Life history of an endangered prairie butterfly: insights from an ex situ population of Poweshiek skipperling in Manitoba, Canada

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorEckhardt, Kirstyn
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteePetersen, Stephen (Biological Sciences)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeWestwood, Richard (Entomology)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeHolliday, Neil (Entomology)
dc.contributor.supervisorGibbs, Jason
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-29T14:53:49Z
dc.date.available2024-04-29T14:53:49Z
dc.date.issued2024-03-27
dc.date.submitted2024-03-28T00:46:17Zen_US
dc.degree.disciplineEntomology
dc.degree.levelMaster of Science (M.Sc.)
dc.description.abstractSpecies recovery plans benefit from a complete understanding of an organism’s biology. The Poweshiek skipperling, Oarisma poweshiek (Parker) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), is an endangered butterfly native to tallgrass prairies in North America. Following rapid, range-wide population crashes, Poweshiek are now reared ex situ in Manitoba, Canada to augment the remaining wild population. Although this species has been the focus of research since their “Endangered” listing in 2014, there are knowledge gaps regarding Poweshiek skipperling life history. I measured head capsule widths of larvae of two Poweshiek cohorts to determine the overwintering instar. I analysed six years of ex situ data to assess trends in the timing of flight period, degree day accumulations, and protandry. I estimated this species’ lower developmental threshold using dates for developmental milestones. Head capsule measurements showed that Poweshiek typically overwinter in the fourth instar. Peak flight period varied among years by up to three weeks, while degree day accumulations were similar between years. I found evidence that this species is protandrous. An information theoretical approach using Akaike Information Criterion was used to assess lower developmental thresholds. This approach indicated different lower developmental thresholds for larvae and pupae; the AICc scores also demonstrated that larvae enter winter dormancy at different stages of development. These findings will inform conservation decision-making and may allow for greater accuracy in predicting the adult flight period.
dc.description.noteMay 2024
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/38187
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsopen accessen_US
dc.subjectEndangered species
dc.subjectPoweshiek skipperling
dc.subjectEx situ rearing
dc.subjectButterfly conservation
dc.subjectHead capsule
dc.subjectDegree days
dc.subjectDevelopmental threshold
dc.titleLife history of an endangered prairie butterfly: insights from an ex situ population of Poweshiek skipperling in Manitoba, Canada
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
local.subject.manitobayes
oaire.awardTitleUniversity of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship
oaire.awardURIhttps://umanitoba.ca/graduate-studies/funding-awards-and-financial-aid/university-manitoba-graduate-fellowship-umgf
project.funder.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.13039/100010318
project.funder.nameUniversity of Manitoba
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Eckhardt_Kirstyn.pdf
Size:
1.11 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
770 B
Format:
Item-specific license agreed to upon submission
Description:
Download
Collections
FGS - Electronic Theses and Practica
Manitoba Heritage Theses