Welcome!
Digitized image of an Apodemia mormo caterpillar Photo: Shelley Pruss, Artwork: Erik Ebeling
This is a website created around my Master's research at the University of Alberta. I'm glad you found it! Please find my contact info at the bottom of this page.
Apodemia mormo (the Mormon metalmark) is a member of the mostly Neotropical butterfly family, Riodinidae, the metalmarks. Out of about 2000 species in the Riodinidae family, 24 species reside in North America; and only the Mormon metalmark reaches as far north as Canada. The range of this species extends from northern Mexico, through the American west up into Canada. The Canadian portion of the range being a part of already disjunct northern outlying population (Scott 1986, Layberry et al. 1998).
There are two populations of the Mormon metalmark in Canada, the population in Saskatchewan is listed as Threatened and the other as Endangered in British Colombia (COSEWIC 2002). Little is known about the ecological requirements and population dynamics of these two populations.
The Prairie Population in SK, the subject of this study, resides within the current and proposed boundaries of Grasslands National Park (GNP) in Saskatchewan and the Val Marie PFRA Community Pastures. This population relies solely on the branched umbrella plant (Polygonaceae: Eriogonum pauciflorum) as its larval host plant, however the species has failed to colonize many seemingly suitable habitats where the host plant is widely available. Therefore, I posit that the butterfly has other abiotic requirements that must be met in order for habitat to be suitable.
In order to better define habitat for the Mormon metalmark in Saskatchewan beyond the presence of the host plant I am presenting data and analyses at both a microhabitat and landscape scale. With these results I will provide Parks Canada in effectively managing GNP to ensure the continued survival and growth of the Mormon metalmark in Saskatchewan. This website is a presentation of these methods.
Apodemia mormo (the Mormon metalmark) is a member of the mostly Neotropical butterfly family, Riodinidae, the metalmarks. Out of about 2000 species in the Riodinidae family, 24 species reside in North America; and only the Mormon metalmark reaches as far north as Canada. The range of this species extends from northern Mexico, through the American west up into Canada. The Canadian portion of the range being a part of already disjunct northern outlying population (Scott 1986, Layberry et al. 1998).
There are two populations of the Mormon metalmark in Canada, the population in Saskatchewan is listed as Threatened and the other as Endangered in British Colombia (COSEWIC 2002). Little is known about the ecological requirements and population dynamics of these two populations.
The Prairie Population in SK, the subject of this study, resides within the current and proposed boundaries of Grasslands National Park (GNP) in Saskatchewan and the Val Marie PFRA Community Pastures. This population relies solely on the branched umbrella plant (Polygonaceae: Eriogonum pauciflorum) as its larval host plant, however the species has failed to colonize many seemingly suitable habitats where the host plant is widely available. Therefore, I posit that the butterfly has other abiotic requirements that must be met in order for habitat to be suitable.
In order to better define habitat for the Mormon metalmark in Saskatchewan beyond the presence of the host plant I am presenting data and analyses at both a microhabitat and landscape scale. With these results I will provide Parks Canada in effectively managing GNP to ensure the continued survival and growth of the Mormon metalmark in Saskatchewan. This website is a presentation of these methods.
Project objectives
Mormon metalmark, Photo: Johane Janelle
- Data - Describe the data used to produce statistical results.
- Microhabitat - Determine if there is are environmental factors that differ between occupied/unoccupied Mormon metalmark microhabitat
- Models - Develop predictive critical habitat models with logistic regression and Random Forests with data available on the landscape scale in southern SK.
I am Ashley Anne Wick
Catching butterflies in Iowa's tallgrass prairies, 2004
Advisors: Nadir Erbilgin and John
Spence
Master's student, Renewable Resources Department
Concentration: Conservation Biology
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Contact me with any questions or comments: [email protected]
I started my Master's at the University of Alberta in January of 2011 and this website is a presentation of my exploration of available data for the evaluation of Apodemia mormo habitat at both a microhabitat level and a landscape level. I have constructed this website as part of the requirements for 2 class projects at the University of Alberta. I've been studying insects since before I knew there was a word (Entomology) for it.
When not chasing butterflies or hunched over R code, I'm doing yoga, traveling, drinking coffee or baking bread.
Master's student, Renewable Resources Department
Concentration: Conservation Biology
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Contact me with any questions or comments: [email protected]
I started my Master's at the University of Alberta in January of 2011 and this website is a presentation of my exploration of available data for the evaluation of Apodemia mormo habitat at both a microhabitat level and a landscape level. I have constructed this website as part of the requirements for 2 class projects at the University of Alberta. I've been studying insects since before I knew there was a word (Entomology) for it.
When not chasing butterflies or hunched over R code, I'm doing yoga, traveling, drinking coffee or baking bread.
Disclaimer
This website is a class exercise for RenR 690/RenR480 at the University of Alberta. Any data, results and conclusions discussed here are preliminary in nature and will be more fully evaluated at a future date.