Burning prairie to restore butterfly habitat: A modeling approach to management tradeoffs for the Fender's blue
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Published source details
Schultz C.B. & Crone E.E. (1998) Burning prairie to restore butterfly habitat: A modeling approach to management tradeoffs for the Fender's blue. Restoration Ecology, 6, 244-252.
Published source details Schultz C.B. & Crone E.E. (1998) Burning prairie to restore butterfly habitat: A modeling approach to management tradeoffs for the Fender's blue. Restoration Ecology, 6, 244-252.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Use prescribed fire to maintain or restore disturbance in grasslands or other open habitats Action Link |
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Use prescribed fire to maintain or restore disturbance in grasslands or other open habitats
A replicated, paired sites, controlled study in 1994–1997 in eight grassland prairies in Oregon, USA (Schultz and Crone 2002) found that in burned plots there were more Fender’s blue butterfly Icaricia icarioides fenderi eggs, but caterpillars had lower survival, than in unburned plots. There were more eggs found/butterfly seen in burned plots (0.03 eggs/butterfly/m2) than in unburned plots (0.01 eggs/butterfly/m2). However, there was a lower percentage of caterpillars the following year compared to eggs found in the previous year (caterpillar survivorship) in burned plots (0.36%) than unburned plots (9.4%). In 1994, five experimental sites were established, three containing a paired 120-m2 burn plot and 40-m2 non-burn plot, and two containing only a 120-m2 burn plot. Burn plots were burned in autumn 1994 and 1996. Fender’s blue eggs, caterpillars and adults were counted in spring 1995–1997.
(Summarised by: Eleanor Bladon)
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