Rapid Assessment of Roadsides as Potential Habitat for Monarchs and Other Pollinators

摘要: Sustaining native pollinator populations and reversing declines in species such as the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) will require enhancing maintaining habitats across many regions land use sectors. Rights-of-way, areas surrounding roads, have long been regarded important habitat for pollinators due to their ubiquitous nature management herbaceous including nectar plants larval host plants. With better information regarding quality of roadside rights-of-way, managers can identify location potential evaluate effects activities. We conducted a survey determine needs limitations related assessing managing rights-of-way habitat. Survey results indicated that are often limited by time, funding, expertise plant identification. Based on consultations with managers, we developed protocol rapid assessment (hereafter, Rapid Assessment) be easily implemented is flexible based observer data authority. Using readily available software, field automatically processed through Roadside Monarch Habitat Evaluator generate scores may used describe resources inform strategies. field-tested at roadsides Minnesota compared more intensive monitoring (the Integrated Monitoring Program). found Assessment provided similar milkweed densities, richness, sites (eggs larvae, when detection levels were sufficient). Observed high values confirm conservation.