Thesis
Restoration action and species response: oviposition habits of Plebijus icarioides fenderi (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) across a restoration chronosequence in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2011
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103596
Abstract
Habitat restoration is critical to the conservation of rare species. However, restoration efforts often proceed without knowledge of their effects on focal species. We investigated the reproductive response of the federally endangered Fender's blue butterfly (Plebejus(icarioides( fenderi to prairie restoration in the Willamette Valley of western Oregon, USA. In 2009 and 2010, we quantified the availability of the larval host plant, Kincaid's lupine (Lupinus (oreganus , and butterfly oviposition in three restored areas (1^10 years old and adjacent intact habitat. Oviposition measures in restored areas reached or exceeded intact habitat (0.1 eggs/leaf of host plant and 12% of time ovipositing within five years post restoration. However, none of the restorations provided an equivalent host plant density to intact areas (55 leaves/m2. The different response time of host plants and butterflies to restoration highlights the importance of monitoring both vegetation and oviposition over an ecologically relevant timescale (at least ten years. For imperiled species, quantifying reproductive response to restoration is critical for adaptive management and the successful conservation of the species at which restoration efforts are aimed.
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Details
- Title
- Restoration action and species response
- Creators
- Alexandra Carleton
- Contributors
- Cheryl Barbara Schultz (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525041401842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis