A mobility index for Canadian butterfly species based on naturalists’ knowledge |
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Authors: | Ryan J Burke Jay M Fitzsimmons Jeremy T Kerr |
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Institution: | (1) Biology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada |
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Abstract: | Mobility is a key component of species’ biology. Research on mobility is inherently difficult, however, resulting in studies
of narrow taxonomic, spatial, and temporal scope with results that are difficult to compare between studies. We had three
goals for our research: (1) construct a data set of mobility estimates for the butterfly species of Canada based on naturalists’
knowledge; (2) develop methods to evaluate aspects of accuracy and precision for knowledge-based ecological research such
as ours; and (3) using our data set, test mobility-related hypotheses of species-level relationships. We distributed a questionnaire
to amateur and professional lepidopterists in Canada and northern USA, asking them to estimate the mobility of Canadian butterfly
species based on their field experience. Based on responses from 51 lepidopterists with approximately 800 years of combined
field experience, we received mobility estimates for almost all (291 out of 307) of Canada’s butterfly taxa. Mobility estimates
were consistent among respondents and were not affected by respondent expertise. Mobility carries a strong phylogenetic signal
and is positively related to wingspan (albeit weakly), range size, and host plant breadth, and negatively related to conservation
risk. Reliance upon naturalists’ experience was essential to the feasibility of our project, and provides a promising method
for many types of ecological research. |
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