Rhantus suturalis. Five butterfly species were selected: Eurema mandarina, Chilo suppressalis, Pieris rapae, Papilio xuthus, and Colias erate. Three spider species were selected: Argiope bruennichi, Larinioides cornutus, and Neoscona adianta. Four bee species were selected: Vespa velutha nigrithorax, V. simillima simillima, V. mandarinia, and V. simillima xanthoptera. Four species were selected for terrestrial beetles: Pheropsophus javanus, P. jessoensis, Platydracus brevicornis, and Chlaenius micans. The selected species are expected to be used as indicators for assessing the impacts of climate change in agroecosystems in the future.