Conservation overview of butterflies in the southern headwaters at risk project (SHARP) area /

An overview was conducted of the butterflies of the Southern Headwaters at Risk Project (SHARP) area in extreme southwestern Alberta.The project resulted in compilation of a preliminary bibliography and a table of species known from the study area as well as those that may yet be found in the study area.Distribution and general habitat association is presented within a natural regions mapping framework.Peak flight periods are provided in summary form to aid future field surveys for target species.The SHARP area is the most productive area in the province in terms of butterfly species diversity, with 78 % of all known Alberta species known from this small comer of the province.The area is comparable to other butterfly diversity 'hotspots' in Canada in terms of the diversity of species.The area is also home to 9 species that are not known from any other area of Alberta and 3 1 species that are considered to be species at risk.The area is therefore highly significant both provincially and nationally.Existing butterfly conservation status ranks were reviewed in light of established criteria and existing information.Those species deemed to be at risk are placed in three priority groups for further attention.Ecosystem management and management of areas with high diversity, coupled with focused attention to individual species at risk will most likely conserve the present butterfly diversity of the area.A brief introduction to key variables important for butterfly habitat is provided and a strategic, decision-making paradigm for butterfly conservation is suggested.A number of specific recommendations for future initiatives on butterfly conservation are provided.n 3.2 Butterflies of Conservation Concern Due to the biogeographic history of the SHARP area and the historical evolution of political boundaries, the study area includes a substantial number of species ranked as being of conservation concern by the Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre.Comments on these species follow.These comments should not be viewed as being critical of the rankings provided by Centre staff.They should be treated as information to prompt additional data collection and reconsideration of current status ranks to develop a more robust ranking of those butterflies most likely to be of conservation concern. Aricia icarioides -Icarioides BlueThis species is currently ranked as S2S3 -Imperiled/Vulnerable but this should be reconsidered.This is a very abundant and widespread butterfly where lupines grow at a variety of elevations.In order to qualify for S2 ranking this species would have to be known from only 6 to 20 occurrences or have a total provincial population of between 1000 and 3000. 1 am aware of approximately 80 occurrences and anticipate that many more occurrences can be easily documented with some field work.By using a conservative figure of 250 individuals for a small lycaenid population and applying this to just the known occurrences, the provincial population is very conservatively estimated to be in excess of 20,000 individuals and thus a status rank of S4 -Apparently Secure appears to be more appropriate. Aricia shasta -Shasta BlueThis species is currently ranked as S2 -Imperiled but this ranking should be reconsidered.The species is indeed locally distributed in specialized habitats but I am aware of more than 20 occurrences and a conservative population estimate for just the known occurrences is in excess of 6000, thus suggesting that a ranking of S3 -Vulnerable is more appropriate. Boloria astarte -Astarte FritillaryThis species is currently ranked as S2 -Imperiled but this also should be reconsidered in light of existing information.I am aware of 32 occurrences and the resulting conservative population estimate is 8000.So using only known occurrences and the numerical criteria would result in S3-Vulnerable as a more appropriate status rank.However, the species is not confined to known occurrences, is not rare or uncommon, and there are no factors that make it vulnerable to extinction so I do not consider it to be a species of conservation concern. Boloria epithore -Western Meadow FritillaryThis species is currently ranked as S2 -Imperiled and I consider this to be a prudent interim status rank, based solely on the number of known occurrences until some field surveys are undertaken to provide more robust information for a review of the status rank.I do note however that a conservative population estimate for known occurrences is over 3000 individuals and that there are no known factors that make the species very vulnerable to extirpation. Callophrys sheridani -Sheridan's HairstreakThis species is currently ranked as SI -Critically Imperiled and I view this as being a reasonable interim status rank on the basis of the number of known occurrences only. Celastrina echo -Purple AzureThis species is currently ranked as SI -Critically Imperiled and I agree with this as an interim status rank pending the results of field surveys. Chlosyne gorgone -Gorgone CheckerspotThis species is currently ranked as S2 -Imperiled but this ranking is inconsistent with the number of known occurrences.Existing information supports a status rank of S3 -Vulnerable. Colias alexandra -Alexandra SulphurThis species is currently ranked as S2S3 -Imperiled/Vulnerable.However, there are more than 50 known occurrences over a substantial area of southern Alberta so a rank of S3 -Vulnerable appears to be more appropriate. Deciduphagus mossii -Moss' ElfinThis species is currently ranked as SI -Critically Imperiled.This is a prudent rank to assign to a species known from only two occurrences.The Whistler and Windsor Mtn.sites are treated as one occurrence herein, due to their proximity. Epargyreus clarus -Silverspotted SkipperThis species is currently ranked as S2S3 -Imperiled/Vulnerable but the number of known occurrences (more than 30) only supports a rank of S3 -Vulnerable.The larval food plant this species utilizes does well on disturbed ground and there is nothing about the known biology of Epargyreus clarus that makes it very vulnerable to extirpation. Erynnis afranius -Afranius DuskywingThe current rank of S3 -Vulnerable fits the ranking criteria on the basis of known occurrences; however it should be noted that there are significant taxonomic issues and identification challenges associated with this nominal species as treated in recent literature. Euchloe olympia -Olympia MarbleThe current rank of S2S3 -Imperiled/Vulnerable is not supported by existing information.The number of known occurrences supports a rank of S3 -Vulnerable.The species uses larval food plants in the mustard family and the largest population I have observed in southern Alberta was on a site that had been very heavily grazed by livestock.

Récupéré en direct depuis OpenAlex et désinversé. Les résumés ne sont pas conservés dans cette base de données : les index inversés représentent 8,6 Go des 9,3 Go de texte de la base, et le serveur dispose de 13 Go libres.