Designing optimal conservation strategies for monarch butterflies in agricultural landscapes

北美东部的帝王蝶(Danaus Plexippus)在过去20年里减少了95% 由于失去了马利筋植物，毛虫的食物植物，在农业景观。农耕 公司敏锐地意识到保护生物多样性的重要性，并积极寻求最好的 在农业景观中恢复马利筋的方法。然而，简单地种植 在尽可能多的地方种植乳草可能不是最有效的生物解决方案，因为雌性 蝴蝶可能更喜欢某些类型的马利筋斑块。我们建议使用马利筋、花蜜植物和 用于研究帝王栖息地选择的帝王调查和最先进的无线电遥测阵列网络 安大略省南部的蝴蝶。我们的目标是(1)确定乳草斑块雌性的特征 蝴蝶选择产卵，(2)确定优化帝王幼虫的乳草斑块密度 生存，以及(3)通过跟踪无线电标记的帝王鸟来验证栖息地选择模型。实现目标1 2，我们将每周在至少500株轮作农业植物上清点帝王卵和幼虫，天然的 植被和道路通行权。确定雌性选择产卵的栖息地的特征 鸡蛋我们将测试鸡蛋的存在/不存在是否与土地覆盖(农业、自然植被、道路权利)有关， 马利筋密度、斑块大小和植物特征(年龄、高度、流动状态、健康状态)。对于目标 2，我们将计算幼虫存活率为5龄与卵的比例，然后测试幼虫存活率是否为 与土地覆盖、马利筋密度和马利筋斑块大小有关。产卵和仔鱼的产物 生存关系为景观中的任何位置提供了一个预测的栖息地质量指数。要实现 目标3，将预测的栖息地质量图与雌性帝王蝶选择的栖息地进行比较 装有无线电标签，并使用自动无线电遥测阵列跟踪它们的移动 (http://motus-wts.org/).)我们的结果将确定理想的乳草密度和空间布局 恢复努力，为帝王蝶种群恢复提供最大利益。

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in eastern North America have declined by 95% in the last 20 years due to loss of milkweed plants, the food plant for caterpillars, in agricultural landscapes. Agricultural companies are keenly aware of the importance of conserving biodiversity and are actively seeking the best approach towards the restoration of milkweed within agricultural landscapes. However, simply planting milkweed in as many locations as possible is likely not the most biologically-effective solution because female butterflies may prefer certain types of milkweed patches. We propose to use milkweed, nectar plant and monarch surveys and a state-of-the-art radio-telemetry array network to examine habitat selection of monarch butterflies in southern Ontario. Our objectives are (1) determine the characteristics of milkweed patches female butterflies select to lay eggs, (2) determine the density of milkweed patches that optimize monarch larvae survival, and (3) validate habitat selection models by tracking radio-tagged monarchs. To achieve objectives 1 and 2, we will count monarch eggs and larvae each week on at least 500 plants in row-crop agriculture, natural vegetation, and road right-of-ways. To determine the characteristics of habitat selected by females for laying eggs we will test if egg presence/absence is related to land cover (agriculture, natural vegetation, right-of-way), milkweed density, patch size, and plant characteristics (age, height, flowing status, health status). For objective 2, we will calculate larvae survival as the proportion of 5th instars to eggs and then test if larvae survival is related to land cover, milkweed density and milkweed patch size. The product of the egg laying and larvae survival relationships gives a predicted habitat quality index for any location in the landscape. To achieve objective 3, we will compare the predicted habitat quality map to habitat selected by female monarch butterflies fitted with radio-tags and following their movement using an automated radio-telemetry array (http://motus-wts.org/). Our results will identify the ideal density and spatial arrangement of milkweed plants in restoration efforts to provide maximum benefit to monarch butterfly population recovery.