Phenology responses of temperate butterflies to latitude depend on ecological traits

Global change influences species’ seasonal occurrence, or phenology. In cold‐adapted insects, the activity is expected to start earlier with a warming climate, but contradictory evidence exists, and the reactions may be linked to species‐specific traits. Using data from the GBIF database, we selecte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology letters 2020-01, Vol.23 (1), p.172-180
Main Authors: Faltýnek Fric, Zdeněk, Rindoš, Michal, Konvička, Martin, Early, Regan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Altitude
Animals
Biological evolution
Butterflies
Butterflies & moths
Climate Change
Climate warming
Ecological effects
Ecology
Flight
global change
insect seasonality
Insects
Latitude
Lepidoptera
life‐history traits
Niches
Phenology
Seasonal variations
Seasons
Species
Temperature
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Summary:Global change influences species’ seasonal occurrence, or phenology. In cold‐adapted insects, the activity is expected to start earlier with a warming climate, but contradictory evidence exists, and the reactions may be linked to species‐specific traits. Using data from the GBIF database, we selected 105 single‐brooded Holarctic butterflies inhabiting broad latitudinal ranges. We regressed patterns of an adult flight against latitudes of the records, controlling for altitude and year effects. Species with delayed flight periods towards the high latitudes, or stable flight periods across latitudes, prevailed over those that advanced their flight towards the high latitudes. The responses corresponded with the species’ seasonality (flight of early season species was delayed and flight of summer species was advanced at high latitudes) and oceanic vs. continental climatic niches (delays in oceanic, stability in continental species). Future restructuring of butterfly seasonal patterns in high latitudes will reflect climatic niches, and hence the evolutionary history of participating species. Global change influences species` seasonal occurrence, or phenology. In cold‐adapted insects, activity is expected to start earlier with a warming climate, but contradictory evidence exists, and the reactions may be linked to species‐specific traits. Using data from the GBIF database, we selected 105 single‐brooded Holarctic butterflies inhabiting broad latitudinal ranges. We found diverse responses, with stable phenology prevailing over delays towards North, and flight period terminations stable across latitudes.
ISSN:1461-023X
1461-0248
DOI:10.1111/ele.13419