Successful conservation of a threatened Maculinea butterfly
Thomas, J.A.; Simcox, D.J.; Clarke, R.T.. 2009 Successful conservation of a threatened Maculinea butterfly. Science, 325 (5936). 80-83. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1175726
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract/Summary
Globally threatened butterflies have prompted research-based approaches to insect conservation. Here, we describe the reversal of the decline of Maculinea arion (Large Blue), a charismatic specialist whose larvae parasitize Myrmica ant societies. M. arion larvae were more specialized than had previously been recognized, being adapted to a single host-ant species that inhabits a narrow niche in grassland. Inconspicuous changes in grazing and vegetation structure caused host ants to be replaced by similar but unsuitable congeners, explaining the extinction of European Maculinea populations. Once this problem was identified, UK ecosystems were perturbed appropriately, validating models predicting the recovery and subsequent dynamics of the butterfly and ants at 78 sites. The successful identification and reversal of the problem provides a paradigm for other insect conservation projects.
Item Type: | Publication - Article |
---|---|
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1175726 |
Programmes: | CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biodiversity |
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas: | UKCEH Fellows Hails |
ISSN: | 0036-8075 |
NORA Subject Terms: | Ecology and Environment Zoology Biology and Microbiology |
Date made live: | 06 Mar 2013 14:59 +0 (UTC) |
URI: | https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/500274 |
Actions (login required)
![]() |
View Item |
Document Downloads
Downloads for past 30 days
Downloads per month over past year