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1 Anna Jocham Bio 499 Dr. Jones Spring 2016 Abundance Estimates and Habitat Management for Karner Blue Butterflies on Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (Internal Report 2015) Abstract Karner Blue Butterflies (Lycaeides melissa samuelis), federally endangered butterflies native to the Midwest United States, are occupants of oak savannah and barrens communities common to restoration practices at refuges such as the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin. These sparsely vegetated biomes provide a domain for the obligate host to Karner blue butterfly larvae—Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis). Since Karner abundance consequently relies on presence of wild lupine, management of savannah/barrens habitat for the lupine—and by association the butterflies themselves—is necessary. Since no previous studies have attempted to incorporate habitat informational statistics into abundance estimates, this study provides data from the 2014 and 2015 summer seasons along with both conventional and hierarchical distance sampling information for assistance in future decisions for habitat and restoration, and concludes a federal abundance estimate of 12,390 butterflies for the 2015 season. Introduction The Karner Blue Butterfly (abbreviated as KBB) (Lycaeides melissa samuelis), is a small—less than one-inch wingspan—vibrant blue butterfly, shown in Figure 1. These butterflies are a federally endangered species, marked so in the 1990s after discovery that the species, which once covered a wide range across the Midwest, upper East Coast, and extended into Canada, had dwindled to only a few remnant populations across specific habitats in the Midwest (USFWS, 1992). In hopes of ascertaining the reason for such a population decrease, areas in which the remnant populations could be found underwent habitat restoration and population study (USFWS, 2003). These studies included habitat management techniques, such as prescribed burns, vegetation removal, mowing, and chemical application. a. b. c. Figure 1: Lycaeides melissa samuelis, a) closed-wing adult, both genders identical. b) open-winged male, note lack of orange. c) open-winged female, notice orange-colored
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Full Text Search | 1 Anna Jocham Bio 499 Dr. Jones Spring 2016 Abundance Estimates and Habitat Management for Karner Blue Butterflies on Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (Internal Report 2015) Abstract Karner Blue Butterflies (Lycaeides melissa samuelis), federally endangered butterflies native to the Midwest United States, are occupants of oak savannah and barrens communities common to restoration practices at refuges such as the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin. These sparsely vegetated biomes provide a domain for the obligate host to Karner blue butterfly larvae—Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis). Since Karner abundance consequently relies on presence of wild lupine, management of savannah/barrens habitat for the lupine—and by association the butterflies themselves—is necessary. Since no previous studies have attempted to incorporate habitat informational statistics into abundance estimates, this study provides data from the 2014 and 2015 summer seasons along with both conventional and hierarchical distance sampling information for assistance in future decisions for habitat and restoration, and concludes a federal abundance estimate of 12,390 butterflies for the 2015 season. Introduction The Karner Blue Butterfly (abbreviated as KBB) (Lycaeides melissa samuelis), is a small—less than one-inch wingspan—vibrant blue butterfly, shown in Figure 1. These butterflies are a federally endangered species, marked so in the 1990s after discovery that the species, which once covered a wide range across the Midwest, upper East Coast, and extended into Canada, had dwindled to only a few remnant populations across specific habitats in the Midwest (USFWS, 1992). In hopes of ascertaining the reason for such a population decrease, areas in which the remnant populations could be found underwent habitat restoration and population study (USFWS, 2003). These studies included habitat management techniques, such as prescribed burns, vegetation removal, mowing, and chemical application. a. b. c. Figure 1: Lycaeides melissa samuelis, a) closed-wing adult, both genders identical. b) open-winged male, note lack of orange. c) open-winged female, notice orange-colored |