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Chmielewski MW, Naya S, Borghi M, Cortese J, Fernie AR, Swartz MT, Zografou K, Sewall BJ, Spigler RB. Phenology and foraging bias contribute to sex-specific foraging patterns in the rare declining butterfly Argynnis idalia idalia. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10287. [PMID: 37475725 PMCID: PMC10353922 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation in pollinator foraging behavior can influence pollination effectiveness, community diversity, and plant-pollinator network structure. Although effects of interspecific variation have been widely documented, studies of intraspecific variation in pollinator foraging are relatively rare. Sex-specific differences in resource use are a strong potential source of intraspecific variation, especially in species where the phenology of males and females differ. Differences may arise from encountering different flowering communities, sex-specific traits, nutritional requirements, or a combination of these factors. We evaluated sex-specific foraging patterns in the eastern regal fritillary butterfly (Argynnis idalia idalia), leveraging a 21-year floral visitation dataset. Because A. i. idalia is protandrous, we determined whether foraging differences were due to divergent phenology by comparing visitation patterns between the entire season with restricted periods of male-female overlap. We quantified nectar carbohydrate and amino acid contents of the most visited plant species and compared those visited more frequently by males versus females. We demonstrate significant differences in visitation patterns between male and female A. i. idalia over two decades. Females visit a greater diversity of species, while dissimilarity in foraging patterns between sexes is persistent and comparable to differences between species. While differences are diminished or absent in some years during periods of male-female overlap, remaining signatures of foraging dissimilarity during implicate mechanisms other than phenology. Nectar of plants visited more by females had greater concentrations of total carbohydrates, glucose, and fructose and individual amino acids than male-associated plants. Further work can test whether nutritional differences are a cause of visitation patterns or consequence, reflecting seasonal shifts in the nutritional landscape encountered by male and female A. i. idalia. We highlight the importance of considering sex-specific foraging patterns when studying interaction networks, and in making conservation management decisions for this at-risk butterfly and other species exhibiting strong intraspecific variation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Skyler Naya
- Department of BiologyTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Monica Borghi
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdamGermany
- Present address:
Department of BiologyUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Jen Cortese
- Department of BiologyTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Mark T. Swartz
- The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans AffairsFort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training CenterAnnvillePennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Brent J. Sewall
- Department of BiologyTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
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Rivest SA, Wolkovich EM, Kharouba HM. Flowering phenology influences butterfly nectar foraging on non-native plants in an oak savanna. Ecology 2023; 104:e4004. [PMID: 36799691 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
The negative impacts of non-native species have been well documented, but some non-natives can play a positive role in native ecosystems. One way that non-native plants can positively interact with native butterflies is by provisioning nectar. Relatively little is known about the role of phenology in determining native butterfly visitation to non-native plants for nectar, yet flowering time directly controls nectar availability. Here we investigate the phenological patterns of flowering by native and non-native plants and nectar foraging by native butterflies in an oak savanna on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. We also test whether native butterflies select nectar sources in proportion to their availability. We found that non-native plants were well integrated into butterfly nectar diets (83% of foraging observations) and that visitation to non-natives increased later in the season when native plants were no longer flowering. We also found that butterflies selected non-native flowers more often than expected based on their availability, suggesting that these plants represent a potentially valuable resource. Our study shows that non-native species have the potential to drive key species interactions in seasonal ecosystems. Management regimes focused on eradicating non-native species may need to reconsider their aims and evaluate resources that non-natives provide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - E M Wolkovich
- Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Moradinour Z, Wiklund C, Jie VW, Restrepo CE, Gotthard K, Miettinen A, Perl CD, Baird E. Sensory Organ Investment Varies with Body Size and Sex in the Butterfly Pieris napi. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12121064. [PMID: 34940152 PMCID: PMC8707955 DOI: 10.3390/insects12121064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In solitary insect pollinators such as butterflies, sensory systems must be adapted for multiple tasks, including nectar foraging, mate-finding, and locating host-plants. As a result, the energetic investments between sensory organs can vary at the intraspecific level and even among sexes. To date, little is known about how these investments are distributed between sensory systems and how it varies among individuals of different sex. We performed a comprehensive allometric study on males and females of the butterfly Pieris napi where we measured the sizes and other parameters of sensory traits including eyes, antennae, proboscis, and wings. Our findings show that among all the sensory traits measured, only antenna and wing size have an allometric relationship with body size and that the energetic investment in different sensory systems varies between males and females. Moreover, males had absolutely larger antennae and eyes, indicating that they invest more energy in these organs than females of the same body size. Overall, the findings of this study reveal that the size of sensory traits in P. napi are not necessarily related to body size and raises questions about other factors that drive sensory trait investment in this species and in other insect pollinators in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Moradinour
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (C.W.); (V.W.J.); (C.E.R.); (K.G.); (C.D.P.); (E.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Christer Wiklund
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (C.W.); (V.W.J.); (C.E.R.); (K.G.); (C.D.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Vun Wen Jie
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (C.W.); (V.W.J.); (C.E.R.); (K.G.); (C.D.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Carlos E. Restrepo
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (C.W.); (V.W.J.); (C.E.R.); (K.G.); (C.D.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Karl Gotthard
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (C.W.); (V.W.J.); (C.E.R.); (K.G.); (C.D.P.); (E.B.)
| | - Arttu Miettinen
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5234 Villigen, Switzerland;
- Department of Physics, University of Jyvaskyla, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Craig D. Perl
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (C.W.); (V.W.J.); (C.E.R.); (K.G.); (C.D.P.); (E.B.)
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Emily Baird
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; (C.W.); (V.W.J.); (C.E.R.); (K.G.); (C.D.P.); (E.B.)
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Vajna F, Kis J, Szigeti V. Measuring proboscis length in Lepidoptera: a review. ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-020-00507-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMouthpart morphologies relate to diet range. Differences among or within species may result in resource partitioning and speciation. In plant-pollinator interactions, mouthpart length has an important role in foraging efficiency, resource partitioning and pollination, hence measuring nectarivorous insect mouthparts’ morphological variation is important. Most adult lepidopterans feed on nectars and participate in pollination. Although a vast range of studies applied morphometric measurements on lepidopteran proboscis (tongue) length, general recommendations on methodologies are scarce. We review available proboscis length measurement methodologies for Lepidoptera. Focusing on how proboscides have been measured, how accurate the measurements were, and how were these constrained by sampling effort, we searched for research articles investigating lepidopteran proboscis length and extracted variables on the aims of measurements, preparation and measurement methodology, and descriptive statistics. Different methods were used both for preparation and measurements. Many of the 135 reviewed papers did not provide descriptions of the procedures applied. Research aims were different among studies. Forty-four percent of the studies measured dead specimens, 13% measured living specimens, and 43% were unclear. Fifteen percent of the studies used callipers, 9% rulers, 1% millimetre scales, 4% ocular micrometers, 3% drawings and 14% photographs; 55% were non-informative. We emphasise the importance to provide detailed descriptions on the methods applied. Providing guidelines for future sampling and measurements, we encourage fellow researchers planning measurements to take into account the effect of specimen preparation techniques on the results, define landmarks, consider resolution, accuracy, precision, choose an appropriate sample size and report details on methodology.
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Are all butterflies equal? Population-wise proboscis length variation predicts flower choice in a butterfly. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Kerr NZ, Wepprich T, Grevstad FS, Dopman EB, Chew FS, Crone EE. Developmental trap or demographic bonanza? Opposing consequences of earlier phenology in a changing climate for a multivoltine butterfly. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:2014-2027. [PMID: 31833162 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
A rapidly changing climate has the potential to interfere with the timing of environmental cues that ectothermic organisms rely on to initiate and regulate life history events. Short-lived ectotherms that exhibit plasticity in their life history could increase the number of generations per year under warming climate. If many individuals successfully complete an additional generation, the population experiences an additional opportunity to grow, and a warming climate could lead to a demographic bonanza. However, these plastic responses could become maladaptive in temperate regions, where a warmer climate could trigger a developmental pathway that cannot be completed within the growing season, referred to as a developmental trap. Here we incorporated detailed demography into commonly used photothermal models to evaluate these demographic consequences of phenological shifts due to a warming climate on the formerly widespread, multivoltine butterfly (Pieris oleracea). Using species-specific temperature- and photoperiod-sensitive vital rates, we estimated the number of generations per year and population growth rate over the set of climate conditions experienced during the past 38 years. We predicted that populations in the southern portion of its range have added a fourth generation in recent years, resulting in higher annual population growth rates (demographic bonanzas). We predicted that populations in the Northeast United States have experienced developmental traps, where increases in the thermal window initially caused mortality of the final generation and reduced growth rates. These populations may recover if more growing degree days are added to the year. Our framework for incorporating detailed demography into commonly used photothermal models demonstrates the importance of using both demography and phenology to predict consequences of phenological shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Z Kerr
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Tyson Wepprich
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Fritzi S Grevstad
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Erik B Dopman
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Frances S Chew
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
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Bennion LD, Ferguson JA, New LF, Schultz CB. Community‐level effects of herbicide‐based restoration treatments: structural benefits but at what cost? Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leland D. Bennion
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University Vancouver WA 98686 U.S.A
| | | | - Leslie F. New
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University Vancouver WA 98686 U.S.A
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Cariveau AB, Anderson E, Baum KA, Hopwood J, Lonsdorf E, Nootenboom C, Tuerk K, Oberhauser K, Snell-Rood E. Rapid Assessment of Roadsides as Potential Habitat for Monarchs and Other Pollinators. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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Warchola N, Crone EE, Schultz CB. Balancing ecological costs and benefits of fire for population viability of disturbance-dependent butterflies. J Appl Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Arnold PM, Michaels HJ. Nectar sampling for prairie and oak savanna butterfly restoration. APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES 2017; 5:apps1600148. [PMID: 28690931 PMCID: PMC5499304 DOI: 10.3732/apps.1600148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Understanding floral resources is vital for restoring pollinators in habitats affected by anthropogenic development and climate change. As the primary adult food, nectar can limit butterfly longevity and reproduction. For pollinator restoration, it would therefore be useful to examine nectar resources. However, because many flowers preferred by butterflies are too small for microcapillary sampling and the potential for nectar contamination can make accurate measurement difficult, we developed a modified centrifugation method to extract and separate nectar and pollen. METHODS We sampled nectar from 19 forbs using a glass wool filter to exclude potentially contaminating pollen during centrifugation. To minimize costs, we measured sugar concentration by refractometry and simple ninhydrin tests for amino acids and improved test accuracy by subsequent image analysis. Artificial nectars were used to verify the new techniques. RESULTS This method eliminated pollen from samples, while only slightly increasing sugar concentrations. Some amino acids were lost during centrifugation, but only samples with high concentrations exhibited substantial loss. We found significant differences in nectar quality among species, as well as an unexpected inverse relationship between amino acid and sugar concentrations. DISCUSSION This modified centrifugation technique is an efficient, less damaging, inexpensive approach for collecting nectar from small flowers while eliminating pollen contamination, and will facilitate restoration of declining pollinators and thereby the plants they service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige M. Arnold
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403 USA
| | - Helen J. Michaels
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403 USA
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