Biology subjects

Daniels, J. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Daniels, J. C..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Conservation of declining Florida ecosystems is critical for an at-risk butterfly

Assessing the availability of protected habitats for at-risk species is needed to determine how the spatial distribution of land cover and land use shapes conservation outcomes. The Loammi skipper (Atrytonopsis loammi) is a nonmigratory, prairie-associated butterfly that has experienced a significant reduction in its formerly widespread southeastern United States distribution over the past several decades. Observations in recent years have been limited to a small number of isolated Florida populations, and it is unclear how much suitable habitat remains and what proportion of that habitat is protected. Here we used publicly available community science data and collected specimens to identify the predominant land cover types occupied by A. loammi. We then quantified the extent to which each of these land cover types overlap with protected areas to estimate the proportion of the butterflys current distribution that occurs on managed conservation lands. Our findings show that A. loammi relies heavily on protected lands, with over half of the total area of the most strongly associated habitats located within protected areas. Given the continued expansion of human-modified landscapes in Florida and the reliance of A. loammi on protected lands, the long-term persistence of A. loammi will likely depend on the conservation and effective management of its remaining suitable habitat. Implications for insect conservationOur results highlight the critical role of protected areas in sustaining at-risk insect populations, particularly for species with limited dispersal and shrinking ranges. More broadly, they suggest that conserving and restoring protected habitats while maintaining connectivity are essential strategies for effective insect conservation in rapidly developing regions.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2026

Endangered Species Act listing is linked with greater research effort for U.S. butterflies

Conservation strategies for at-risk species can be aided significantly by research on topics such as ecology, life history, and threats, yet research effort is lacking for many species facing elevated extinction risk. Here we investigated whether listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) was associated with research effort for U.S. butterflies, and whether that effort was higher before or after ESA listing. We found that ESA-listed species had significantly more peer-reviewed publications than non-listed species after accounting for species range and taxonomic family. Further, we showed that more papers were published per year after ESA listing than before. These findings confirm that ESA-listed species benefit from greater research attention that can support data-informed conservation efforts. However, the relative scarcity of studies prior to ESA listing, as well as the lack of research for many unlisted, at-risk taxa, underscores the need for proactive, strategic research effort to inform conservation action.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2025

Impacts of sea level rise on an endemic butterfly and its freshwater wetland habitat in the Florida Keys

Coastal and island ecosystems are disproportionately vulnerable to sea level rise and other impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Using monitoring data collected between 2013 and 2024, we explore habitat shifts, population dynamics, and phenology of an endemic butterfly in the Florida Keys, Klots sawgrass skipper (Euphyes pilatka klotsi). Range-wide surveys of the butterfly and its associated habitat demonstrated that the butterflys sole host plant is decreasing in abundance at lower elevations, likely due to increased salinization. We also find declines in butterfly population size over an eleven-year period using distance sampling. Despite these declines, we find that Klots sawgrass skippers range has not contracted significantly over the study period. This study demonstrates that monitoring a single taxon and its host is useful for understanding how sea level rise impacts a keystone plant species in freshwater wetlands which are vital for the continued survival of a suite of rare and endemic species found in the Florida Keys. Projections of near-future sea level rise indicate that most or all of this habitat will be lost within several decades; the continued study of low-lying islands is critical to gain insight into the global phenomenon of sea level rise.

ecology↗