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Elevation and habitats: the potential of sites at different altitudes to provide refuges for phytophagous insects during climatic fluctuations

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Abstract

Uplands are expected to provide refuges for species subject to lowland habitat loss and projected climate changes. Here, we argue that upland populations also provide refuges when lowland sites are subject to climatic fluctuations and extreme events and that species with populations dispersed over adjoining uplands and lowlands spread their risk of extinction. A proviso is that development is sufficiently lagged with altitude but that development rates are compatible. Emergence patterns and development of the butterfly Anthocharis cardamines and its larval host plant Cardamine pratensis show these characteristics, and coupled with the butterfly’s capacity to migrate between isolated populations present a case where upland and lowland populations can act as sources when one or the other area is adversely affected by extreme events.

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Acknowledgments

Our thanks to Barry Shaw for access to the Cheshire butterfly atlas data, to all recorders in Cheshire and Manchester for data from these areas and to two referees for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 81 Winstanley Road, Sale, M33 2AT, UK

    Peter B. Hardy

  2. 11 Westover, Romiley, Stockport, SK6 3ER, UK

    Phillip M. Kinder

  3. Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland, UK

    Tim H. Sparks

  4. Institute for Environment, Sustainability and Regeneration, Staffordshire University, Room s122, Mellor Building, College Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2DE, UK

    Roger L. H. Dennis

  5. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8BB, UK

    Roger L. H. Dennis

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  1. Peter B. Hardy
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  2. Phillip M. Kinder
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Correspondence to Roger L. H. Dennis.

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Hardy, P.B., Kinder, P.M., Sparks, T.H. et al. Elevation and habitats: the potential of sites at different altitudes to provide refuges for phytophagous insects during climatic fluctuations. J Insect Conserv 14, 297–303 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-009-9251-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-009-9251-0

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