The fragmented Midwestern U.S.A landscape creates prairie remnants embedded in an agricultural matrix, potentially impermeable to dispersing individuals. Conservationists are recognizing the importance of protecting tallgrass prairie along railways because these remnants represent a significant amount of unplowed prairie. These small but relatively common remnants are important from the perspective of right-of-way management and aesthetic beauty, but may also help insure a sustainable future for native species by providing important floral and larval resources for pollinators. We sampled butterflies in 2003 and 2004 at prairie remnants to examine the differences in species composition between linear and block (e.g. prairie preserves) habitats. We used a multiscale approach to determine local and landscape factors on butterfly diversity and community composition. Contrary to our hypothesis, results indicate that linear habitats have a greater total number of species and total number of disturbance-tolerant species than block habitats. Linear and block habitats do not significantly differ in the abundance of habitat-sensitive butterfly species. Correspondence analysis, which examines community composition, clearly separates linear from block habitats. Results from partial least squares regression suggest there are indeed effects of the landscape on butterflies at all scales investigated (local; 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 km). Litter was the local variable most highly correlated with butterfly abundance while roads in the landscape were highly correlated with abundance. Variance partitioning using partial canonical correspondence analysis indicated that landscape variables add additional explanatory power beyond local variables. From this we conclude that although linear habitats harbor a different assemblage of butterflies than block habitats, linear habitats provide important habitat for habitat-sensitive species in Iowa. Understanding landscape scale patterns and processes may enhance our knowledge of butterfly diversity on prairie fragments in the Midwest, USA.

Prairie-oak ecosystems in the Willamette Valley, Oregon have experienced habitat loss and degradation; most of these ecosystems are fragmented into smaller patches. Prairie-oak butterfly species, in the Willamette Valley, have decreased dramatically due to loss or degradation of habitat. More research is needed on sustaining the populations of butterflies in prairie-oak ecosystems. The purpose of my study was to examine the role prairie-oak habitats have in structuring butterfly communities in the Willamette Valley. My objectives were to: (1) assess how butterfly community structure and species composition (density, abundance, and species richness) varies along an oak canopy cover gradient in order to understand the role of habitat type in structuring butterfly communities in prairie-oak ecosystems; (2) characterize community composition of nectar resources and environmental variables known to be important for butterfly species. I also investigated temporal and structural relationships between butterfly and flower communities. I found that butterfly abundance and density were greater (p

A complete handbook which will provide an extensive introduction to the biology, ecology and behaviour of the Zygaenidae, a group of diurnal moths that has become one of the most intensively studied models of chemical and evolutionary biology. Consequently, the introduction will provide detailed information on zygaenid systematics and phylogeny, life cycles, morphology, zoogeography and palaeontology, genetics and individual variation, ecology and behaviour, conservation, collecting and breeding techniques. The general part concludes with an essay on the history of research on the Zygaenidae. In the systematic part of the book, the 115 species of westen Palaearctic Zygaenidae, currently contained in the three subfamilies Procridinae, Chalcosiinae and Zygaeninae, will be treated. Each species is briefly described, followed by ifferentiating characters of similar species, individual and geographical variation, distribution (with maps for each species), ecology, behaviour, early instars and larval foodplants. Colour plates illustrates all species and the male and female genitalia of the Procridinae are also figured. A bibliography will provide references to the most relevant literature for those interested in current research. 12 colour plates. Line drawings of genitalia. Distribution maps to all species. Other text figures.

Provides a comprehensive synthesis of a fundamental phenomenon, the species-area relationship, addressing theory, evidence and application.

The consequences of habitat fragmentation on communities have been extensively studied. However, few studies on habitat fragmentation have addressed the role landscape context plays in determining local species assemblages. Our study examines how landscape composition at the regional scale effects prairie butterfly communities in 24 Midwest native tallgrass prairie remnants located in four distinct geographical regions. These regions differed in their degree of historical habitat heterogeneity and their current predominant land use (matrix habitat). The current land use categories, or matrix type, included: row crop agriculture, pasture for cattle grazing, woodland, and urban development. Historically, the regions varied from continuous tallgrass prairie ecosystem to the historically isolated and smaller 'goat prairies' located within the Driftless area in Northeast Iowa and Southwest Wisconsin. Area accounted for a significant amount of the variation in species richness only in the two historically fragmented regions.

Biodiversity.