Document: CHE-3-10-2

The influence of landscape processes on an endangered butterfly population: deciding where to restore habitat for the Fender's blue

SCHULTZ, C.B.* ¹, E.E.CRONE ² and K.D.HOLL ³

University of California, Santa Barbara, CA USA ¹
University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta Canada ²
University of California, Santa Cruz, CA USA ³

Abstract:
In the Willamette Valley in Oregon, persistence of several native species depends on adequate restoration of the prairie habitats. In upland prairies, the primary goal of restoration activities is to enhance population viability of an endangered butterfly, the Fender's blue (Icaricia icarioides fenderi) and its threatened larval hostplant, the Kincaid's lupine (Lupinus sulphureous kincaidii). Methods for restoration and management are becoming better understood from recent experimental studies, but managers must decide which of several potentially available sites to restore. We develop an approach to predict the relative likelihood of success of restoration efforts based on the location of potential sites for restoration relative to intact prairie habitat and relative to large patches of invasive weeds. In our analyses we consider butterfly population dynamics and plant community dynamics, both of which depend on site-specific and landscape-level factors. Based on these analyses, we rank sites for acquisition. In addition, we ask how much the relative ranks of different options depend on site-specific vs. landscape-level differences among the sites.

Keywords: Fender's blue butterfly, prairie restoration

This abstract is being presented at: 3:30 PM in session:
Symposium # 5: Incorporating Landscape Processes in Ecological Restoration.