Metapopulation dynamics of the bog fritillary butterfly: movements betweenhabitat patches

Recent studies on metapopulation dynamics have emphasized the need for impr oved methods for quantifying individual movements between local populations and habitat patches. In this paper, we report on a 6-yr study in which a n etwork of 12 habitat patches occupied by the bog fritillary, Proclossiana e unomia, was surveyed, with special focus on quantifying movements between t he habitat patches. We applied the Virtual Migration model which has been d esigned to estimate survival and migration parameters in a metapopulation o f several connected local populations, The model was parameterized using ma rk-release-recapture data collected during 6 yr. Generally, the estimated p arameter values indicated a high level of movements, with roughly half of b utterfly-days spent outside the natal patch. Mortality within patches was h igher in males than in females. Females tended to be more mobile and spent more time outside their natal patch than males. Further analysis of the MRR data shows that in this protandrous species males tend to move very little between habitat patches before substantial numbers of females have emerged .