An assessment of direct and indirect effects of climate change for populations of the Rocky Mountain Apollo butterfly (Parnassius smintheus Doubleday)

Matter, S. F. and Doyle, A. and Illerbrun, K. (2011) An assessment of direct and indirect effects of climate change for populations of the Rocky Mountain Apollo butterfly (Parnassius smintheus Doubleday). Insect Science, 18 (4). pp. 385-392.

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Abstract

Climate change is occurring and insects are responding. Current challenges for ecologists and managers are predicting how organisms will respond to continuing climate change and determining how to mitigate potential negative effects. In contrast to broad scale predictions for climate change involving the distribution of species, in this article we highlight the many ways in which local populations of the Rocky Mountain Apollo butterfly (Parnassius smintheus Doubleday) are predicted to respond to climate change. Using experimental and observational data collected over the past 15 years, we detail both direct and indirect effects. In addition, we identify limitations in our knowledge restricting the ability to predict how populations will respond to climate change. Some changes, such as warmer winter temperatures, may have beneficial effects; however, most of the effects of climate change will be detrimental. Variability in snow cover during the overwintering period and habitat loss due to forest encroachment have the largest potential negative effects.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: We thank Rick Lee for assistance in determining supercooling points and Brianna Reed for measuring butterflies. Funding for this research was provided by NSF grants DEB-0918929 and 0326957 to SFM and NSERC Discovery and Operating Grants to JR.
Uncontrolled Keywords: alpine, host plants, population growth, tree-line, weather
Author Affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Subjects: Beneficial Insects
Divisions: General
Depositing User: Mr Siva Shankar
Date Deposited: 23 May 2012 03:57
Last Modified: 23 May 2012 03:58
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7917.2011.01407.x
URI: http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/5631

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