Data from: Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient

Few studies have evaluated the role of topography on the diversity patterns of biological communities along elevation gradients. We evaluated the influence of microclimate and vegetation structure associated with topographic variation on the richness and composition of species of different families of butterflies on a mountain located in a dry enclave (Chicamocha River Canyon) in the northern Andes, Colombia. We captured butterflies over four months at 18 elevations (300 to 1500 m a.s.l.) in two topographic positions (riverbed and hillslope) using an entomological net and traps baited with fermented fruit. In general, butterfly richness increased with elevation in both topographic positions. However, the richness-elevation relationship changed with butterfly family. The riverbed and hillslope sites host different assemblages of butterflies, and this pattern that was consistent for most families. In the riverbed, two sets of species are recognized along the elevation gradient (one below 700 m a.s.l. and the other above 1000 m a.s.l.), mainly owing to species replacement. On the hillslopes there was no clear pattern of grouping associated with elevation. Microclimate differences between the riverbed and hillslope sites along the elevation gradient were related to the vegetation structure and explained the variation in butterfly species composition. Our results highlight the role of topography not only by explaining the response of species richness and composition to environmental variation determined by elevation, but also as a factor that must be considered in the planning and management of biodiversity conservation in the mountains.Full_species_list_butterflies_diversity_Andes_Colombia Full species list and abundances from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient. glm_boxplot.csv Topographic position (T), elevation, abundance, and species richness data per family by sample stations (SS) from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient. beta_RB.csv Riverbed species composition matrix, from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient. beta_HS.csv Hillslope species composition matrix, from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient. beta_total.csv Total species composition matrix, from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient. INEXT.csv Butterfly community data (253 ssp), from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient. INEXT_Fam.csv Butterfly species by family data, from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient. environmental.csv Environmental variables data: topographic position (T), maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), relative humidity (Rh), elevation (E), vegetation coverage (VC), plant richness (PR), basal area (BA), and vegetation height (VH) by sample station, from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient. Temperature.csv Temperature data (mean, maximum, minimum), elevation by topographic position (RB = riverbed, HS = hillslope), from the publication Cómbita et al. 2021. Environmental variation associated with topography explains butterfly diversity along a tropical elevation gradient