Washington – Butterfly Population – Beautiful insects that play an important role in pollination and ecosystem health have collapsed in the United States over the fifth century this century.
Data from a survey of roughly 76,000 butterflies conducted by various groups that recorded millions of insects representing 554 species showed a 22% decline in consecutive US from 2000 to 2020, the researchers said. Scientists thought it had reduced to factors including habitat loss and pesticide use.
The decline in population was the largest in the southwestern region, spanning Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
Of the 342 butterfly species documented in the study, they had sufficient data to analyze numerical trends, of which 114 exceed a third of the total, including abolished losses, including 107 decreases by 107, exceeding 90%. The four butterflies numbers, Florida White, Hermes copper, Tail orange and Mitchell’s satyr, have shrunk by more than 99%. Nine types (about 3% of the total) were the winners.
Among some common species, the red admiral fell by 58%, the white cabbage slipped by 50%, and the women in America fell by 44%.
“The results of this study are pretty depressing. Colin Edwards, formerly Washington State University and now Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, said it was the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, which was published in Journal Science on Thursday.
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“Butterflies have a fast life cycle. At least one generation a year, often two or three times. And each of those generations lays a large amount of eggs. This means that when we make the world a more kinder place for the butterfly species respond very quickly and have the ability to utilize all our efforts,” Edwards added.
This study included a Monarch butterfly. However, the clearest evidence of their decline in numbers comes from wintering sites in Mexico, and the researchers used only US surveillance data, so this study did not identify clear trends in these butterflies.
On August 20, 2019, a monarch butterfly will be seen at the Boonehall Plantation and Gardens enclosures in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Wildunham/Reuters
“In just 20 years, we lost one in five butterflies. So if you go out to see butterflies in 2000 and see 100 butterflies, you can only see 80 in 2020. That’s an incredible loss over such a short period.
“There are many different stressors that affect butterfly populations, and it’s difficult to identify just one. In the southeast, for example, drought is a major threat. In the Midwest, pesticides are the number one driver of butterfly biodiversity loss. In other regions, the story is less clear, and perhaps a combination of artificial stressors, leading to the dramatic decline we are seeing,” Grames said.
Although there is a lack of reliable information on global butterfly population trends, studies in several other countries have recorded declines at roughly the same rate as US data.
Butterflies are the most systematically monitored insects in the United States. Researchers calculated that there are 650 butterfly species that intersect with the adjacent US, with at least 554 surveillance data.
The decline in butterflies that have lived on Earth for over 100 million years is one of the ongoing declines in global biodiversity, and given its important role in many ecological processes, insect loss is particularly worrying.
“Ecologists use butterflies like canary in coal mines. The results of this study suggest that many insect species that we don’t have good data could be reduced,” Edwards said.
“To me, butterflies are important because they are beautiful and inspiring us. They simply deserve to be present for the sake of their existence,” Glams said. “In terms of ecosystem function, butterflies are truly important pollinators, herbivores, and also function as prey for insect insects,” especially birds.
