Date of Award
2020
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Awarded
Master of Science (MS)
Program
Entomology
Department
Natural Resource Sciences
College
Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources
Faculty Advisor
Harmon, Jason
Description
Butterflies fulfill a unique role among insect pollinators as long-distance flyers. This makes butterflies particularly valuable as vectors of genetic diversity among spatially isolated plant populations. Like many insects, though, butterfly populations have experienced significant declines in recent years. To help inform conservation efforts, and to investigate community and species level dynamics, I studied butterflies and their floral resources as part of a three year pollinator survey across the state of North Dakota. At the community level, I analyzed butterfly-flower interaction networks across space and time. I then examined the specialization of individual species within those networks and their contributions to network structure. I also evaluated spatial and temporal distribution patterns of monarch butterflies, regal fritillaries, and their plant resources. Results revealed dynamic spatiotemporal relationships between butterflies and their plant resources that have important implications for conservation efforts and the study of ecological communities.
Recommended Citation
Antonsen, Adrienne Kendra, "Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Butterflies and Their Floral Resources" (2020). Entomology. 7.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/entomology/7
Rights
NDSU policy 190.6.2
Rights Link
https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0003-0241-5819
Handle Identifier
https://hdl.handle.net/10365/31830