The Cascades Butterfly Project Tracking Butterfly Abundances & Plant Phenology to Better Understand the Influence of Climate Change on Subalpine Ecosystems
Regina M. Rochefort, Ph,D. Retired, North Cascades National Park Service Complex What is It ? ◼ Long-term monitoring program ◼ Document Trends in ◼ Butterfly abundance & phenology ◼ Timing of plant flowering
Who? ◼ Citizen Scientists ◼ Park Biologists ◼ Student Interns
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Where?
National Parks: • North Cascades
National Forests: • Mount Baker- Snoqualmie
• Okanogan- Wenatchee
10 Survey Routes E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Why Monitor Subalpine Species?
Science-based Management to Protect Natural Ecosystems in Perpetuity for the American Public Changing Climate
Adaptive Management Climate Model Projections
Temperatures: 3 to 6° F warmer by the end of the 21st century
Precipitation: more rain & less snow, but amounts less certain
Subalpine & Alpine Ecosystems are very sensitive to these changes
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Subalpine & Alpine Ecosystems
◼ Lower snowpacks ◼ Longer & drier growing seasons What Changes Do We Expect?
• Species distribution changes • Higher treelines • Changes in plant & animal phenology • Glacier loss - extent and volume
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Why did we select butterflies & plants?
◼ Sensitive to temperature & precipitation ◼ Easy to learn – citizen scientists can collect reliable data ◼ Monitored across the world ◼ Butterflies & plants depend on one another
Mourning Cloak Anicia Checkerspot Western Tiger Swallowtail How Do We Survey?
Two Types of Surveys
• Qualitative • Inventory & Distribution • Photographs
• Quantitative • Relative Abundance • 10 Survey Routes
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Qualitative Butterfly Surveys (Photos)
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Quantitative Surveys
Butterflies ▪ Pollard Walk method ▪ Routes are along trails ▪ Each route is 1 kilometer Phenophase Plant Phenology ▪ Plant list for each route ▪ Phenophase ▪ Abundance ▪ Host plants ▪ Typical flowering pattern Flowering flowering fruit
early mid late Overview of Survey Routes
Skyline Divide, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie Maple Pass, Okanogan-Wenatchee
Sauk Mtn, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie Easy Pass, North Cascades Overview of Survey Routes
Cascade Pass, North Cascades Spray Park, Mount Rainier
Mazama Ridge, Mount Rainier Naches Loop, Mount Rainier Overview of Survey Routes
Skyscraper Mountain, Sunrise Rim, Mount Rainier Mount Rainier E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Common Blues
Anna’s Blue
Photo Melanie Weiss Photo Melanie Weiss Boisduval’s Blue Arctic Blue Silvery Blue Arctic Blue, dorsal Anna’s Blue, female dorsal
Arctic Blue, ventral Anna’s Blue, male dorsal
Photos by Melanie Weiss Greater Fritillaries
Mormon Fritillary Hydaspe Fritillary Lesser Fritillaries
Western Meadow Fritillary Arctic Fritillary Checkerspots
Anicia/ Snowberry Edith’s Checkerspot
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Other Observed Butterflies
Anise Swallowtail Painted Lady
Clouded Suphur Clodius Parnassian Mountain Parnassian
Mariposa Copper Purplish Copper Project Accomplishments
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Butterfly Counts 2011 2015 • 7 routes, 29 surveys • 10 routes, 100 surveys • 780 butterflies counted • 4,431 butterflies • 23 species • 30 species 2012 2016 • 8 routes, 29 surveys ▪ 10 routes, 82 surveys • 479 butterflies counted ▪ 3,573 butterflies 21 species ▪ 37 species 2013 2017 • 8 routes, 34 surveys ▪ 10 routes, 88 surveys • 1,665 butterflies ▪ 3,275 butterflies • 21 species ▪ 33 species 2014 2018 • 10 routes, 65 surveys ▪ 10 routes, 86 surveys • 2,442 butterflies ▪ 5,375 butterflies • 30 species ▪ 34 species Butterfly Trends Butterfly Trends Sauk Mountain 2013 vs 2015 ▪ 2013 ▪ W. Meadow Frit July 21 ▪ Other species Peaks July 31 – Aug 12
▪ 2015 ▪ W. Meadow Frit June 16 ▪ Other species July 15 – July 31 Plant Flowering Patterns
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Weather Records for Sauk Mountain
Growing Degree Days = measurement of heat accumulation often used to predict plant development
Hegewisch, K.C. and Abatzoglou, J.T..' Climate Tracker' web tool. NW Climate Toolbox (https://climatetoolbox.org/) accessed on 2/10/19 Citizen Scientists & Interns
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Citizen Scientists & Interns • 2011 – 2018: 255 volunteers • 85% only come for one survey • Field contacts: about 1,100 per year • 22 volunteers have been with the program > 3 years
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Regina M. Rochefort [email protected] Group Email [email protected] E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Resources for Project
Butterflies of America: http://butterfliesofamerica.com/US-Can-Cat.htm
Butterfly and Moths http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
Washington Butterfly Association http://wabutterflyassoc.org/
Cascades Butterfly Project https://www.nps.gov/articles/cascades-butterfly-project.htm
Pocket Guide to Butterflies of Washington by Caitlin C. LaBar, available at: https://northwestbutterflies.com/
Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest by Robert Michael Pyle and Caitlin C. LaBar
Life Histories of Cascadia Butterflies by David G. James and David Nunnallee
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Monitoring Protocols
Link to protocols at : https://www.nps.gov/articles/cascades- butterfly-project.htm
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A