Der Klimawandel könnte die Massenmigration der Monarchen gefährden | Mexikos geeigneter Monarch-Überwinterungslebensraum könnte sich im Zuge der Klimaveränderungen in den kommenden Jahrzehnten nach Süden verlagern, berichten Forscher in PLOS Climate.
4 Kommentare
>Climate change may threaten North America’s iconic mass monarch butterfly migration.
>Every fall, millions of monarchs (*Danaus plexippus*) travel thousands of kilometers over North America as they leave their breeding grounds in Canada and the United States for wintering grounds in a [mountainous part of central Mexico](https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mexicos-forests-monarch-butterflies). The butterflies make the trek back north over multiple generations when temperatures warm in the spring and summer months, following the growth of milkweed (*Asclepias*), their preferred food source.
>But Mexico’s suitable monarch overwintering habitat could shift south as the climate changes in decades to come, researchers report February 25 in *PLOS Climate*. That could lengthen an already arduous journey and increase the energy required to make the trip.
>That extra distance might push some individuals to stay in Mexico instead of continuing north, says Carolina Ureta, a biologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City. “In this case, the species is not in danger because of climate change, but the migration might be.”
[Read more here](https://www.sciencenews.org/article/monarch-butterfly-migration-climate) and the [research article here](https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000802&utm_source=pr&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=plos006).
Being born so long ago. I’ve heard of the monarchs almost all my life.
Why do we care so much about the monarchs? Just a question
Oh – Butterflies. I thought this was members of royal families at first.
If you see milkweed – don’t trim it. This is one of the things you can do.
A relative I know intentionally spreads milkweed seeds on an unkept part of their land and the amount of monarchs that make their way to their property is astounding (Ontario). It’s amazing to think those things float and flap themselves all the way to Mexico.