DOCSLIB.ORG

Response of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria Idalia Drury) to Spring

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Response of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria Idalia Drury) to Spring years. Here we report on the response of that regal fritillary population to a spring burn and comment on the population's persistence under a 20-year burn regime. These data are part of a larger study but are reported here because they provide timely information for the debate on use of fire for invertebrate management in prairies. Nine-mile Prairie is a 97-ha native tallgrass diverse biotic group of the tallgrass prairie prairie approximately 14.5 km northwest Response of Regal ecosystem (Opler 1981, Panzer 1988, of Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, Arenz and Joern 1996). Among inverte- Fritillary (Speyeria USA (40° 52' N, 96° 49' W). The prairie brates, lepidopterans have received partic- has been owned by the University of Ne- idalia Drury) to Spring ular attention (Opler 1981, Panzer 1988, braska Foundation since 1984, but has been Moffat and McPhillips 1993). As aware- Burning in an Eastern studied by university personnel since the ness of the importance of invertebrate pop- early 1900s (Kaul and Rolfsmeier 1987). Nebraska Tallgrass ulations in tallgrass prairie has increased, Three hundred ninety-two vascular plant Prairie, USA so has concern regarding the use of fire as species have been found on the prairie a management tool—especially the effect (Kaul and Rolfsmeier 1987). Over the past of extent, frequency, and timing of Jeffrey J. Huebschman' century, Nine-mile Prairie was pre-scribed burns on invertebrate Thomas B. Bragg occasion-ally hayed and lightly grazed, populations (e.g., Moffat and McPhillips but since a change in ownership in 1979, Department of Biology University 1993). In general, the response of the prairie has been mostly managed with of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, invertebrates to fire management differs springtime burning on a 3- to 4-year Nebraska 68182-0040 USA by species, and by fire extent, frequency, fire-return interval (Kaul and Rolfsmeier and timing (re-viewed by Reed 1997). 1987). Over half of the prairie was burned Fire has been a major force in the forma- on 15 May 1995, and the portion not tion and maintenance of the tallgrass prai- The regal fritillary butterfly (Speyeria ida- burned in 1995 was burned on 23 May rie ecosystem in North America (Collins lia Drury) is considered a key indicator 1997. No burns were conducted in 1996. 1990, Bragg 1995, Steinauer and Collins species of native tallgrass prairie (Ham- Prescribed fires after the first week in 1996); thus, the role of fire and its effects mond and McCorkle 1983), and has been May are considered late in the spring on tallgrass prairie plant communities have classified as both a remnant-dependent burning season (T.B. Bragg, pers. obs.) been well studied (e.g., Daubenmire 1968, species (Panzer et al. 1995) and a prairie and may have severe effects on Vogl 1974, Collins and Gibson 1990, Sve- specialist (Swengel 1996). Because invertebrates (see Bragg 1995) because jcar 1990). It is generally accepted that de-clines in abundance have been noted most insects have emerged by that time prescribed fire, when applied at the appro- throughout the species' range (Opler 1981, and are in, on, or above the litter that is the priate season and frequency, plays an im- 1992; Bliss and Schweitzer 1987), specific fuel for burning. portant role in tallgrass prairie manage- information about the effects of prairie ment by promoting long-term species management on the regal fritillary is valu- In 1996 we established a single 4460-m diversity in the plant community (Bragg able. Swengel (1996) reported a negative butterfly-survey transect that traversed all 1991). Furthermore, lack of fire manage- response to fire by regal fritillary and major regions of Nine-mile Prairie. Fol- ment on prairie remnants may cause her- concluded that habitat maintenance by lowing established procedures (Thomas baceous plant species losses by facilitat- haying is more favorable than burning 1983, Gall 1985, P. Hammond; Oregon ing woody plant encroachment (Bragg and where this species is concerned. However, State University, Corvallis, pers. cont.), Hulbert 1976) and also by minimizing the Swengel's (1996) conclusions have been surveys consisted of walking the preestab- dynamic conditions necessary for persis- questioned (Schwartz 1998). Schwartz lished transect at a steady pace and count- tance of certain plant species (Leach and (1998) con-tended that the issue is not ing each regal fritillary butterfly seen within Givnish 1996). whether prairie butterflies, or other an area 5 m in front and 5 m to either side species, are temporarily reduced by fire of the survey transect. All surveys were Prairie management strategies have his- management, but rather whether fire conducted by a single observer to limit torically focused on the plant community, management alters the ability of variablity. Surveys were first conducted in but recent attention has been given to an- populations to persist in a given habitat? 1996, when the prairie had not been burned, imals, particularly invertebrates, the most We observed the effects of a prescribed and again in 1997, when approximately spring burn on a regal fritillary population one-third of the prairie was burned. Data in an eastern Nebraska tallgrass prairie Corresponding author e-mail: collected included whether butterfly ob- jhuebscl @bigred.unl.edu that has been managed since 1979 with servations occurred in burned or unburned spring burns applied every three to four 386 Natural Areas Journal Volume 20 (4), 2000 Figure 1. Regal fritillary butterfly counts before (1996) and after burning (1997) by week. areas. Surveys for regal fritillary were individuals counted on the burned portion Nine-mile Prairie: regal fritillary con-ducted approximately weekly for a total and 61 counted on the unburned portion. butter-flies were observed throughout the of eight weeks beginning after butterflies After week four, however, the two popula- prairie in 1996, when approximately half of were first observed in the region. In 1996 tions were similar in size and remained so the prairie was burned in mid-May in 1995. the first and last survey dates were 19 June for the rest of the surveying period, sug- and 12 August; in 1997 they were 21 June gesting dispersal of regal fritillary from the The regal fritillary population at Nine-mile and 20 August. unburned portion of the prairie to the burned Prairie reflects the net effect of past man- area. agement, which has included spring burn- Surveys were generally conducted from ing since 1979. The persistence of regal 1000 to 1530 h on sunny (less than 50% The short-term response of regal fritillary to fritillary at this site suggests that burning at cloud cover) days, with temperatures above prescribed fire at Nine-mile Prairie was not a 3- to 4-year frequency, while leaving 21° C. However, when temperatures ex- surprising. Larvae almost certainly suffered adjacent areas unburned, is a realistic ceeded 27° C, surveys were conducted with a direct mortality in the burned portion of the long-term management plan for this species cloud cover of up to 75%, or surveying time prairie in 1997 because they were at Nine-mile Prairie and, presumably, at was extended (0930–1600 h), providing that presumably above ground feeding on similar prairie sites in eastern Nebraska. cloud cover remained less than 50%. violets (Viola L. spp.), their larval host Successful dispersal of regal fritillary Surveying criteria were based on Gall plants (Opler and Krizek 1984, Bliss and through-out the prairie, following prairie (1985). Schweitzer 1987, Opler 1992) at the time regrowth and recovery from burn treatment, of the fire in mid-May. Violets are is probably a key factor contributing to the Regal fritillary butterflies were observed avail-able to regal fritillary larvae on long-term persistence of this species at throughout Nine-mile Prairie in 1996. Nine-mile Prairie throughout May Nine-mile Prairie under the current fire Late-spring burning in 1997, however, had (Huebschman 1998). Subsequent dispersal management regime. a noticeable impact on regal fritillary distri- of adult regal fritillary from the unburned bution and abundance. No butterflies were prairie to burned areas is also not surprising detected in the burned portion of the prairie because these butterflies are strong Acknowlegments in 1997 during the first two weeks of dispersers (Bliss and Schweitzer 1987), and, We thank the Nine-mile Prairie Commit-tee surveys, in contrast to the 21 counted in the when dispersal occured by mid-July, the members for approved use of Nine-mile unburned portion during that time (Figure burned prairie was lush with vegetative Prairie as a research site. This study 1). By the third survey week, the difference regrowth (J.J. Huebschman, pers. ohs.). received financial support from the De- between the burned and unburned areas was Successful dispersal and recolonization of partment of Biology, University of Ne- the greatest for the year with 4 regal fritillary following a burn presumably braska at Omaha, and the Center for Great occurs at Volume 20 (4), 2000 Natural Areas Journal 387 Plains Studies. We thank Steve Spomer and Dr. Bragg, T.B. and L.C. Hulbert. 1976. Woody Opler, P.A. 1992. A Field Guide to Eastern Leon Higley, both in the Department of plant invasion of unburned Kansas bluestem Butterflies. Houghton Mifflin Company, Entomology, University of Nebraska—Lincoln, prairie. Journal of Range Management New York. 396 pp. and the Natural Areas Journal Editorial Board 29:19-24. Opler, P.A. and G.O. Krizek. 1984. Butterflies for critical review of an earlier draft of the Collins, S.L. 1990. lntroducl:ion: fire as a nat- East of the Great Plains: An Illustrated manuscript. ural disturbance in tallgrass prairie ecosys- Natural History. The John Hopkins Univer- tems. Pp. 3-7 in S.L.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Status Update and Life History Studies on the Regal Fritillary
    I). L. W?gner et al, Introduction With its fiery orange forewings, iridescent blue-black hindwings, and 10-centimeter (cm) wingspan, the regal fritillary was one of Ne\; England's most magnificent grassland insects. Although always locali' distributed, it formerly occurred in all six New England states (Scud Status Update and Life History Studies 1889, Denton 1900, Klots 1951, Opler 1983, 1992). Preferred hahita included marshes and swamp edges, wet meadows, fields, pastures. on the Regal Fritillary (Lepidoptera: and native grasslands (Denton 1900, Weed 1926, Clark 1932, Clark a" Nymphalidae) Clark 1951, Kiots 1951, Schweitzer 1992, Glassberg 1993; see also 1). An examination of the numbers of specimens in collections and accounts in the literature indicates that the species reached its greatc. - abundance in New England in Massachusetts on the sandplain grass- David L. Wagner, Matthew S. Wallace, lands of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket Island, and other offshore George H Boettner, and Joseph S. Elkinton islands (Scudder 1889, Jones and Kimball 1943). On the mainland an: on Block Island, RI, the species was commonly associated with wet meadows and human-maintained grasslands created by mowing, grazing, and other agricultural practices. As in other Speyeria. the larvae are violet specialists. New England's regal fritillary colonies were associated with ovate-leaved violet (V/olafimbriatula), lance- leaved violet (V lanceolata), common blue violet (V papllionacen and birdfoot violet (V pedata) (Schweitzer 1987, Cassie et al. in pre Abstract D. Schweitzer pers. comm.). Eastern populations of the regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) have been declining since Adult males begin emerging in mid- to late June, followed one to at least the late 1940s.
    [Show full text]
  • February 2013
    If this page does not display correctly, contact Karl Legler at [email protected] Badger ButterFlyer The e-Newsletter of the Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 2013 WEB SITE: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabawba/ 1 NEXT SWBA MEETING: Tuesday, April 16 (mark your calendar!) Meet at 7:00 p.m. in Madison at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive. Public Programs: 1) Landscaping for Butterflies and other Wildlife (Larry and Emily Scheunemann) In this 30 minute program we will learn about the landscaping of 18 acres of Conservation Reserve Program land (CRP), restored prairie and the creation of a Monarch Waystation. (Tagged Monarchs were recovered in Mexico!) Relax and enjoy pictures of flowers and butterflies as we look forward to another season of both! 2) Dragonflies of Wisconsin: (Karl Legler) A 30 minute program. The 116 Dragonflies of Wisconsin are immensely appealing with their gigantic eyes, intricately veined wings, beautifully colorful bodies, the high-speed flight of an acrobatic aerialist, an insatiable appetite for other flying insects, and a truly fascinating sex life! We will highlight some of the most interesting species in the state. 3) Photo Show and Tell Eastern Amberwing Share some of your favorite butterfly, caterpillar, moth, or dragonfly photos and enjoy the photos of others. You are welcome IN THIS ISSUE: to briefly comment about the subject of your photos. Please 1. NEXT SWBA MEETING email up to 8 digital photos (as file attachments) to Mike Reese at ON TUESDAY, APRIL 16. 2. FIELD TRIPS IN 2013. [email protected] Otherwise, you can bring 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Species Assessment for Regal Fritillary
    Species Status Assessment Class: Insecta Family: Nymphalidae Scientific Name: Speyeria idalia Common Name: Regal fritillary Species synopsis: The regal fritillary was once commonly found throughout prairies and open grasslands of the U.S. from southeastern Montana to Maine in the north, with scattered records just across the border in Canada, and from eastern Colorado to northwestern North Carolina in the south. In recent years, the regal fritillary has experienced dramatic large-scale population declines and range contractions and is subsequently rare or absent from its historical range east of the Appalachians (NatureServe 2013). The last record in New York was from 1988 and Pennsylvania contains the only extant population in its historical eastern range (NYNHP 2013). Recent morphological and DNA analysis from museum specimens and live western populations indicate that separate eastern (Speyeria idalia idalia) and western (Speyeria idalia occidentalis) subspecies should be recognized, although there is still some uncertainty about the taxonomic status of some extant and historic populations at the interface between the eastern and western subspecies (Selby 2007). This species is now extirpated in New York (NYSDEC SGCN Experts Meeting). I. Status a. Current and Legal Protected Status i. Federal ____ _Not Listed ____________________Candidate? ____No___ ii. New York _____Endangered; SGCN________________________________________ b. Natural Heritage Program Rank i. Global ______G3 ________________________________________________________ ii.
    [Show full text]
  • A Descriptive Analysis of Regal Fritillary (<I>Speyeria Idalia</I>)
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit -- Staff ubP lications Unit 2017 A descriptive analysis of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) habitat utilizing biological monitoring data along the big bend of the Platte River, NE Andrew J. Caven Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, [email protected] Kelsey C. King Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, [email protected] Joshua D. Wiese Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, [email protected] Emma M. Brinley Buckley Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ncfwrustaff Part of the Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Natural Resource Economics Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, and the Water Resource Management Commons Caven, Andrew J.; King, Kelsey C.; Wiese, Joshua D.; and Brinley Buckley, Emma M., "A descriptive analysis of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) habitat utilizing biological monitoring data along the big bend of the Platte River, NE" (2017). Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit -- Staff Publications. 236. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ncfwrustaff/236 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit -- Staff ubP lications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. J Insect Conserv (2017) 21:183–205 DOI 10.1007/s10841-017-9968-0 ORIGINAL PAPER A descriptive analysis of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) habitat utilizing biological monitoring data along the big bend of the Platte River, NE Andrew J.
    [Show full text]
  • Impacts and Options for Biodiversity-Oriented Land Managers
    GYPSY MOTH (LYMANTRIA DISPAR): IMPACTS AND OPTIONS FOR BIODIVERSITY-ORIENTED LAND MANAGERS May 2004 NatureServe is a non-profit organization providing the scientific knowledge that forms the basis for effective conservation action. A NatureServe Technical Report Citation: Schweitzer, Dale F. 2004. Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar): Impacts and Options for Biodiversity- Oriented Land Managers. 59 pages. NatureServe: Arlington, Virginia. © 2004 NatureServe NatureServe 1101 Wilson Blvd., 15th Floor Arlington, VA 22209 www.natureserve.org Author’s Contact Information: Dr. Dale Schweitzer Terrestrial Invertebrate Zoologist NatureServe 1761 Main Street Port Norris, NJ 08349 856-785-2470 Email: [email protected] NatureServe Gypsy Moth: Impacts and Options for Biodiversity-Oriented Land Managers 2 Acknowledgments Richard Reardon (United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, Morgantown, WV), Kevin Thorpe (Agricultural Research Service, Insect Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD) and William Carothers (Forest Service Forest Protection, Asheville, NC) for technical review. Sandra Fosbroke (Forest Service Information Management Group, Morgantown, WV) provided many helpful editorial comments. The author also wishes to commend the Forest Service for funding so much important research and technology development into the impacts of gypsy moth and its control on non-target organisms and for encouraging development of more benign control technologies like Gypchek. Many, but by no means all, Forest Service-funded studies are cited in this document, including Peacock et al. (1998), Wagner et al. (1996), and many of the studies cited from Linda Butler and Ann Hajek. Many other studies in the late 1980s and 1990s had USDA Forest Service funding from the Appalachian Gypsy Moth Integrated Pest Management Project (AIPM).
    [Show full text]
  • Species and Subspecies Accounts, Systematics, and Biogeography (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)
    THE GENUS SPEYERIA AND THE Speyeria atlantis/Speyeria hesperis COMPLEX: SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES ACCOUNTS, SYSTEMATICS, AND BIOGEOGRAPHY (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE) By JAMES CHRISTOPHER DUNFORD A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2007 1 © 2007 James Christopher Dunford 2 To my family, James F. Dunford, Karen and Lee Schwind, and Kim Dunford, as well as my extended family, Robert Sr., Mary Jane, Robert Jr., Michael, Scott, Jeff and Mark Zukowski, and George and Rena Dunford, and Carole Parshall; and finally my life long friends, Mitch Adams, Scott Brady, Stuart Iselin, John Kropp, Walter Schultz, and Greg Smith, who stood by my side as I pursued my entomological studies. Without their support (and patience), this would not have been possible. Good scientists surround themselves with great ones, and without the help of the superb biologists that I have had the great pleasure to work with along the way, I would not have attained some of my goals in life. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my co-chairs Lee D. Miller and Jacqueline Y. Miller (Florida Museum of Natural History, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity [MGCL]. Their guidance, advice, patience and most of all friendship have made this research possible. I would also like to thank my remaining committee members Thomas C. Emmel (MGCL), Paul Z. Goldstein (MGCL), John B. Heppner (Florida State Collection of Arthropods [FSCA]), James E. Maruniak (University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department [UF-Ent. & Nem.
    [Show full text]
  • Nectar-Seeking Visits by Butterflies in a Tallgrass Prairie Remnant In
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies Nebraska Academy of Sciences 1994 Nectar-Seeking Visits by Butterflies in a allgrT ass Prairie Remnant in Eastern Nebraska Tanya Bray University of Nebraska at Omaha Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas Part of the Life Sciences Commons Bray, Tanya, "Nectar-Seeking Visits by Butterflies in a allgrT ass Prairie Remnant in Eastern Nebraska" (1994). Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies. 100. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas/100 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Nebraska Academy of Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societiesy b an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 1994. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences, 21: 63-72 NECTAR·SEEKING VISITS BY BUTTERFLIES IN A TALLGRASS PRAIRIE REMNANT IN EASTERN NEBRASKA Tanya Bray* Department of Biology University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, Nebraska 68182-0040 *Present address: Department of Biology, Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18104. individuals from beyond the burned areas, would have ABSTRACT been available to reestablish populations." (Dana, 1986). Stolley Prairie, a tallgrass virgin prairie remnant in Without burning, however, those plants which serve as eastern Nebraska, was visited 20 times between May 25 and food resources for larva and nectar sources for the adult August 14, 1988. Fifty-two species offorbs were observed in butterfly become increasingly scarce.
    [Show full text]
  • Species Detection Report 2015
    December 1 Species Detection Report 2015 Prepared by A. Caven and K. King (Edited by J. Malzahn) In fulfillment of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Scientific A summary of and Education Permit requirements the Crane Trust Master Permit Number: 577 (Caven, Andrew- Crane Trust). permitted Attention: Mike Fritz, Zoologist, Natural Heritage Program, activities Wildlife Division, NGPC Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Small Mammals ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Table 1. Small Mammals Detected at the Crane Trust ............................................................................. 3 Birds .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 Table 2. Bird Detections and Abundance at the Crane Trust.................................................................... 4 Fish ................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Table 3. Fish Detected at the Crane Trust................................................................................................. 6 Vegetation ....................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Regal Fritillary and Its Host Plant Studied at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (Iowa) Diane M
    Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Publications Winter 2000 Regal Fritillary and its Host Plant Studied at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (Iowa) Diane M. Debinski Iowa State University, [email protected] Pauline Drobney United States Fish & Wildlife Service Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/eeob_ag_pubs Part of the Entomology Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, and the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons The ompc lete bibliographic information for this item can be found at http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ eeob_ag_pubs/34. For information on how to cite this item, please visit http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ howtocite.html. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Publications by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Regal Fritillary and its Host Plant Studied at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge (Iowa) Abstract Traditional tallgrass prairie restoration efforts have focused primarily on planting and managing the dominant species of prairie vegetation. Meanwhile, little is known about techniques for restoring prairie insect species, many of which play important roles in pollination and seed dispersal. The er gal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) is a prairie endemic butterfly that was once abundant in the Midwest, but now occurs in small, widely-separated populations. The er gal and its host plants~bird’s-foot violet (Viola pedata) and prairie violet (V.
    [Show full text]
  • Restoring Tallgrass Oak Woodlands in Southern Ontario
    Restoring Tallgrass Oak Woodlands in Southern Ontario Tallgrass Ontario Restoring Tallgrass Oak Woodlands in Southern Ontario Principle Author: Graham Buck Publisher: Tallgrass Ontario PO Box 21034 RPO Wonderland S London, ON N6K 0C7 Phone: 519 674 9980 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.tallgrassontario.org/ Copies of this report can be downloaded at our website. Acknowledgements Tallgrass Ontario would like to thank the Brant Resource Stewardship Network, National Wild Turkey Federation Canada for their financial support of this guide. Also, those who contributed photographs and figures including Graham Buck, Donald Kirk, Larry Lamb, Ministry of Natural Resources, Jessica Linton, Gene Ott, Karen Lee, National Wild Turkey Federation, USDA and USDA Forest Service and Island Press Washington D.C. © Tallgrass Ontario 2 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 The Prairie – Savanna – Woodland - Forest Continuum 3.0 Plants and Animals of Oak Woodlands 3.1 Plants 3.2 Animals 4.0 Natural Disturbance and Stress 4.1 Fire 4.2 Drought: Topography, Soils and Climate 4.3 Grazing Wildlife 5.0 New Threats to Oak Woodlands 5.1 Fire Suppression and the spread of fire-intolerant plants 5.2 Inappropriate Tree Planting 5.3 Non-native Plants 5.4 Non-native Animals − Gypsy Moth 6.0 Restoring Oak Woodlands 6.1 Recognizing Oak Woodlands 6.2 Removal of Non-native Plants 6.3 Allow Natural Regeneration or Introduce Native Seeds 6.4 Introduce Prescribed Burns 6.5 Tree Thinning 6.6 Shrub Thinning 7.0 Creating New Oak Woodland Habitat 7.1 Conversion of Evergreen Plantations 7.2 Conversion of Oak Hedgerows List of Tables Table 1.
    [Show full text]
  • A Descriptive Analysis of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria Idalia) Habitat Utilizing Biological Monitoring Data Along the Big Bend of the Platte River, NE
    J Insect Conserv DOI 10.1007/s10841-017-9968-0 ORIGINAL PAPER A descriptive analysis of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria idalia) habitat utilizing biological monitoring data along the big bend of the Platte River, NE Andrew J. Caven1 · Kelsey C. King1 · Joshua D. Wiese1 · Emma M. Brinley Buckley2 Received: 20 May 2016 / Accepted: 14 March 2017 © The Author(s) 2017. This article is an open access publication Abstract Speyeria idalia populations have declined as Viola sororia and very moderate management regimes that much as 95 percent over the last three decades. Here we remove shrubby cover (negatively associated) and promote critically evaluate prairie habitat components along the forb cover (positively associated), while providing ample Platte River in central Nebraska that S. idalia populations recovery time on burned and grazed patches for litter devel- require in an effort to better inform conservation efforts. opment (positively associated). Random forest analysis We utilized S. idalia count data from biological monitoring describes the presence of V. sororia, percent forb cover, transects where vegetation, soils, land management, and and habitat isolation as the top three habitat variables of flooding frequency data were also collected to describe the importance in predicting the presence/absence of S. idalia. habitat constituents associated with S. idalia presence. We Our finding that habitat isolation is a major predictor of S. utilize comparative statistics, Pearson’s correlation analy- idalia absence suggests many populations may be both spa- sis, and random forest analysis to model S. idalia habitat tially and genetically isolated. S. idalia’s future demands on land owned and managed by a small conservation NGO.
    [Show full text]
  • Butterflies and Moths of Garrett County, Maryland, United States
    Heliothis ononis Flax Bollworm Moth Coptotriche aenea Blackberry Leafminer Argyresthia canadensis Apyrrothrix araxes Dull Firetip Phocides pigmalion Mangrove Skipper Phocides belus Belus Skipper Phocides palemon Guava Skipper Phocides urania Urania skipper Proteides mercurius Mercurial Skipper Epargyreus zestos Zestos Skipper Epargyreus clarus Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus spanna Hispaniolan Silverdrop Epargyreus exadeus Broken Silverdrop Polygonus leo Hammock Skipper Polygonus savigny Manuel's Skipper Chioides albofasciatus White-striped Longtail Chioides zilpa Zilpa Longtail Chioides ixion Hispaniolan Longtail Aguna asander Gold-spotted Aguna Aguna claxon Emerald Aguna Aguna metophis Tailed Aguna Typhedanus undulatus Mottled Longtail Typhedanus ampyx Gold-tufted Skipper Polythrix octomaculata Eight-spotted Longtail Polythrix mexicanus Mexican Longtail Polythrix asine Asine Longtail Polythrix caunus (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) Zestusa dorus Short-tailed Skipper Codatractus carlos Carlos' Mottled-Skipper Codatractus alcaeus White-crescent Longtail Codatractus yucatanus Yucatan Mottled-Skipper Codatractus arizonensis Arizona Skipper Codatractus valeriana Valeriana Skipper Urbanus proteus Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus viterboana Bluish Longtail Urbanus belli Double-striped Longtail Urbanus pronus Pronus Longtail Urbanus esmeraldus Esmeralda Longtail Urbanus evona Turquoise Longtail Urbanus dorantes Dorantes Longtail Urbanus teleus Teleus Longtail Urbanus tanna Tanna Longtail Urbanus simplicius Plain Longtail Urbanus procne Brown Longtail
    [Show full text]