MSU Researchers found a 22% decline in butterfly populations from 2000 to 2020. Their work explores how prairie strips in agricultural areas can support insect populations.
Dr. Nick Haddad, Director of the Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research Program, co-led a research project with Dr. Elise Zipkin, director of MSU’s Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, to evaluate the state of butterfly populations across the United States. They report that from 2000 to 2020, the total butterfly abundance has fallen by 22% – shocking rates that demand action.
The Haddad lab conducts frequent butterfly surveys on fields at the KBS LTER and LTAR to study the impact of agroecosystems on butterfly populations. They are particularly interested in how native conservation areas, frequently called prairie strips, incorporated into agricultural landscapes can support insect populations. The KBS LTER MiSTRIPS program provides resources to expand prairie strip efforts for farmers and agricultural and conservation professionals throughout the state.
Read the original press release here.