Two Different Sets Of Coexistence Of M. Phoebe Population Structure And Dynamics,

Destruction of habitats has been leading to many species endangered, even extinct. Now many species exist in fragmented habitats, and spatial structure has become important for their population dynamics. From 1980s, metapopulation theory has been paid more attention to population ecology and conservation biology. This study is the first one to apply metapopulation theory in natural butterfly population in China.The study focused on Melitaea phoebe Denis & Schiffermüller and Euphydryas aurinia Rottemburg in YanJiaPing Village, ChiCheng County, Hebei Province, China. The larvae of both species feed gregariously on their host plants unique host plants, Stemmacantha uniflora (L.) Ditrich and Scabiosa tschiliensis Grün, respectively, and spin conspicuous web around the food plants in the dry meadow. Both species have similar life history, and emerges one generation one year, but M. phoebe develops one month later than E. aurinia. We found 38 habitat patches in the study area.There were 19 patches occupied by M. phoebe at least once between 1998-2003. The occupied patches were concentrated in the northern sub-region. In the subsequent five years, the quantity of occupied patches fluctuated. But the quantity of occupied patches increased in 2003. For E. aurinia, there were 20 patches occupied at least once in the six years. The occupied patches were concentrated in the eastern and northern sub-regions. In the subsequent five years, the quantity of occupied patches first decreased, and then stayed at a stable level. But it was increasing rapidly in 2003.For M. phoebe, larval groups were concentrated in the northern sub-region between 1998-2003. The number of larval groups fluctuated over time. Extinction rate and re-colonization rate also fluctuated over time, while extinction rate was far higher than re-colonization rate.For E. aurinia, larval groups were concentrated in the northern and eastern sub-regions between 1998-2003. The number of larval groups first decreased rapidly, then increased sharply, and then kept on decreasing, but increasing sharply in 2003. Larval groups decreased by 10 in the patch with the largest number of larval groups between 1998-1999 (13 larval groups in 1998, 3 larval groups in 1999). Extinction rate had a trend of decreasing, while re-colonization rate increasing between 1998-2001. But from 2001 to 2002, extinction rate increased, and re-colonization did not occur.M. phoebe flew farther distance than E. aurinia. It was mainly Ii3 that affected patch occupancy of M. phoebe. It was mainly Ii1 and Ii3 that affected the local population size of M. phoebe. It was mainly Ii1 and Ii3 that affected patch occupancy of E. aurinia. It was mainly Ii1 that affected the local population size of E. aurinia. Patch area was not significantly effect on the structure and dynamics of two species of melitaeine. The host plants of these two melitaeine butterflies have a great impact on their occurrence, but act in different ways. Density of the host plant has a great effect on the occurrence of M. phoebe, whereas the height of the host plant is important for E. aurinia. The abundance and distribution of nectar resources are positively correlated to the abundance and distribution of the two...