White Mountain melissa semidea Status Federal status: G5T2 N2, Not listed NH state status: S2, Threatened ME state status: Not ranked or listed This species is globally secure, but subspecies and state rankings indicate concern for the subspecies due to rarity. No other information is available on population trends. There is some indication that populations of this subspecies may be partially or completely isolated from one and other. The expert panel believes that current habitat and population conditions indicate Outcome A – B across the subspecies’ range, which is the White Mountains. Given expected management on all lands, the panel believes that the likely outcome in 20 years is A – B, possibly changing to B – C depending on the effects of climate change. Distribution The subspecies appears to be restricted to the alpine zone of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains, though there is some potential for it to occur elsewhere in the alpine zone of the White Mountains. All known occurrences are on the White Mountain National Forest. Habitat Oeneis melissa semidea is locally abundant in alpine sedge meadows, usually above 1500 meters elevation, with few found in between sedge patches. Its only known host plant, , is identified as part of four subdivisions of the more broadly defined dwarf shrub/sedge-rush meadows community in NH: (1) alpine heath snowbank; (2) Bigelow’s sedge meadow; (3) Sedge-rush-heath meadow; and (4) Dwarf shrub-bilberry- rush barren. Limiting Factors Patches of its host plant, Carex bigelowii, have been degraded by trampling, especially in Vermont. In the Presidential Range the remoteness and inaccessibility of much of Oeneis melissa semidea’s suitable habitat limits the impact humans can have. Collection is a potential threat. Climate change may be the most important limiting factor, if the habitat zone that this species and its host plants use are reduced or eliminated by global warming. The related reduction in the ozone layer and subsequent increase in ultraviolet-B light also may impact herbivory, as summarized in McFarland. The expert panel considered atmospheric deposition a potential concern for this species. Forest habitats have been shown to be declining in quantity and quality due to atmospheric pollution, but whether the same is true for subalpine and alpine habitats is unknown. The alpine plant expert panel also identified atmospheric deposition as a potential concern. Viability concern Population trends are unknown, however subspecies, national, and state rankings of T2, N2, and S2 indicate concern for the subspecies due to rarity. The subspecies and national rankings and documentation on the WMNF make it an automatic Regional Forester’s Sensitive Species for the Forest. Also, it is a very narrow endemic, apparently limited to the Presidential Range of the White Mountains. Management activities that might affect populations or viability Trampling has been identified as a concern for this butterfly’s host plant, but the potential for trampling to impact much of the suitable habitat in the Presidential Range is small because of remoteness and inaccessibility. there is no indication that recreation or any other activity under Forest Service authority is impacting this subspecies. Substantially increasing recreational use of the subalpine and alpine zone would be a concern. References Grkovich, Alex. September 11, 2002. Personal communication with Terry Gokee, GMNF. Documented in e-mails dated 9/11/2002 and 9/16/2002. McFarland, K.P. 2002. Conservation Assessment of Two Endemic in the Presidential Range-Alpine Zone, White Mountains, New Hampshire. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Woodstock, Vermont. Opler, P. A. and G. O. Krizek. 1974. Butterflies east of the Great Plains. An Illustrated Natural History. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. xv + 496 pp. SVE Panel. 2002. GMNF/WMNF Species Viability Evaluation Expert Panel notes. Panel held October 10, 2002 in Rutland, Vermont. SVE Alpine Plant Panel. 2002. GMNF/WMNF Species Viability Evaluation expert panel notes on alpine plants. Panel held: May 13-15, 2002, Rutland, Vermont.