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Nixon KJA, Parzer HF. Got milkweed? Genetic assimilation as potential source for the evolution of nonmigratory monarch butterfly wing shape. Evol Dev 2024; 26:e12463. [PMID: 37971877 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are well studied for their annual long-distance migration from as far north as Canada to their overwintering grounds in Central Mexico. At the end of the cold season, monarchs start to repopulate North America through short-distance migration over the course of multiple generations. Interestingly, some populations in various tropical and subtropical islands do not migrate and exhibit heritable differences in wing shape and size, most likely an adaptation to island life. Less is known about forewing differences between long- and short-distance migrants in relation to island populations. Given their different migratory behaviors, we hypothesized that these differences would be reflected in wing morphology. To test this, we analyzed forewing shape and size of three different groups: nonmigratory, lesser migratory (migrate short-distances), and migratory (migrate long-distances) individuals. Significant differences in shape appear in all groups using geometric morphometrics. As variation found between migratory and lesser migrants has been shown to be caused by phenotypic plasticity, and lesser migrants develop intermediate forewing shapes between migratory and nonmigratory individuals, we suggest that genetic assimilation might be an important mechanism to explain the heritable variation found between migratory and nonmigratory populations. Additionally, our research confirms previous studies which show that forewing size is significantly smaller in nonmigratory populations when compared to both migratory phenotypes. Finally, we found sexual dimorphism in forewing shape in all three groups, but for size in nonmigratory populations only. This might have been caused by reduced constraints on forewing size in nonmigratory populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyra J A Nixon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, New Jersey, USA
| | - Harald F Parzer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, New Jersey, USA
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2
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Sappington TW, Spencer JL. Movement Ecology of Adult Western Corn Rootworm: Implications for Management. INSECTS 2023; 14:922. [PMID: 38132596 PMCID: PMC10744206 DOI: 10.3390/insects14120922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Movement of adult western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is of fundamental importance to this species' population dynamics, ecology, evolution, and interactions with its environment, including cultivated cornfields. Realistic parameterization of dispersal components of models is needed to predict rates of range expansion, development, and spread of resistance to control measures and improve pest and resistance management strategies. However, a coherent understanding of western corn rootworm movement ecology has remained elusive because of conflicting evidence for both short- and long-distance lifetime dispersal, a type of dilemma observed in many species called Reid's paradox. Attempts to resolve this paradox using population genetic strategies to estimate rates of gene flow over space likewise imply greater dispersal distances than direct observations of short-range movement suggest, a dilemma called Slatkin's paradox. Based on the wide-array of available evidence, we present a conceptual model of adult western corn rootworm movement ecology under the premise it is a partially migratory species. We propose that rootworm populations consist of two behavioral phenotypes, resident and migrant. Both engage in local, appetitive flights, but only the migrant phenotype also makes non-appetitive migratory flights, resulting in observed patterns of bimodal dispersal distances and resolution of Reid's and Slatkin's paradoxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W. Sappington
- Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Joseph L. Spencer
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
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3
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Green Ii DA. Tracking technologies: advances driving new insights into monarch migration. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 60:101111. [PMID: 37678709 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the rules of how monarch butterflies complete their annual North American migration will be clarified by studying them within a movement ecology framework. Insect movement ecology is growing at a rapid pace due to the development of novel monitoring systems that allow ever-smaller animals to be tracked at higher spatiotemporal resolution for longer periods of time. New innovations in tracking hardware and associated software, including miniaturization, energy autonomy, data management, and wireless communication, are reducing the size and increasing the capability of next-generation tracking technologies, bringing the goal of tracking monarchs over their entire migration closer within reach. These tools are beginning to be leveraged to provide insight into different aspects of monarch biology and ecology, and to contribute to a growing capacity to understand insect movement ecology more broadly and its impact on human life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delbert A Green Ii
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 1105 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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4
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Hobson KA, Taylor O, Ramírez MI, Carrera-Treviño R, Pleasants J, Bitzer R, Baum KA, Mora Alvarez BX, Kastens J, McNeil JN. Dynamics of stored lipids in fall migratory monarch butterflies ( Danaus plexippus): Nectaring in northern Mexico allows recovery from droughts at higher latitudes. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad087. [PMID: 38026803 PMCID: PMC10673816 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The eastern population of the North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) overwinters from November through March in the high-altitude (3000 m+) forests of central Mexico during which time they rely largely on stored lipids. These are acquired during larval development and the conversion of sugars from floral nectar by adults. We sampled fall migrant monarchs from southern Canada through the migratory route to two overwintering sites in 2019 (n = 10 locations), 2020 (n = 8 locations) and 2021 (n = 7 locations). Moderate to extreme droughts along the migratory route were expected to result in low lipid levels in overwintering monarchs but our analysis of lipid levels of monarchs collected at overwintering sites indicated that in all years most had high levels of lipids prior to winter. Clearly, a significant proportion of lipids were consistently acquired in Mexico during the last portion of the migration. Drought conditions in Oklahoma, Texas and northern Mexico in 2019 resulted in the lowest levels of lipid mass and wing loading observed in that year but with higher levels at locations southward in Mexico to the overwintering sites. Compared with 2019, lipid levels increased during the 2020 and 2021 fall migrations but were again higher during the Mexican portion of the migration than for Oklahoma and Texas samples, emphasizing a recovery of lipids as monarchs advanced toward the overwintering locations. In all 3 years, body water was highest during the Canada-USA phase of migration but then declined during the nectar foraging phase in Mexico before recovering again at the overwintering sites. The increase in mass and lipids from those in Texas to the overwintering sites in Mexico indicates that nectar availability in Mexico can compensate for poor conditions experienced further north. Our work emphasizes the need to maintain the floral and therefore nectar resources that fuel both the migration and storage of lipids throughout the entire migratory route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Hobson
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Orley Taylor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Kansas Biological Survey and Center for Ecological Research, University of Kansas, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - M Isabel Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Geografia Ambiental, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Antigua Carretera A Patzcuaro 8701, Ex hacienda San Jose de la Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Rogelio Carrera-Treviño
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, C. Francisco Villa 20, Escobedo, Nuevo León, México
| | - John Pleasants
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, 2200 Osborne Dr, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 5011, USA
| | - Royce Bitzer
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology, 2213 Pammel Dr., Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Kristen A Baum
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences E, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Blanca X Mora Alvarez
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Jude Kastens
- Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, University of Kansas, 2101 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Jeremy N McNeil
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
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5
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Dahake A, Raguso RA, Goyret J. Context and the functional use of information in insect sensory ecology. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 58:101058. [PMID: 37217002 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Context-specific behaviors emerge from the interaction between an animal's internal state and its external environment. Although the importance of context is acknowledged in the field of insect sensory ecology, there is a lack of synthesis on this topic stemming from challenges in conceptualizing 'context'. We address this challenge by gleaning over the recent findings on the sensory ecology of mosquitoes and other insect pollinators. We discuss internal states and their temporal dynamics, from those lasting minutes to hours (host-seeking) to those lasting days to weeks (diapause, migration). Of the many patterns reviewed, at least three were common to all taxa studied. First, different sensory cues gain prominence depending on the insect's internal state. Second, similar sensory circuits between related species can result in different behavioral outcomes. And third, ambient conditions can dramatically alter internal states and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajinkya Dahake
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Robert A Raguso
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Joaquin Goyret
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tennessee Martin, Martin, TN, USA.
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6
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Ethier DM, Mitchell GW. Effects of climate on fall migration phenology of monarch butterflies departing the northeastern breeding grounds in Canada. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:2122-2131. [PMID: 36598286 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) undergo an iconic multi-generational migration, traveling thousands of kilometers from the summer breeding grounds in southern Canada to overwintering sites in central Mexico. This migration phenomena can be affected by climate change, which may have important implications on fitness and ultimately populations status. We investigated the long-term trends in fall migration phenology of monarchs using a 25-year dataset collected along the coast of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada. We also investigated local long-term trends in weather covariates that have the potential to influence migration phenology at this site. Patterns in standardized daily counts of monarchs were compared with local weather covariates using two methods (i.e., monthly averages and moving windows) to assess difference in outputs between analytical approaches. Our results suggest that monarch migration timing (migration midpoint, average peak, first peak, and late passage) and weather covariates have been consistent over time, in direct contrast to a similar study in Cape May, New Jersey, which showed a significant increase in both fall temperature and a 16- to 19-day shift in monarch migration timing. Furthermore, our results differed between analytical approaches. With respect to annual variability in air temperature, our monthly average analysis suggested that for each degree increase in September air temperature, late season passage would advance 4.71 days (±1.59 SE, p = .01). However, the moving window analysis suggested that this result is likely spurious and found no significant correlations between migration timing and any weather covariates. Importantly, our results caution against extrapolating the effects of climate change on the migration phenology of the monarch across study regions and the need for more long-term monitoring efforts to better understand regional drivers of variability in migration timing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Greg W Mitchell
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Pilecky M, Wassenaar LI, Kainz MJ, Anparasan L, Ramirez MI, McNeil JN, Hobson KA. Isotopic (δ2H and δ13C) tracing the provenance and fate of individual fatty acids fueling migrating animals: A case study of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1051782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
IntroductionAmong long-distance migratory insects, the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is one of the most iconic, whose journey is fueled by nectar from flowering plants along the migratory route which may involve up to 3,500 km. Understanding how and where monarchs obtain their dietary resources to fuel migratory flight and ensure overwintering stores would provide new insights into the migratory strategy of this species and subsequently help focus conservation efforts.MethodsThis pilot study was designed as a first attempt to assess the composition, dynamics, and isotopic (δ2H, δ13C) composition of essential and non-essential fatty acids (FA) acquired or manufactured de novo from larval host milkweed (Asclepias spp.) by monarch butterflies and from adult emergence to overwintering.ResultsData from controlled laboratory isotopic tracer tests suggested that adult monarchs convert their dietary energy mainly into 16:0 and 18:1 fatty acids and store them as neutral lipids in their abdomen. FA isotopic composition reflects not only dietary sources but also subsequent isotopic fractionation from metabolism. On the other hand, δ2H values of essential omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) correlated with δ2HWing, as markers of an individual’s geographic origin and indicated the importance of larval diet. Additionally, in wild-type females, high isotopic fractionation in δ13CALA between neutral and polar lipids might indicate increased bioconversion activity during gravidity. Finally, δ2HLIN showed positive H isotope fractionation from larval dietary sources, indicating that catabolic processes were involved in their manufacture. Furthermore, δ2HLIN showed a negative correlation with δ2HWing values, which could potentially be useful when investigating individual life-history traits, such as migratory catabolic efforts or periods of fasting.DiscussionThis interpretation was supported by significant larger variations in δ2HLIN and δ2HLIN overwintering monarchs compared to other FA. Altogether, our results provide the first evidence that the H isotopic analysis of individual fatty acids in migrating and overwintering monarchs can be used to infer the nutritional history of individuals including the provenance of nectaring sites used to fuel key life history events.
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8
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Parlin AF, Stratton SM, Guerra PA. Oriented migratory flight at night: Consequences of nighttime light pollution for monarch butterflies. iScience 2022; 25:104310. [PMID: 35573206 PMCID: PMC9097705 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We show that light trespass—a form of nighttime light pollution (NLP)—elicits normal daytime clock-mediated migratory behavior in fall monarch butterflies during their night-cycle. In controlled indoor flight simulator studies isolating the role of NLP on the expression of oriented migratory flight using a time-compensated sun compass,a full-spectrum light source consistent with lights used outdoors at night by the public,triggered proper fall directional flight at night in monarchs. Monarchs remained quiescent when initially placed in the flight simulator in the dark, but flight was immediately triggered when our light source was turned on. This nighttime behavior was identical to that seen in outdoor free-flying fall conspecifics during the day. The light source provided directional cues equivalent to those provided by the sun and could either phase-advance or phase-delay monarchs. Our study highlights the negative consequences of NLP on diurnal animals, especially those that rely on clock-mediated behavior. Nighttime light pollution can disturb diurnal migratory monarch butterflies Exposure to this pollution induces abnormal activity in normally quiescent monarchs This pollution acts as sensory noise that perturbs the circadian clock of monarchs Conservation should consider susceptibility of habitat to nighttime light pollution
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam F. Parlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Rieveschl Hall, 318 College Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Samuel M. Stratton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Rieveschl Hall, 318 College Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Biological Sciences Building, 1105 N University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Patrick A. Guerra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Rieveschl Hall, 318 College Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
- Corresponding author
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9
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Culbertson KA, Garland MS, Walton RK, Zemaitis L, Pocius VM. Long-term monitoring indicates shifting fall migration timing in monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:727-738. [PMID: 34693598 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Eastern North American monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) embark on a yearly migration between summer breeding grounds in the northern United States and southern Canada and overwintering sites in central Mexico, traveling up to 4300 km. This annual multi-generational migration cycle, like many seasonal natural phenomena, may be impacted by recent changes in climate and habitat. We investigated long-term trends in monarch abundance and fall migration timing over a 29-year period in Cape May, New Jersey, using data collected from daily population surveys designed to track patterns of occurrence during the fall migration period through Cape May (1 Sept-31 Oct). Between 1992 and 2020, the migration midpoint, average peak migration day and first peak migration day shifted between 16 and 19 days later in the season, an average of approximately six days per decade. This observed shift in migration timing is correlated with increasing temperatures in September and October in northeastern monarch breeding grounds over the study period. Our data do not demonstrate a significant directional trend in monarch abundance over the study period, yet population data collected at overwintering sites in Mexico indicate a substantial decline over the same period. Further postponement of fall migration may lead to lower migration success and exacerbate the overall decline of this iconic species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark S Garland
- New Jersey Audubon Society Cape May Bird Observatory, Cape May, New Jersey, USA
| | - Richard K Walton
- New Jersey Audubon Society Cape May Bird Observatory, Cape May, New Jersey, USA
| | - Louise Zemaitis
- New Jersey Audubon Society Cape May Bird Observatory, Cape May, New Jersey, USA
| | - Victoria M Pocius
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
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10
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James DG, Schaefer MC, Krimmer Easton K, Carl A. Reply to Davis, A.K. Monarchs Reared in Winter in California Are Not Large Enough to Be Migrants. Comment on "James et al. First Population Study on Winter Breeding Monarch Butterflies, Danaus plexippus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in the Urban South Bay of San Francisco, California. Insects 2021, 12, 946". INSECTS 2022; 13:64. [PMID: 35055907 PMCID: PMC8777960 DOI: 10.3390/insects13010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
This is a reply to the comment from Davis [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- David G. James
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, 24106 North Bunn Road, Prosser, WA 99350, USA
| | | | | | - Annie Carl
- 2661 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306, USA;
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Freedman MG, Roode JC, Forister ML, Kronforst MR, Pierce AA, Schultz CB, Taylor OR, Crone EE. Are eastern and western monarch butterflies distinct populations? A review of evidence for ecological, phenotypic, and genetic differentiation and implications for conservation. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Micah G. Freedman
- Department of Ecology & Evolution University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
- Center for Population Biology University of California, Davis Davis California USA
| | | | | | - Marcus R. Kronforst
- Department of Ecology & Evolution University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Amanda A. Pierce
- United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Cheryl B. Schultz
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University Vancouver Washington USA
| | - Orley R. Taylor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas USA
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12
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Wilcox AAE, Newman AEM, Raine NE, Mitchell GW, Norris DR. Captive-reared migratory monarch butterflies show natural orientation when released in the wild. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab032. [PMID: 34386237 PMCID: PMC8355447 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Eastern North American migratory monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) have faced sharp declines over the past two decades. Captive rearing of monarch butterflies is a popular and widely used approach for both public education and conservation. However, recent evidence suggests that captive-reared monarchs may lose their capacity to orient southward during fall migration to their Mexican overwintering sites, raising questions about the value and ethics of this activity undertaken by tens of thousands of North American citizens, educators, volunteers and conservationists each year. We raised offspring of wild-caught monarchs on swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) indoors at 29°C during the day and 23°C at night (~77% RH, 18L:6D), and after eclosion, individuals were either tested in a flight simulator or radio tracked in the wild using an array of automated telemetry towers. While 26% (10/39) of monarchs tested in the flight simulator showed a weakly concentrated southward orientation, 97% (28/29) of the radio-tracked individuals that could be reliably detected by automated towers flew in a south to southeast direction from the release site and were detected at distances of up to 200 km away. Our results suggest that, although captive rearing of monarch butterflies may cause temporary disorientation, proper orientation is likely established after exposure to natural skylight cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana A E Wilcox
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Corresponding author: Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Amy E M Newman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Nigel E Raine
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Greg W Mitchell
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - D Ryan Norris
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Nature Conservancy of Canada, 245 Eglington Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M4P 3J1, Canada
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Guerra PA. The Monarch Butterfly as a Model for Understanding the Role of Environmental Sensory Cues in Long-Distance Migratory Phenomena. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:600737. [PMID: 33343312 PMCID: PMC7744611 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.600737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The awe-inspiring annual migration of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) is an iconic example of long-distance migratory phenomena in which environmental sensory cues help drive successful migration. In this mini-review article, I begin by describing how studies on monarch migration can provide us with generalizable information on how sensory cues can mediate key aspects of animal movement. I describe how environmental sensory cues can trigger the development and progression of the monarch migration, as well as inform sensory-based movement mechanisms in order to travel to and reach their goal destination, despite monarchs being on their maiden voyage. I also describe how sensory cues can trigger season-appropriate changes in migratory direction during the annual cycle. I conclude this mini-review article by discussing how contemporary environmental challenges threaten the persistence of the monarch migration. Environmental challenges such as climate change and shifting land use can significantly alter the sensory environments that monarchs migrate through, as well as degrade or eliminate the sources of sensory cues that are necessary for successful migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick A. Guerra
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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14
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Hobson KA, García-Rubio OR, Carrera-Treviño R, Anparasan L, Kardynal KJ, McNeil JN, García-Serrano E, Mora Alvarez BX. Isotopic (δ2H) Analysis of Stored Lipids in Migratory and Overwintering Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus): Evidence for Southern Critical Late-Stage Nectaring Sites? Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.572140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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15
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Taylor OR, Pleasants JM, Grundel R, Pecoraro SD, Lovett JP, Ryan A. Evaluating the Migration Mortality Hypothesis Using Monarch Tagging Data. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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16
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Tenger-Trolander A, Kronforst MR. Migration behaviour of commercial monarchs reared outdoors and wild-derived monarchs reared indoors. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201326. [PMID: 32752991 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Captive rearing of monarch butterflies is a commercial and personal pursuit enjoyed by many different groups and individuals. However, the practice remains controversial, especially after new evidence showed that both a group of commercially derived monarchs reared outdoors and a group of wild-derived but indoor-reared monarchs failed to orient south, unlike wild-derived monarchs reared outdoors. To more fully characterize the mechanisms responsible for the loss of orientation in both commercial and indoor-reared monarchs, we performed flight simulator experiments to determine (i) whether any fraction of commercial monarchs maintains a southern heading over multiple tests, and (ii) whether indoor conditions with the addition of sunlight can induce southern flight in wild-derived monarchs. Commercial monarchs changed their flight direction more often over the course of multiple tests than wild-derived monarchs. While as a group the commercial monarchs did not fly south on average, a subset of individuals did orient south over multiple tests, potentially explaining the discordance between flight simulator assays and the recovery of tagged commercial monarchs at overwintering locations. We also show that even when raised indoors with sunlight, wild-derived monarchs did not consistently orient south in the flight simulator, though wild-derived monarchs reared outdoors did orient south.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcus R Kronforst
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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17
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Sourakov A. Emperors, admirals and giants, zebras, tigers and woolly bears: casting a broader net in exploring heparin effects on Lepidoptera wing patterns. F1000Res 2018; 7:1842. [PMID: 33335710 PMCID: PMC7722536 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.16926.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Studies of heparin effects on Lepidoptera wing patterns have been restricted to a small number of species. I report observations from experiments on a broader range of taxa, including first results from swallowtails, tiger moths and microlepidoptera. Methods: Heparin injections were made in prepupae and pupae of Junonia coenia (common buckeyes), Agraulis vanillae (gulf fritillaries), Heliconius charithonia (zebra longwings), Asterocampa clyton (tawny emperors) , Danaus plexippus (monarchs), Vanessa atalanta (red admirals); Heraclides cresphontes (giant swallowtails), Pterourus troilus (spicebush swallowtails), Protographium marcellus (zebra swallowtails), Battus polydamas (polydamas swallowtails); Hypercompe scribonia (giant leopard moths), Estigmene acrea (acrea moths), Hyphantria cunea (fall webworm moths) , Utetheisa ornatrix (ornate bella moths); Glyphodes sibillalis (mulberry leaftier). Results: Heparin sometimes altered the entire pattern in a dramatic way, sometimes caused changes locally. In buckeyes, the previous heparin study conducted on pupae was compared to injections made at a prepupal stage. In gulf fritillaries, zebra longwings and tawny emperors, the dramatic changes occurred throughout their wings, while in monarchs, changes were restricted to wing margins. Changes achieved in red admirals, show that heparin action is unrelated to the original color. In swallowtails, transformations were restricted to border system, indicating higher levels of stability and compartmentalization of wing patterns. In mulberry leaftier, changes were restricted to the marginal bands. In tiger moths, elongation of black markings led to merging of spots; in the ornate bella moth, it was accompanied by an expansion of the surrounding white bands, and results were compared to the effects of colder temperatures. Conclusions: Using pharmaceutical intervention demonstrates that there are many similarities and some very significant differences in the ways wing patterns are formed in different Lepidoptera lineages. By creating a range of variation one can demonstrate how one pattern can easily evolve into another, aiding in understanding of speciation and adaptation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Sourakov
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
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18
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Sourakov A. Emperors, admirals and giants, zebras, tigers and woolly bears: casting a broader net in exploring heparin effects on Lepidoptera wing patterns. F1000Res 2018; 7:1842. [PMID: 33335710 PMCID: PMC7722536 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.16926.2] [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] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 03/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Studies of heparin effects on Lepidoptera wing patterns have been restricted to a small number of species. I report observations from experiments on a broader range of taxa, including first results from swallowtails, tiger moths and microlepidoptera. Methods: Heparin injections were made in prepupae and pupae of Junonia coenia (common buckeyes), Agraulis vanillae (gulf fritillaries), Heliconius charithonia (zebra longwings), Asterocampa clyton (tawny emperors) , Danaus plexippus (monarchs), Vanessa atalanta (red admirals); Heraclides cresphontes (giant swallowtails), Pterourus troilus (spicebush swallowtails), Protographium marcellus (zebra swallowtails), Battus polydamas (polydamas swallowtails); Hypercompe scribonia (giant leopard moths), Estigmene acrea (acrea moths), Hyphantria cunea (fall webworm moths) , Utetheisa ornatrix (ornate bella moths); Glyphodes sibillalis (mulberry leaftier). Results: Heparin sometimes altered the entire pattern in a dramatic way, sometimes caused changes locally. In buckeyes, the previous heparin study conducted on pupae was compared to injections made at a prepupal stage. In gulf fritillaries, zebra longwings and tawny emperors, the dramatic changes occurred throughout their wings, while in monarchs, changes were restricted to wing margins. Changes achieved in red admirals, show that heparin action is unrelated to the original color. In swallowtails, transformations were restricted to border system, indicating higher levels of stability and compartmentalization of wing patterns. In mulberry leaftier, changes were restricted to the marginal bands. In tiger moths, elongation of black markings led to merging of spots; in the ornate bella moth, it was accompanied by an expansion of the surrounding white bands, and results were compared to the effects of colder temperatures. Conclusions: Using pharmaceutical intervention demonstrates that there are many similarities and some very significant differences in the ways wing patterns are formed in different Lepidoptera lineages. By creating a range of variation one can demonstrate how one pattern can easily evolve into another, aiding in understanding of speciation and adaptation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Sourakov
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
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