Butterflies Reeling From Impacts of Climate and Development

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=9362

Butterflies Reeling From Impacts of Climate and Development

January 11, 2010

California butterflies are reeling from a one-two punch of climate change and land development, says an unprecedented analysis led by UC Davis butterfly expert Arthur Shapiro.

The new analysis, scheduled to be published online this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, gives insights on how a major and much-studied group of organisms is reacting to the Earth's warming climate.

"Butterflies are not only charismatic to the public, but also widely used as indicators of the health of the environment worldwide," said Shapiro, a professor of evolution and ecology. "We found many lowland species are being hit hard by the combination of warmer temperatures and habitat loss."

The results are drawn from Shapiro's 35-year database of butterfly observations made twice monthly at 10 sites in north-central California from sea level to tree line. The Shapiro butterfly database is unique in science for its combination of attributes: one observer (which reduces errors), very long-term, multiple sites surveyed often, a large number of species (more than 150), and attendant climatological data.

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[BeFree]

1. So are birds

Something tells me it is more than just habitat loss.

Pesticides?
GMO?
CO2?

There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear.