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Limited dispersal by the rare scarce heath butterfly—potential consequences for population persistence

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Abstract

Dispersal between habitat patches may be important for the long-term persistence of populations. We conducted a mark–release–recapture study and analysed the dispersal pattern in the scarce heath butterfly inhabiting a network of suitable habitat patches using stepwise logistic regression (SLR) and the Virtual Migration (VM) model. We also analysed the influence of different types of matrices.

We found that the majority of the recaptured butterflies remained within the patch where they were originally caught. However, dispersal between patches did occur and both the SLR analysis and the VM model indicated that the migration pattern was significantly associated with patch area and its level of isolation. The SLR model also showed that there was a positive association between immigration rate and tree density, supporting earlier observations that this species prefers semi-open habitat. We discuss the use of SLR versus the VM model to analyse recapture data in dispersal studies.

This system is not at equilibrium, as a number of the most important patches in the network are continuously being lost due to afforestation and a number of populations are facing deterministic extinction. This increases the risk of a chain reaction of local extinctions, which may cause a collapse of the whole system.

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Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to Dag Alfredsson, Carina Hjelm-Hörngren, Jörgen Gulve, Tony Cederholm, and Jens Hjerling for their field assistance and Atte Moilanen for assistance with the Virtual Migration model. We thank Karl-Olof Bergman, Sven-Åke Berglind and two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on earlier versions of the manuscript. The study was financed by World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), Oscar and Lilli Lamm’s Foundation, Ebba and Sven Schwartz Foundation, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Bjurzon’s travel grant, and Verner von Heidenstam’s foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Evolutionary Biology Centre, Program in Evolutionary Functional Genomics (former Department of Conservation Biology and Genetics), Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden

    Anna Cassel-Lundhagen & Per Sjögren-Gulve

  2. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, SE-106 48, Stockholm, Sweden

    Per Sjögren-Gulve

  3. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden

    Anna Cassel-Lundhagen

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  1. Anna Cassel-Lundhagen
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  2. Per Sjögren-Gulve
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Correspondence to Anna Cassel-Lundhagen.

 

 

Appendix 1 Measures of habitat and matrix characteristics included in models of Coenonympha hero flight distance and dispersal. *1 represents the patch from which the individual originated and 2 the recipient patch
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Cassel-Lundhagen, A., Sjögren-Gulve, P. Limited dispersal by the rare scarce heath butterfly—potential consequences for population persistence. J Insect Conserv 11, 113–121 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-006-9023-z

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