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Abstract Detail



Ecology

Bielecki, Coral Rose [1], Haynes, Kyle [2].

Mechanisms Underlying Temperate Butterfly Diversity in Anthropogenic Habitats.

The underlying mechanisms that create and perpetuate temperate butterfly diversity are not well understood, but are particularly important for developing informed management plans. In simple correlations, past butterfly diversity studies found both positive and no relationships between plant richness and butterfly richness at multiple scales. In contrast, another study using multiple regression analysis found plant productivity, not plant richness correlated with butterfly richness. To explore the explanatory power of productivity hypothesis and the niche-assembly model, this study examined the relative importance of resource abundance, plant richness, and inflorescence abundance to butterfly diversity in two anthropogenic habitats: old field and lawn. Utilizing an information theoretical approach, we found old field habitats explained butterfly abundance and evenness, while plant richness best explained butterfly richness. Resource abundance measured as plant productivity was not explanatory. Furthermore, we found abundance of inflorescences to be negatively correlated with butterfly richness, abundance and evenness. This study suggests that butterfly diversity may be managed by habitat and plant richness, but that the floral resources available in these habitats are less important to butterfly distribution than other factors.


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1 - Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 295 Mansfield Street, E, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, USA
2 - University of Virginia, Department of Environmental Sciences, Blandy Experimental Farm, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce, VA, 22620, USA

Keywords:
Biodiversity
Productivity Hypothesis
Ontogenesis
Conservation Biology.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Ecology
Location: Exhibit Hall/Omni Hotel
Date: Monday, June 26th, 2017
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 5:30 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PEC017
Abstract ID:372
Candidate for Awards:Ecological Section Best Graduate Student Poster


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