Hannah Gearan
Video Provided by: Reuters
Date Produced: October 20, 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/biology/
Summary:
Every year, monarch butterflies migrate south to warmer land. But in some of the places where these butterflies arrive, the areas have been deforested and used for agricultural benefit. This video examines the efforts of conservationalist from the National Autonomous University of Mexico to reforest the land for the butterflies. The problem is that they have to develop a fertilizer that is safe for the butterflies, land, and people living in the area. Previously, the chemical fertilizers have cause sickness to people, killed the butterflies, and made the land infertile. The scientists are trying to develop an organic fertilizer that will be ideal for the butterflies and will be able to renew the forest.
Relevance:
This relates to ideas we studies in the ecology unit such as deforestation and factors that can influence a population. Deforestation resulted in habitat destruction for the butterflies, which in turn effects how their population can grow. If they no longer have a place to settle in the winter time, then the population will likely decrease because some of the population will die out. It also pertains to winter survival strategies, because the butterflies migrate south in order to be able to live in the winter. It also relates to organic and inorganic compounds because the conservationalists need to make an organic fertilizer. The video also mentions pH because they have to create a fertilizer that has a good pH balance.
Can monarch butterflies migrate to other areas? Or are some of the conditions in the deforested areas necessary to their survival?
ReplyDeleteWell, the monarch butterflies must migrate south to the warmer climates (which in this case is in Mexico). Groups of monarch butterflies would have a tendency to migrate to the same area each year. These butterflies make an incredibly long journey, so it would not be easy for them to find a new location once they have attempted to settle there. Thus, it is important for them to rebuild these forests in order for future generations of butterflies to be able to thrive there.
DeleteHow will the decrease in population of the monarch butterflies affect the ecosystem? How will this new fertilizer help to recovery of these butterflies?
ReplyDeleteThere are several animals in the region that feed off the monarchs, thus the decrease in the monarch population will decrease the predators populations as well.
DeleteAs for the fertilizer- they had made several attempts to reforest the land, but they realized that there were chemicals that were harmful to the butterflies. The new fertilizer will be safe for the butterflies and more effective for the plants growing in the area, thus help reforestation, restoring the butterfly population.