Monarch Butterfly Habitat Suitability in Western Idaho
Faculty Mentor Information
Dusty Perkins
Presentation Date
7-2017
Abstract
Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations have experienced dramatic declines due to habitat loss and fragmentation in wintering and breeding ranges. Anthropogenic disturbances in breeding ranges have decreased populations of obligate host plants (Asclepias spp.). Little information exists on western monarch breeding habitat suitability. Due to increased need to understand monarch habitat needs, and potential Endangered Species Act listing, this study aims to record distributions and relative abundance of monarchs in Southwest Idaho. We employed citizen science efforts and the ArcGIS Collector app to collect milkweed and monarch occurrences as well as habitat characteristics on publically managed lands within the Treasure Valley, Idaho. We characterized ecological and anthropogenic factors at used, successful and vacant monarch breeding habitats using field methods and geospatial analyses in ArcGIS. We conducted habitat suitability analyses using generalized linear mixed models and model selection procedures to evaluate the importance of breeding site characteristics in predicting monarch breeding site selection and reproductive success. Here, we present results of our model and discuss their implications for monarch butterfly conservation and management.
Monarch Butterfly Habitat Suitability in Western Idaho
Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) populations have experienced dramatic declines due to habitat loss and fragmentation in wintering and breeding ranges. Anthropogenic disturbances in breeding ranges have decreased populations of obligate host plants (Asclepias spp.). Little information exists on western monarch breeding habitat suitability. Due to increased need to understand monarch habitat needs, and potential Endangered Species Act listing, this study aims to record distributions and relative abundance of monarchs in Southwest Idaho. We employed citizen science efforts and the ArcGIS Collector app to collect milkweed and monarch occurrences as well as habitat characteristics on publically managed lands within the Treasure Valley, Idaho. We characterized ecological and anthropogenic factors at used, successful and vacant monarch breeding habitats using field methods and geospatial analyses in ArcGIS. We conducted habitat suitability analyses using generalized linear mixed models and model selection procedures to evaluate the importance of breeding site characteristics in predicting monarch breeding site selection and reproductive success. Here, we present results of our model and discuss their implications for monarch butterfly conservation and management.