Changes in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus)
Abstract The decline of the iconic monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in North America has motivated research on the impacts of land use and land cover (LULC) change and climate variability on monarch habitat and population dynamics. We investigated spring and fall trends in LULC, milkweed and nec...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56693-z |
| _version_ | 1797247274107011072 |
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| author | Jay E. Diffendorfer Francisco Botello Mark A. Drummond Zach H. Ancona Lucila M. Corro Wayne E. Thogmartin Peter C. Ibsen Rafael Moreno-Sanchez Laura Lukens Victor Sánchez-Cordero |
| author_facet | Jay E. Diffendorfer Francisco Botello Mark A. Drummond Zach H. Ancona Lucila M. Corro Wayne E. Thogmartin Peter C. Ibsen Rafael Moreno-Sanchez Laura Lukens Victor Sánchez-Cordero |
| author_sort | Jay E. Diffendorfer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The decline of the iconic monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in North America has motivated research on the impacts of land use and land cover (LULC) change and climate variability on monarch habitat and population dynamics. We investigated spring and fall trends in LULC, milkweed and nectar resources over a 20-year period, and ~ 30 years of climate variables in Mexico and Texas, U.S. This region supports spring breeding, and spring and fall migration during the annual life cycle of the monarch. We estimated a − 2.9% decline in milkweed in Texas, but little to no change in Mexico. Fall and spring nectar resources declined < 1% in both study extents. Vegetation greenness increased in the fall and spring in Mexico while the other climate variables did not change in both Mexico and Texas. Monarch habitat in Mexico and Texas appears relatively more intact than in the midwestern, agricultural landscapes of the U.S. Given the relatively modest observed changes in nectar and milkweed, the relatively stable climate conditions, and increased vegetation greenness in Mexico, it seems unlikely that habitat loss (quantity or quality) in Mexico and Texas has caused large declines in population size or survival during migration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:56:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-864ace515c734773948d1417b6f45dd1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:56:05Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-864ace515c734773948d1417b6f45dd12024-03-24T12:19:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-03-0114111310.1038/s41598-024-56693-zChanges in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus)Jay E. Diffendorfer0Francisco Botello1Mark A. Drummond2Zach H. Ancona3Lucila M. Corro4Wayne E. Thogmartin5Peter C. Ibsen6Rafael Moreno-Sanchez7Laura Lukens8Victor Sánchez-Cordero9U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science CenterDepartamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoU.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science CenterU.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science CenterU.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science CenterU.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences CenterU.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science CenterDepartment of Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado DenverMonarch Joint VentureDepartamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoAbstract The decline of the iconic monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in North America has motivated research on the impacts of land use and land cover (LULC) change and climate variability on monarch habitat and population dynamics. We investigated spring and fall trends in LULC, milkweed and nectar resources over a 20-year period, and ~ 30 years of climate variables in Mexico and Texas, U.S. This region supports spring breeding, and spring and fall migration during the annual life cycle of the monarch. We estimated a − 2.9% decline in milkweed in Texas, but little to no change in Mexico. Fall and spring nectar resources declined < 1% in both study extents. Vegetation greenness increased in the fall and spring in Mexico while the other climate variables did not change in both Mexico and Texas. Monarch habitat in Mexico and Texas appears relatively more intact than in the midwestern, agricultural landscapes of the U.S. Given the relatively modest observed changes in nectar and milkweed, the relatively stable climate conditions, and increased vegetation greenness in Mexico, it seems unlikely that habitat loss (quantity or quality) in Mexico and Texas has caused large declines in population size or survival during migration.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56693-z |
| spellingShingle | Jay E. Diffendorfer Francisco Botello Mark A. Drummond Zach H. Ancona Lucila M. Corro Wayne E. Thogmartin Peter C. Ibsen Rafael Moreno-Sanchez Laura Lukens Victor Sánchez-Cordero Changes in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) Scientific Reports |
| title | Changes in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) |
| title_full | Changes in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) |
| title_fullStr | Changes in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) |
| title_short | Changes in landscape and climate in Mexico and Texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) |
| title_sort | changes in landscape and climate in mexico and texas reveal small effects on migratory habitat of monarch butterflies danaus plexippus |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56693-z |
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