0000000000144731
AUTHOR
Niina Mattila
Ecological traits as determinants of extinction risk and distribution change in lepidoptera
Lajeja häviää nyt nopeammin kuin koskaan aiemmin maapallon historiassa. Lajit eivät kuitenkaan häviä sattumanvaraisesti, vaan niiden ekologiset piirteet vaikuttavat siihen, kuinka hyvin ne kestävät erilaisia uhkatekijöitä.Yksi luonnonsuojelubiologian tärkeimmistä tavoitteista onkin löytää ne lajikohtaiset ekologiset ominaisuudet, jotka altistavat lajit taantumiselle ja sukupuuttoriskille.Niina Mattila selvitti väitöskirjatutkimuksessaan, mitkä ekologiset ominaisuudet vaikuttavat yöperhosten, mittareiden ja päiväperhosten sukupuuttoriskiin ja taantumiseen Suomessa. Lisäksi Mattila tutki mihin ilmansuuntaan päiväperhosten levinneisyys Suomessa on muuttunut ja vaikuttavatko lajien ekologiset o…
Interactions between ecological traits and host plant type explain distribution change in noctuid moths.
The ecological traits of species determine how well a species can withstand threats to which it is exposed. If these predisposing traits can be identified, species that are most at risk of decline can be identified and an understanding of the processes behind the declines can be gained. We sought to determine how body size, specificity of larval host plant, overwintering stage, type of host plant, and the interactions of these traits are related to the distribution change in noctuid moths. We used data derived from the literature and analyzed the effects of traits both separately and simultaneously in the same model. When we analyzed the traits separately, it seemed the most important deter…
Ecological correlates of distribution change and range shift in butterflies
1. In order to be effective custodians of biodiversity, one must understand what ecological characteristics predispose species to population decline, range contraction, and, eventually, to extinction. 2. The present paper analyses distribution change (area of occupancy) and range shift (extent and direction) of the threatened and non-threatened butterfly species in Finland, and identifies species-specific ecological characteristics promoting changes in distribution and range. 3. Overall, the range of butterflies has shifted along the climatic isotherms, suggesting that climate change has influenced species’ ranges. Interestingly, though, threatened species have moved very little and not to …
Ecological Determinants of Distribution Decline and Risk of Extinction in Moths
For successful conservation of species it is important to identify traits that predispose species to the risk of extinction. By identifying such traits conservation efforts can be directed toward species that are most at risk of becoming threatened. We used data derived from the literature to determine ecological traits that affect distribution, distribution change, and the risk of extinction in Finnish noctuid moths (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). The ecological traits we examined included body size, larval specificity, length of the flight period, and overwintering stage. In addition, in monophagous species we examined the effects of resource distribution. Larval specificity, length of the flig…
The use of ecological traits in extinction risk assessments: A case study on geometrid moths
Identifying ecological traits that make some species more vulnerable than others is vital for predictive conservation science. By identifying these predisposing traits we can predict which species are most prone to decline and gain an understanding of the reasons behind the decline. The aim of this study was to determine the ecological traits that best predict extinction risk and distribution change in Finnish geometrid moths and to develop an understanding of the biological connections between these traits and threats. We found that larval specificity, overwintering stage and flight period length predicted distribution change and extinction risk. There was also an interaction effect betwee…
Patch size and connectivity influence the population turnover of the threatened chequered blue butterfly, Scolitantides orion (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
Chequered blue butterfly, Scolitantides orion (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) has severely declined in many parts of Europe and is currently red-listed in many countries. We studied the population structure and turnover of the species in a lake-island system in a National Park in eastern Finland over a three-year period. The incidence of the chequered blue on the suitable islands (n = 41) and habitat patches (n = 123) was high: an average of 82% of the islands and patches were occupied over the three year period. At the island scale, the annual population turnover rate was 17%, with an extinction and colonization rate of 7% and 10%, respectively. At the patch scale, the annual population turnover…