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Sex-biased dispersal in a rare butterfly and the implications for its conservation

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Abstract

The survival of many species may be dependent on their ability to exist in human-altered landscapes within metapopulations; in turn, metapopulation persistence is dictated by the ability of individuals to move effectively among patches to promote recolonization. The Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha taylori) is a species that does not naturally occur in fragmented landscapes, yet it is now restricted to a handful of small isolated prairie habitats. Current recovery plans aim to establish a stable metapopulation; however, to date little is known about the species’ ability to move across the landscape. In 2010 and 2011, we conducted marking, tracking and boundary surveys to explore the movement dynamics of adults within two sites in Oregon, USA. Over the survey period, we marked 136 male butterflies, tracked 174 individuals and observed the behavior of 1,576 individual butterflies at site boundaries. Our study revealed a significant sex-bias in the movement dynamics of the Taylor’s checkerspot in both suitable habitat and surrounding matrix. Males were highly motile, whereas females appeared sedentary, rarely moving from their natal site. The limited dispersal behavior of females indicates that populations cannot persist naturally in a metapopulation and thus are at high risk of extinction. Based on our findings, we recommend that managers take proactive measures to increase or enable dispersal (including translocation) to existing and/or restored sites.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the National Geographic/Waitt program for supporting this project and the Oregon State University’s General Research Fund for funding additional data collection. Special thanks to Al Kitzman, superintendent of Benton County Natural Areas and Parks in Oregon and to private property owner Skip Rung, for providing the opportunity, and supporting and encouraging our research on the Taylor’s checkerspot carried out at their sites. Many thanks to Diana Raper, Katelynn Karch, Aaron McAlexander, James Lafferty, and Susan Shirley for providing much needed assistance in data collection. Additional thanks to Diana Raper and Amanda Hale for providing feedback on manuscript drafts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, 76129, USA

    Victoria J. Bennett

  2. Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Victoria J. Bennett, Shalynn M. Pack & Matthew G. Betts

  3. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3625 93rd Avenue, SW, Olympia, WA, 98512, USA

    Winston P. Smith

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  1. Victoria J. Bennett
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  2. Shalynn M. Pack
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  4. Matthew G. Betts
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Correspondence to Victoria J. Bennett.

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Bennett, V.J., Pack, S.M., Smith, W.P. et al. Sex-biased dispersal in a rare butterfly and the implications for its conservation. J Insect Conserv 17, 949–958 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-013-9577-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-013-9577-5

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