Agricultural landscape connectivity for the meadow brown butterfly (Maniola jurtina).

FR2116International audienceThe relationships between movements of the meadow brown butterfly (Maniola jurtina) and landscape features were examined at different scales in three hedgerow network landscapes of western France. Of the 4174 and 1474 individuals marked in the three landscapes in 1998 and 1999 respectively, a total of 1057 and 285 were recaptured at least once. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to model the number of butterflies moving between herbaceous patches within the landscape. The model predictors were related to (i) the distance separating the patches, (ii) the characteristics of the landscape between the patches and (iii) the characteristics of the departure and arrival patches, including the number of individuals marked in each patch. Site effects were tested by fitting separate models on each site and scale effects were tested by varying the extent of the windows in which landscape variables were extracted. The fits yielded models with R2 values ranging from 0.22 to 0.64. Whatever the site, the distance between both patches and the number of individuals marked in the departure patch, exhibited significant and consistent effects on butterfly movements. Mean field size and direction of green network elements (hedges, field margins) were also relevant in some cases