Disentangling effects of fire, habitat, and climate on an endangered prairie-specialist butterfly

Henderson, Richard A.; Meunier, Jed; Holoubek, Nathan S.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2017.10.034

Cited by 22 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…However, delaying fire-return intervals greater than three years can lead to transitions from grasslands to shrublands and fire-return intervals greater than ten years, or complete fire suppression, can lead to the invasion of woody species and conversion from grasslands to woodlands (Ratajczak et al 2016). Our results support other recent research indicating that burning annually may be more beneficial to regals than complete fire suppression (Henderson et al 2018). Our results support other recent research indicating that burning annually may be more beneficial to regals than complete fire suppression (Henderson et al 2018).…”

Section: Fire-return Intervalsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…For instance, one study found that contiguous size of grassland accounted for 60% of the variation in regal abundance (Mason 2001). Similar hypotheses have been proposed for regals regarding differences among findings of the effects of prescribed fire (Latham et al 2007, Moranz et al 2014, Henderson et al 2018. Similar hypotheses have been proposed for regals regarding differences among findings of the effects of prescribed fire (Latham et al 2007, Moranz et al 2014, Henderson et al 2018.…”

Section: Fire-return Intervalmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Moranz et al (2014) suggested that sampling only once during the early adult flight may have not given regals enough time to recolonize the burned sites and resulted in the observed decreased density among those sites. Although reported recovery times vary, research indicates that recolonization can occur as quickly as four weeks postburn (Huebschman and Bragg 2000) and numbers may reach pre-burn levels or greater within two to four years (Henderson et al 2018). Although reported recovery times vary, research indicates that recolonization can occur as quickly as four weeks postburn (Huebschman and Bragg 2000) and numbers may reach pre-burn levels or greater within two to four years (Henderson et al 2018).…”

Section: Fire-return Intervalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alternatively, patch-burning has been applied successfully, even on relatively small, isolated prairie remnants (Huebschman and Bragg 2000, Powell et al 2007, Moranz et al 2014, Henderson et al 2018. The majority of studies that found patch-burning to be a compatible management strategy for regals had sites that were burned on three-to five-year cycles (Huebschman and Bragg 2000, Moranz et al 2014, Henderson et al 2018). The majority of studies that found patch-burning to be a compatible management strategy for regals had sites that were burned on three-to five-year cycles (Huebschman and Bragg 2000, Moranz et al 2014, Henderson et al 2018).…”

Section: Fire-return Intervalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regals are commonly described as a prairie-specialist, indicator, or flagship species of pristine prairie habitat in the literature (Hammond and McCorkle 1983, Swengel 1996, Moranz et al 2014, Henderson et al 2018. Regals are commonly described as a prairie-specialist, indicator, or flagship species of pristine prairie habitat in the literature (Hammond and McCorkle 1983, Swengel 1996, Moranz et al 2014, Henderson et al 2018.…”

Section: Habitat Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Management regime and habitat response influence abundance of regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) in tallgrass prairie

et al. 2019

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The >2,570,000-ha Flint Hills ecoregion of Kansas, USA, harbors the largest remaining contiguous tract of tallgrass prairie in North America, a unique system, as the remainder of North America's tallgrass prairie has succumbed to development and conversion. Consequently, the loss and degradation of tallgrass prairie has reduced populations of many North American prairie-obligate species including the regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) butterfly. Population abundance and occupied range of regal fritillary have declined >99%, restricting many populations to isolated, remnant patches of tallgrass prairie. Such extensive decline has resulted in consideration of the regal fritillary for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Although it is widely accepted that management practices such as fire, grazing, and haying are necessary to maintain prairie ecosystems, reported responses by regal fritillary to these management regimes have been ambiguous. We tested effects of prescribed fire across short, moderate, and long fire-return intervals as well as grazing and haying management treatments on regal fritillary density. We also tested the relative influence of habitat characteristics created by these management regimes by measuring density of an obligate host plant (Viola spp.) and canopy cover of woody vegetation, grasses, forbs/ferns, bare ground, and litter. We found density was at least 1.6 times greater in sites burned with a moderate fire-return interval vs. sites burned with short and long fire-return intervals. Overall management regardless of fire-return interval did not have an effect on density. Percent cover of grass had the strongest positive association, while percent cover of woody vegetation had the greatest negative effect on density. Our results indicate that patch-burning is a viable and perhaps even ideal management strategy for regal fritillary in tallgrass prairie landscapes. Additionally, these results elucidate the importance of fire, particularly when applied at moderate-return intervals to regal fritillary, and corroborate a growing suite of studies that suggest fire is perhaps not as detrimental to populations of regal fritillary as previously believed.

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Section: Fire-return Intervalsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Fire-return Intervalmentioning

confidence: 63%

Section: Fire-return Intervalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fire-return Intervalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Habitat Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Management regime and habitat response influence abundance of regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) in tallgrass prairie

et al. 2019

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Divergent responses of butterflies and bees to burning and grazing management in tallgrass prairies

Leone

Pennarola

Larson

et al. 2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Butterflies and bees contribute significantly to grassland biodiversity and play important roles as pollinators and herbivores. Grassland conservation and management must be seen through the lens of insect conservation and management if these species are to thrive. In North America, grasslands are a product of climate and natural disturbances such as fire and grazing. These natural disturbances have changed considerably since European colonization and subsequent landscape fragmentation. The aim of this study was to better understand the impacts of fire and grazing management on butterfly and bee communities in tallgrass prairie, enabling land managers and conservationists to better protect and manage remnant prairie. We examined butterfly and bee abundance, species richness, and diversity in Minnesota tallgrass prairies managed by grazing or fire. In 2016 and 2017, we surveyed butterflies, bees, vegetation, and surrounding land use at 20 remnant prairies (10 burned and 10 grazed) with known management histories. Butterfly and bee abundance at our study sites were significantly negatively correlated. Butterfly abundance, but not species richness, was higher in burned than grazed prairies, and prairie‐associated grass‐feeding butterflies were more abundant at sites with higher plant species richness. Bee abundance was unrelated to management type but was higher at sites with sandier soils; bee species richness was positively associated with forb frequency. These findings highlight the challenges of designing management plans tailored to wide groups of pollinators and the potential pitfalls of using one group of pollinators as indicators for another. They also point to the importance of a mosaic of management practices across the prairie landscape.

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Management of remnant tallgrass prairie by grazing or fire: effects on plant communities and soil properties

et al. 2020

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Tallgrass prairie is a disturbance‐dependent ecosystem that has suffered steep declines in the midwestern United States. The necessity of disturbance, typically fire or grazing, presents challenges to managers who must apply them on increasingly small and fragmented parcels. The goal of this study was to compare effects of management using cattle grazing or fire on vegetation and soil characteristics to aid managers in making decisions regarding the kind of disturbance to apply. We selected 73 sites, of which 27 were managed solely by cattle grazing and 46 solely by fire, for at least 11 yr leading up to the study. We stratified the sites by prairie type (dry, mesic, and wet) and sampled frequency of plant species on randomly placed transects, supplemented with botanist‐directed walks, and collected and composited five soil cores on a randomly selected transect within each prairie type at each site. We calculated rarefied richness and Shannon evenness from the transect data and mean coefficient of conservatism (CofC) from the total list of species. Soil samples were analyzed for texture, bulk density, total N and C, and potential net N nitrification and mineralization. A nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis of the plant community data revealed differences in species associated with mesic and wet prairies, but no separation by management type. Similarly, none of the vegetation variables we calculated varied by management type, as determined by mixed‐effects models, but soil bulk density was 17.5% higher and total N was 22% higher on grazed sites than burned sites. Sites burned more recently had higher species richness and mean CofC, but fire was not associated with any soil variables. Sites grazed more recently had higher bulk density, total N and C, and faster N cycling rates. Overall, 28% of plant species were found exclusively in one management type or the other, but these species did not vary in mean CofC. We conclude that, at the levels of burning and grazing intensity we studied, both management approaches produce similar C storage and vegetation responses. To maintain maximum diversity across the landscape, however, both approaches are necessary.

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Disentangling effects of fire, habitat, and climate on an endangered prairie-specialist butterfly

Cited by 22 publications

References 34 publications

Management regime and habitat response influence abundance of regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) in tallgrass prairie

Management regime and habitat response influence abundance of regal fritillary (Speyeria idalia) in tallgrass prairie

Divergent responses of butterflies and bees to burning and grazing management in tallgrass prairies

Management of remnant tallgrass prairie by grazing or fire: effects on plant communities and soil properties

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