Cyclic abundance fluctuations in a completely isolated population of Euphydryas maturna

By

John, Václav
Pavlíčko, Alois
Vrabec, Vladimír
Rybová, Veronika
Andres, Miloš
Konvicka, Martin, 1969-

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021-10-12

Original Publication

Nature conservation

Volume

44

Pages

213--222

Subjects

Butterfly conservation , captive breeding , captive breeding , Melitaeini , parasitoids , population cycles , temperate woodland

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 2012-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/nl.44.69153

 

Abstract

A highly isolated and the last autochthonous Czech Republic population of the endangeredEuphydryas maturna(Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) is monitored since 2001 by larval nests counts. The 20 years' time series displays remarkable abundance fluctuations with peak-to-peak period 11 years, peak numbers >150 and bust numbers <15 larval nests (arithmetic and harmonic means: 92.6 and 36.3). Establishment of more favourable management of the site probably heightened and prolonged the boom phase but did not alter the overall pattern. We attribute the cycling to pressures of natural enemies. Climatically unfavourable years appear deepening the bust phase. Species displaying such fluctuations cannot be conserved within a single site, which is being addressed by ex-situ breeding of the Czech stock and recent reestablishment of two additional populations, with the aim to achieve asynchronous dynamics of the local populations and eventually stabilise the regional metapopulation.