Potential areas of distribution of the butterflies of Kansas

Monday, November 11, 2024

9:24 AM – 9:36 AM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 222 C, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

Anahi Quezada (she/her/hers)

Student
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Co-Author(s)

CN

Claudia Nunez-Penichet

Postdoctoral fellow
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
JS

Jorge Soberon

Professor
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Butterflies have a major role as pollinators and herbivores. They are very important for ecosystems health and are usually used as bioindicators of habitat quality. However, their distributions are changing. In this study we obtained potential areas of distribution of Fritillaries, Sulphurs, Hairstreaks, and Swallowtails of Kansas. To this end, we use ecological niche model tools to characterize the suitable environmental condition of these species in this state. We used to create a comprehensive dataset of occurrences using museum collections and online repositories. Environmental variables were obtained from WorldClim. For most species we found higher values of suitability in the southeast part of Kansas. The species with broader potential distribution areas in the state were mostly generalist species widely distributed worldwide. We identified species recently expanding their distribution into Kansas. Our results will be critical for implementing conservation efforts in the state, as they will allow us to identify potential areas with high species richness.