Florida International University FIU Digital Commons FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations University Graduate School 12-8-2017 Top-down and Bottom-up Approaches to Understanding the Fate of the Federally Endangered Schaus’ Swallowtail Butterfly (Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus) Jaeson T. Clayborn Florida International University, [email protected] DOI: 10.25148/etd.FIDC006567 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd Part of the Biology Commons, Botany Commons, Entomology Commons, and the Outdoor Education Commons Recommended Citation Clayborn, Jaeson T., "Top-down and Bottom-up Approaches to Understanding the Fate of the Federally Endangered Schaus’ Swallowtail Butterfly H( eraclides aristodemus ponceanus)" (2017). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3698. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3698 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the University Graduate School at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FLORI DA INTERNATION AL UNIVERSITY Miami, Florida TOP-DOWN AND BOTTOM-UP APPROACHES TO UNDERSTANDING THE FATE OF THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED SCHAUS’ SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (HERACLIDES ARISTODEMUS PONCEANUS) A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in BIOLOGY by Jaeson Tyrone Clayborn 2017 To: Dean Michael R. Heithaus College of Arts, Sciences and Education This dissertation, written by Jaeson Tyrone Clayborn, and titled Top-down and Bottom- up Approaches to Understanding the Fate of the Federally Endangered Schaus’ Swallowtail Butterfly (Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus), having been approved in respect to style and intellectual concept, is referred to you for judgement. We have read this dissertation and recommend that it be approved. _________________________________________ Bradley Bennett _________________________________________ Maureen Donnelly _________________________________________ George O’Brien _________________________________________ Jeffrey Wells _________________________________________ Suzanne Koptur, Major Professor Date of Defense: December 8, 2017 The dissertation of Jaeson Tyrone Clayborn is approved. _________________________________________ Dean Michael R. Heithaus College of Arts, Sciences and Education _________________________________________ Andrés G. Gil Vice President for Research and Econoic Development and Dean of the University Graduate School Florida International University, 2018 ii DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to my family, friends, scientists, and educators. Nowadays, the stories we tell about animals and plants matter because those stories might determine the fate of organisms on the brink of extinction. “In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” – Baba Dioum iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was supported in part by DonorsChoose.org, Dissertation Year Fellowship, FIU Global Civic Engagement Grant, Kelly Foundation for Tropical Botany, North American Butterfly Association Miami Blue Research Grant, Tinker Field Research Grant, and the Zoo Miami Research and Conservation Fund. I thank my wife Yadira, mother-in-law Elia, and father-in-law Ediliso for their love and support through the trials and tribulations of academic research. My wife, in particular, provided comfort and guidance to keep me motivated when, at times, the stress was overwhelming. We were able to brainstorm ideas to improve the research and troubleshoot impediments. My mother and sister Jasmyn were instrumental in providing the foundation to study animals and plants and pursue higher education. My mother is a nurturer and provides solace when family members are stressed or in despair; however, she was austere when the topic transitioned to education and grades. My curiosity and engagement in nature were never belittled by them, but encouraged. My mother promoted exploration in the sciences through family trips to nature centers, the Cleveland Metroparks, and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. My grandmother, aunt Dorothy, aunt Cassandra, aunt Pam, cousin Robert, cousin Ashli, cousin Chandra, cousin Austin, cousin Romelle Jr., cousin Phillip, cousin-in-law Sheila, and aunt Cynthia were also supportive in my pursuit of scientific exploration and knowledge. They did not deflate my enthusiasm, but allowed me to catch animals in their yards, helped construct aquariums and terrariums, and participated in family activities at the park and zoo. iv Unfortunately, my father passed away before I attended graduate school at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg and Florida International University. He was a veteran electrician in Atlanta, Georgia and avid sports player and fan. He also understood the value of higher education (and education in general) to ascend the economic ladder. His electrical expertise was passed on to my brother Tyson. Tyson assembled the batteries and solar panels network to power high-definition video surveillance cameras in the dry forest at Elliott Key. I grateful for his support to help me explore novel research methods in the field. My youngest brother, Taylor, is a musician and music instructor; however, he also demonstrated a strong affinity towards wildlife. Taylor endured the brutal heat and mosquitoes in Biscayne National Park and volunteered his vacation time to help remove invasive plants at Adams Key. Finally, I thank my stepmother for allowing my brothers and I to harbor plants and animals in the house. She enjoys gardening and showcasing native and exotic plant species in the yard. My major advisor, Dr. Suzanne Koptur, is the reason I have come this far. She provided the lab space, guidance, mentorship, and optimism for research excellence. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to conduct research in her lab; and for that, I am grateful. Working in her lab has given me the opportunity and skillset to continue the pursuit of knowledge, advocacy for conservation and preservation, and empathy. John Koptur-Palenchar provided assistance in obtaining obscure documents for the Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly at the University of Florida. I would like to thank my dissertation committee: Dr. Bradley Bennett, Dr. Donnelly, and Dr. O’Brien, and Dr. Wells. They have pushed me to be a better scientist and person. Dr. Donnelly encourages her students to read more (a lot more) and be scientifically up- v to-date, but also know science history. Dr. Bennett is a scrupulous botanist and challenges his students to be the same in their investigations. Dr. Wells challenged my assertions in the dissertation. He guides his students to state the facts based on sound scientific investigations and statistical analyses, but avoid extrapolated hyperbole. Dr. O’Brien values science education in the classroom and school surroundings. He teaches his pre-services students (teachers) and demonstrates through various activities how to engage students through active-learning, project-based activities, and learning through play and peer-peer discussion. Collectively, they have challenged me to learn explicitly, improve my writing and statistical skills, and enhance my dissertation. Dr. Kevin Whelan was the principal investigator for the Schaus’ Swallowtail Habitat Enhancement Project in Biscayne National Park. Though he was not on my dissertation committee, he was crucial mentor for my dissertation. My research questions aligned with his work and experience at the National Park Service South Florida Caribbean Network. This project was the genesis of my true dissertation. I am truly grateful for his continued support. Craig Perry, Michael Foguer, and Lydia Cuni were essential staff for the Schaus’ Swallowtail Habitat Enhancement Project. They put in long hours to maintain the restoration sites and collect data. The arduous tasks on the islands require commitment and endurance. They also supported my research tangential to the Schaus’ Swallowtail Habitat Enhancement Project. Without them, collecting data in the field would have been more challenging than the already challenging work. I would like to thank Vicente Martinez, Shane Harrington, and Steve Newman for their support and transportation to vi the islands. The support and cooperation of Biscayne National Park and the National Park Service staff were essential in project development to completion. Leslie Bayas, Eduardo Ibarra, Brenda Rivera, and Adriana Samani were undergraduate students at Florida International University. They have since graduated. They also helped me set up experiments, collect data, and persevered through the heat and mosquitoes in the field. Thomas Spencer collected data for an ant-caterpillar lab experiment and committed many hours watching native and exotic ants battle or ignore caterpillars. Darlene Darrican, a high schooler, was a dedicated volunteer in the lab and field. She was effective and a quick-learner. She was also essential in conducting lab and field experiments. My labmates (old and new): Roxaneh Khorsand Rosa, Beyte Barrios, Ian Jones, Andrea Salas, Cleopatra Pimienta, Brittany Harris, Adel Peña. Collectively, we were supportive of each other’s research and brainstormed different ideas or engaged in intellectual discussion. Individually, they provided advice, guidance, and sometimes assisted in fieldwork. Tanjim Hossain provided ancillary help throughout