Extensive regional variation in the phenology of insects and their response to temperature across North America

Peter O Dunn¹, Insiyaa Ahmed², Elise Armstrong³, Natasha Barlow⁴, Malcolm A Barnard^{5

6}, Marc Bélisle⁷, Thomas J Benson⁸, Lisha L Berzins⁹, Chloe K Boynton¹⁰, T Anders Brown¹¹, Melissa Cady¹², Kyle Cameron⁴, Xuan Chen¹³, Robert G Clark^{9

14}, Ethan D Clotfelter¹⁵, Kara Cromwell¹⁶, Russell D Dawson¹⁷, Elsie Denton¹⁸, Andrew Forbes¹⁹, Kendrick Fowler²⁰, Kevin C Fraser²¹, Kamal J K Gandhi²², Dany Garant⁷, Megan Hiebert⁴, Claire Houchen²³, Jennifer Houtz²⁴, Tara L Imlay^{10

25}, Brian D Inouye^{26

27}, David W Inouye^{27

28}, Michelle Jackson²⁹, Andrew P Jacobson³⁰, Kristin Jayd³¹, Christy Juteau²⁹, Andrea Kautz³², Caroline Killian¹¹, Elliot Kinnear²¹, Kimberly J Komatsu³³, Kirk Larsen³⁴, Andrew Laughlin³⁵, Valerie Levesque-Beaudin³⁶, Ryan Leys^{4

37}, Elizabeth Long³⁸, Stephen C Lougheed³⁹, Stuart Mackenzie⁴, Jen Marangelo⁴⁰, Colleen Miller²⁴, Brenda Molano-Flores⁸, Christy A Morrissey⁹, Emony Nicholls⁴¹, Jessica M Orlofske⁴², Ian S Pearse⁴³, Fanie Pelletier⁷, Amber L Pitt¹¹, Joseph P Poston⁴⁴, Danielle M Racke⁴⁵, Jeannine A Randall¹⁷, Matthew L Richardson⁴⁶, Olivia Rooney²⁴, A Rose Ruegg³⁵, Scott Rush⁴⁷, Sadie J Ryan⁴⁸, Mitchell Sadowski⁴⁹, Ivana Schoepf^{39

50}, Lindsay Schulz⁵¹, Brenna Shea⁴⁰, Thomas N Sheehan⁵², Lynn Siefferman⁵³, Derek Sikes⁵⁴, Mark Stanback⁵⁵, John D Styrsky⁵⁶, Conor C Taff²⁴, Jennifer J Uehling²⁴, Kathleen Uvino⁵⁷, Thomas Wassmer³, Kathryn Weglarz⁴⁹, Megan Weinberger¹⁹, John Wenzel³², Linda A Whittingham¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
² U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, West Alton, Missouri, USA.
³ Department of Biology, Siena Heights University, Adrian, Michigan, USA.
⁴ Birds Canada, Port Rowan, ON, Canada.
⁵ Institute of Marine Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA.
⁶ Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA.
⁷ Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
⁸ Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA.
⁹ Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
¹⁰ Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada.
¹¹ Environmental Science Program and Biology Department, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, USA.
¹² Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, King Salmon, Alaska, USA.
¹³ Department of Biology, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland, USA.
¹⁴ Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Biology and Environmental Studies, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
¹⁶ Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA.
¹⁷ Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada.
¹⁸ US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland and Meadow Forage Unit, Burns, Oregon, USA.
¹⁹ Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
²⁰ Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program, Ghent, New York, USA.
²¹ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, MB, Canada.
²² D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
²³ Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
²⁴ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
²⁵ Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
²⁶ Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
²⁷ Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, Colorado, USA.
²⁸ Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
²⁹ A Rocha Canada, Surrey, BC, Canada.
³⁰ Department of Environment and Sustainability, Catawba College, Salisbury, North Carolina, USA.
³¹ Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
³² Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Powdermill Nature Reserve, Rector, Pennsylvania, USA.
³³ Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, USA.
³⁴ Department of Biology, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, USA.
³⁵ Department of Environmental Studies, University of North Carolina - Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina, USA.
³⁶ Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
³⁷ Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
³⁸ Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz, New York, USA.
³⁹ Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
⁴⁰ Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, Missoula, Montana, USA.
⁴¹ Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Fort St. John, BC, Canada.
⁴² Biological Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA.
⁴³ U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA.
⁴⁴ Department of Biology, Catawba College, Salisbury, North Carolina, USA.
⁴⁵ Claytor Nature Center, University of Lynchburg, Bedford, Virginia, USA.
⁴⁶ Center for Urban Research, Engagement and Scholarship, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC, USA.
⁴⁷ Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA.
⁴⁸ Department of Geography and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
⁴⁹ Biology Department, Westfield State University, Westfield, Massachusetts, USA.
⁵⁰ University of Alberta, Augustana Campus, Camrose, AB, Canada.
⁵¹ Cultural and Environmental Resource Management, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, USA.
⁵² The Jones Center at Ichauway, Newton, Georgia, USA.
⁵³ Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, USA.
⁵⁴ University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.
⁵⁵ Department of Biology, Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina, USA.
⁵⁶ Department of Biology, University of Lynchburg, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA.
⁵⁷ Environmental Science, University of Jamestown, Jamestown, North Dakota, USA.

PMID: 36944538
DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4036

Extensive regional variation in the phenology of insects and their response to temperature across North America

Peter O Dunn et al. Ecology. 2023 May.

. 2023 May;104(5):e4036.

doi: 10.1002/ecy.4036. Epub 2023 Apr 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
² U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project Office, West Alton, Missouri, USA.
³ Department of Biology, Siena Heights University, Adrian, Michigan, USA.
⁴ Birds Canada, Port Rowan, ON, Canada.
⁵ Institute of Marine Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA.
⁶ Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA.
⁷ Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
⁸ Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA.
⁹ Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
¹⁰ Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada.
¹¹ Environmental Science Program and Biology Department, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, USA.
¹² Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, King Salmon, Alaska, USA.
¹³ Department of Biology, Salisbury University, Salisbury, Maryland, USA.
¹⁴ Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Biology and Environmental Studies, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
¹⁶ Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA.
¹⁷ Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada.
¹⁸ US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland and Meadow Forage Unit, Burns, Oregon, USA.
¹⁹ Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
²⁰ Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program, Ghent, New York, USA.
²¹ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, MB, Canada.
²² D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
²³ Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
²⁴ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
²⁵ Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
²⁶ Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
²⁷ Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, Colorado, USA.
²⁸ Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
²⁹ A Rocha Canada, Surrey, BC, Canada.
³⁰ Department of Environment and Sustainability, Catawba College, Salisbury, North Carolina, USA.
³¹ Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
³² Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Powdermill Nature Reserve, Rector, Pennsylvania, USA.
³³ Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, USA.
³⁴ Department of Biology, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, USA.
³⁵ Department of Environmental Studies, University of North Carolina - Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina, USA.
³⁶ Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
³⁷ Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
³⁸ Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz, New York, USA.
³⁹ Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
⁴⁰ Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, Missoula, Montana, USA.
⁴¹ Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Fort St. John, BC, Canada.
⁴² Biological Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA.
⁴³ U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA.
⁴⁴ Department of Biology, Catawba College, Salisbury, North Carolina, USA.
⁴⁵ Claytor Nature Center, University of Lynchburg, Bedford, Virginia, USA.
⁴⁶ Center for Urban Research, Engagement and Scholarship, University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC, USA.
⁴⁷ Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA.
⁴⁸ Department of Geography and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
⁴⁹ Biology Department, Westfield State University, Westfield, Massachusetts, USA.
⁵⁰ University of Alberta, Augustana Campus, Camrose, AB, Canada.
⁵¹ Cultural and Environmental Resource Management, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, USA.
⁵² The Jones Center at Ichauway, Newton, Georgia, USA.
⁵³ Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, USA.
⁵⁴ University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.
⁵⁵ Department of Biology, Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina, USA.
⁵⁶ Department of Biology, University of Lynchburg, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA.
⁵⁷ Environmental Science, University of Jamestown, Jamestown, North Dakota, USA.

PMID: 36944538
DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4036

Abstract

Climate change models often assume similar responses to temperatures across the range of a species, but local adaptation or phenotypic plasticity can lead plants and animals to respond differently to temperature in different parts of their range. To date, there have been few tests of this assumption at the scale of continents, so it is unclear if this is a large-scale problem. Here, we examined the assumption that insect taxa show similar responses to temperature at 96 sites in grassy habitats across North America. We sampled insects with Malaise traps during 2019-2021 (N = 1041 samples) and examined the biomass of insects in relation to temperature and time of season. Our samples mostly contained Diptera (33%), Lepidoptera (19%), Hymenoptera (18%), and Coleoptera (10%). We found strong regional differences in the phenology of insects and their response to temperature, even within the same taxonomic group, habitat type, and time of season. For example, the biomass of nematoceran flies increased across the season in the central part of the continent, but it only showed a small increase in the Northeast and a seasonal decline in the Southeast and West. At a smaller scale, insect biomass at different traps operating on the same days was correlated up to ~75 km apart. Large-scale geographic and phenological variation in insect biomass and abundance has not been studied well, and it is a major source of controversy in previous analyses of insect declines that have aggregated studies from different locations and time periods. Our study illustrates that large-scale predictions about changes in insect populations, and their causes, will need to incorporate regional and taxonomic differences in the response to temperature.

Keywords: Malaise trap; biomass; climate change; insect diversity; phenology; population.

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References

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Extensive regional variation in the phenology of insects and their response to temperature across North America

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Extensive regional variation in the phenology of insects and their response to temperature across North America

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

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