Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kelsey E. Fisher, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: The study on monarch butterflies in agricultural landscapes revealed that conservation actions need to consider habitat use and functional connectivity to prevent quasi-extinction. Through observational experiments, researchers obtained valuable data on the behavior and response of monarch butterflies in different habitats, which could support conservation planning at a landscape scale.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Klementyna A. Gawecka, Jordi Bascompte
Summary: This study aims to advance the understanding of habitat restoration on metacommunities. Findings suggest that restoration efficiency and success certainty are affected by randomly selecting or clustering restored sites. The community structure and types of interactions determine the most efficient restoration approach.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tyler J. Grant, Niranjana Krishnan, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: Establishing habitat for monarch butterflies in agricultural landscapes of the north central United States is crucial for population conservation, but potential impacts of insecticide use must be considered. Research findings indicate that the benefits of establishing habitat close to crop fields outweigh the adverse effects of insecticide spray drift.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Annie J. Krueger, Emily A. Robinson, Thomas J. Weissling, Ana M. Velez, Troy D. Anderson
Summary: The study investigated the effects of cardenolide ouabain, bifenthrin, and potassium chloride on the growth and development of monarch caterpillars. Ouabain and potassium chloride significantly impacted caterpillar body weight and diet consumption, while bifenthrin had no significant effects on survival or body weight. Combinations of different compounds did not have a significant impact on caterpillar survival or body weight.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Niranjana Krishnan, Yang Zhang, Melanie E. Aust, Richard L. Hellmich, Joel R. Coats, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: In order to conserve the eastern monarch butterfly population in North America, it is necessary to establish milkweed and nectar plants in the agricultural landscapes of the north central United States. Various insecticides were tested for toxicity, with chlorantraniliprole and beta-cyfluthrin being the most toxic to all life stages, while thiamethoxam and chlorpyrifos were generally the least toxic.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bernadette M. Mach, William Long, Jaret C. Daniels, Adam G. Dale
Summary: Anthropogenic disturbance is causing global biodiversity loss, affecting the monarch butterfly which relies on milkweed. Planting ornamental milkweed in urban landscapes seems beneficial for the conservation of monarch butterflies. However, sap-feeding insect herbivores, such as the oleander aphid, can negatively impact monarch conservation efforts by reducing plant quality and triggering plant defenses.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bernadette M. Mach, William Long, Jaret C. Daniels, Adam G. Dale
Summary: Anthropogenic disturbance is causing global biodiversity loss, including the specialized monarch butterfly. In response, ornamental milkweed plantings are becoming more common in urban landscapes and have been shown to have conservation value for monarch butterflies. However, sap-feeding insect herbivores, such as the oleander aphid, often reach high densities on these plants. Aphid-infested milkweed may hinder monarch conservation efforts by reducing host plant quality and inducing plant defenses.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lucien Besnard, Brandyn M. M. Lucca, Oliver N. N. Shipley, Gael Le Croizier, Raul O. Martinez-Rincon, Jeroen E. E. Sonke, David Point, Felipe Galvan-Magana, Edouard Kraffe, Sae Yun Kwon, Gauthier Schaal
Summary: The management of migratory taxa relies on understanding their movements, including ontogenetic habitat shifts from nurseries to adult habitats. In the Mexican Pacific, research has found that smooth hammerhead sharks rely heavily on coastal habitats for 2 years after birth, supporting the need for management decisions regarding size limits in coastal fisheries.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rodrigo Solis-Sosa, Arne O. Mooers, Maxim Larrivee, Sean Cox, Christina A. D. Semeniuk
Summary: The research found that concentrating milkweed growth in the central region is more effective in increasing the size of overwintering colonies compared to equivalent growth in the southern region, with growth in the northern region having minimal impact. While increasing milkweed stems in the south does not play a key role in increasing colony size, it is crucial for maintaining the population above a critically small size.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Emily Nixon, Ellen Brooks-Pollock, Richard Wall
Summary: Psoroptic mange (sheep scab), caused by the parasitic mite Psoroptes ovis, poses significant challenges for the global sheep industry. A spatial metapopulation model has been developed to accurately predict the transmission dynamics of sheep scab, offering insights into more effective control strategies. This model demonstrates the importance of improving approaches to scab management in sheep-rearing areas worldwide.
VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Oliver N. Shipley, Alisa L. Newton, Michael G. Frisk, Gregory A. Henkes, Jake S. LaBelle, Merry D. Camhi, Michael W. Hyatt, Hans Walters, Jill A. Olin
Summary: By utilizing nitrogen stable isotope clocks, researchers were able to predict the time since immigration and timing of habitat shifts in migratory species like juvenile sand tiger sharks. Their study showed that these sharks predominantly arrived to estuarine habitats between June and July, with some individuals arriving as early as mid-May. The isotopically inferred arrival estimates were validated through comparison with acoustically tracked individuals, indicating the reliability of this approach for estimating time of arrival into new habitats.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Drew E. Terasaki Hart, Anusha P. Bishop, Ian J. Wang
Summary: Understanding the drivers of spatial patterns of genomic diversity is crucial in evolutionary genetics. Geonomics, a Python package, allows for complex landscape genomic simulations with full spatial pedigrees, reducing user workload while remaining customizable and extensible. The results of Geonomics are consistent with classic models in population genetics and show efficiency and robustness in capturing complex spatial and evolutionary dynamics.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jay E. Diffendorfer, Ryan G. Drum, Greg W. Mitchell, Eduardo Rendon-Salinas, Victor Sanchez-Cordero, Darius J. Semmens, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Ignacio J. March
Summary: This paper discusses the elements and successful practices of interdisciplinary teams in addressing complex conservation issues caused by various social and environmental factors, with a focus on the conservation science of the monarch butterfly in North America.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Joanne E. Littlefair, Jose S. Hleap, Vince Palace, Michael D. Rennie, Michael J. Paterson, Melania E. Cristescu
Summary: The spatial connectivity in aquatic ecosystems has a significant impact on the structure, function, and dynamics of aquatic communities. Environmental DNA can be used to conduct high-throughput, spatially integrated biodiversity surveys in these ecosystems.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
C. E. de Rivera, L. L. Bliss-Ketchum, M. D. Lafrenz, A. V. Hanson, L. E. McKinney-Wise, A. H. Rodriguez, J. Schultz, A. L. Simmons, D. Taylor Rodriguez, A. H. Temple, R. E. Wheat
Summary: Roads have a significant impact on wildlife connectivity, and the barrier effect of roads is often not fully considered in current assessments. By using Omniscape to model connectivity with and without the presence of roads, this study found that roads have a strong impact on the connectivity of three different wildlife species. The impact is not limited to the roads themselves, but also extends to the surrounding areas.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Kelsey E. Fisher, James S. Adelman, Steven P. Bradbury
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Kelsey E. Fisher, J. Lindsey Flexner, Charles E. Mason
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Kelsey Elizabeth Fisher, Phil M. Dixon, Gang Han, James Stephen Adelman, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: The study introduces an automated radio telemetry system (ARTS) designed to estimate butterfly locations with high accuracy, utilizing directional antennae and statistical methods. The system shows substantial methodological advancement in tracking large insects and provides a benchmark for future technological improvements in insect tracking.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Niranjana Krishnan, Yang Zhang, Melanie E. Aust, Richard L. Hellmich, Joel R. Coats, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: In order to conserve the eastern monarch butterfly population in North America, it is necessary to establish milkweed and nectar plants in the agricultural landscapes of the north central United States. Various insecticides were tested for toxicity, with chlorantraniliprole and beta-cyfluthrin being the most toxic to all life stages, while thiamethoxam and chlorpyrifos were generally the least toxic.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tyler J. Grant, Niranjana Krishnan, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: Establishing habitat for monarch butterflies in agricultural landscapes of the north central United States is crucial for population conservation, but potential impacts of insecticide use must be considered. Research findings indicate that the benefits of establishing habitat close to crop fields outweigh the adverse effects of insecticide spray drift.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Kelsey E. Fisher, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: Habitat loss in the summer breeding range contributes to the decline in the population of eastern North American monarch butterflies, efforts to restore habitat by increasing native plants show promise. Results from an experiment suggest that monarch butterflies tend to fly downwind in resource-devoid environments, yet some individuals also exhibit upwind flight behavior, indicating a potential perceptual range of 125 meters.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Niranjana Krishnan, Maura J. Hall, Richard L. Hellmich, Joel R. Coats, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: The Varroa-active dsRNA and monarch-active dsRNA did not cause significant differences in larval mortality, development, weights, or eclosion rates compared to negative controls. Monarch larvae with the highest pupal weights consumed approximately 7500 to 10,500-mg milkweed leaf within 10 to 12 days, regardless of treatment. The lack of mortality and sublethal effects suggest monarch mRNA may be refractory to silencing by dsRNA or degrade dsRNA to a concentration insufficient to silence mRNA signaling.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Niranjana Krishnan, Russell A. Jurenka, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: This study reveals that exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides can disrupt the process of pupal ecdysis in monarch butterfly larvae, possibly by affecting the function of crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) neurons.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kelsey E. Fisher, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: The study on monarch butterflies in agricultural landscapes revealed that conservation actions need to consider habitat use and functional connectivity to prevent quasi-extinction. Through observational experiments, researchers obtained valuable data on the behavior and response of monarch butterflies in different habitats, which could support conservation planning at a landscape scale.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jingfei Guo, Kanglai He, Yujie Meng, Richard L. Hellmich, Shaojiang Chen, Miriam D. Lopez, Nick Lauter, Zhenying Wang
Summary: The relationship between stalk strength and O. furnacalis larval injury was explored in this study. The results suggest that stalk strength plays a role in resisting stalk boring by the corn borer larvae, but not pith feeding or tunneling. Rind penetration strength (RPS) could be used as an important tool for evaluating stalk strength and corn borer resistance.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kelsey E. Fisher, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: Integrating larval lepidopteran behavior into conservation plans can enhance the impact of conservation efforts. This study found that milkweed ramet abandonment behavior is seemingly innate and is not affected by intraspecific competition. It suggests maintaining small milkweed patches for larval development when there is sufficient plant biomass and no predation, parasitism, or interspecific competition.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biology
Kelsey E. Fisher, Steven P. Bradbury
Summary: Population dynamics, persistence, and distribution are influenced by animal movement behavior and resource configuration. Understanding the movement behavior of monarch butterflies can help restore breeding habitats and increase population size. Empirical data can be incorporated into simulation models for larger-scale population responses.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2023)