Changed management of semi-natural grasslands is thought to be one important factor for explaining the decline of butterfly populations in Sweden and the rest of Europe. This study explores how vegetation height, variation in vegetation height and flower abundance can help predict the occurrence of butterfly species in semi-natural grasslands in southern Sweden. My study is based on data collected by a national environmental monitoring programme (NILS) during 2006-2010. Generalized linear models showed that all three explanatory variables significantly affected 26 of the 41 species of butterflies studied. The study also investigated preferences for three different systems for grouping species but did not find differences among groups. Several of the species would most likely benefit from variation in grazing pressure or rotational grazing as well as flower-rich grasslands. The results may also help when aiming management at the preservation of individual species.

Rainforest is a dynamic ecosystem where species are affected by numerous biotic and abiotic factors. One important abiotic factor for many species is the availability of sunlight. The understory habitat under the closed undisturbed canopy is comparably constant with regard to sunlight and therefore also humidity and temperature. The canopy regulates the amount of sunlight that will reach the ground, which means that changes in canopy cover will change the understory environment. The main natural disturbances that affect the structure of rainforest are tree falls, that resulting in tree-fall gaps. The aim of this study was to compare the vertical stratification and species composition of fruit-feeding Nymphalidae butterflies between tree-fall gaps of different sizes and undisturbed understory in a primary rainforest in Madidi National Park, Bolivia. Fruit-baited traps were suspended at ground level (2 m) and in canopy (10-15 m) in 5 tree-fall gaps and adjacent undisturbed understory, a total of 40 traps. There were more species rich assemblages in gaps both at ground level and in canopy, compared to understory. The data show that there are different species assemblages in tree-fall gaps, undisturbed understory, canopy and at ground level. The vegetation structure affected by the amount of sun light was an important factor affecting butterfly assemblages. There was a tendency that differences among gap assemblages increased with gap size. These results indicate the importance of the mosaic pattern caused by natural tree-fall gaps, they contain specific resources that favor different butterfly assemblages.

The maize stem borers, Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) are economically important pests of maize in South Africa. Genetically modified Bt maize (MON810) expressing Cry1Ab protein is used to control these pests on approximately 425 000 hectares in South Africa. Before this study no information was available on the diversity of Lepidoptera on maize in South Africa or the potential impact of Bt maize on non-target Lepidoptera species under field conditions. There was also no information on the susceptibility to Bt maize of another stem borer species, Sesamia calamistis (Hampson) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which is not a target species of Bt maize. The aims of this study were to determine which Lepidoptera species occur and feed on maize and could be directly exposed to Bt toxin as well as to assess the levels of infestation of target stem borer species and non-target Lepidoptera species on Bt- and non-Bt maize fields. Field collections of Lepidoptera that were directly exposed to Bt toxin through feeding on Bt maize plants were done between January 2004 and May 2006. Surveys were conducted in the North-West, Free State, Gauteng and Limpopo provinces. In order to quantify infestation levels and incidence of larvae on plants, sampling was done by inspecting between 300 – 900 plants per field. Studies were also done to compare the incidence of damaged plants and larvae on plants between Bt- and adjacent non-Bt maize fields. The susceptibility of S. calamistis to several Bt maize hybrids was evaluated under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Fifteen species of Lepidoptera were recorded on maize plants. The following six species were recorded to feed on Bt maize and were reared on Bt maize until the adult stage: Acantholeucania loreyi (Noctuidae), Agrotis segetum (Noctuidae), B. fusca (Noctuidae), Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae), Eublemma gayneri (Noctuidae) and Nola phaeocraspis (Nolidae). Although Bt maize was damaged by several species of leaf, stem and ear feeding Lepidoptera in this study, the incidence of damage was always significantly lower on Bt maize fields than susceptible fields. This study provided base line data on Lepidoptera that feed on Bt maize in South Africa. Non-target Lepidoptera species that are directly exposed to Bt toxin was identified. An ecological model wasused to develop a preliminary risk assessment for Bt maize through which priority species for research and monitoring was identified as well as species that are at risk of resistance development. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science (Plant Protection))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Genetically modified (GM) cotton expressing Cry1Ac proteins was released in South Africa in 1997 for control of the bollworm complex on this crop. No reports of the failure of Bollgard® cotton to control these pests have yet been made. Throughout the world there are concerns about the development of resistance of target pests to Bt cotton due to the use of only one Bt gene. The aim of this study was to determine if Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Diparopsis castanea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) developed resistance to Bt cotton in South Africa. To determine if H. armigera developed resistance, laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the levels of larval survival and development time when feeding on Bt and non–Bt cotton. Bollworm populations were collected on maize and cotton at different sites in South Africa and reared on Bt and non–Bt cotton under laboratory conditions. Results showed that some populations survived on Bt cotton and that a significant proportion of the individuals successfully completed their life cycles on Bt cotton. Surveys were also conducted amongst cotton farmers to determine the levels of compliance to the refuge strategy that has to be implemented by farmers as an insect resistance management (IRM) strategy to delay resistance development. The levels of compliance to refugia requirements were low and farmers generally only started planting refugia several years after they planted Bt cotton for the first time. The development of resistance of H. armigera to Bt cotton in South Africa can possibly be ascribed to non–compliance to the prescribed refuge requirements. No conclusions can be made on resistance of D. castanea to Bt cotton but the relatively long time to mortality of larvae could indicate development of tolerance to Cry1Ac proteins. The new generation Bollgard II® cotton, expressing both Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab2 proteins, has been released in South Africa during the 2010/11 growing season and field observations showed effective control of the bollworm complex at several sites in the country. Monitoring of refuge compliance levels as well as resistance development in the bollworm complex to Bollgard II® cotton is necessary to ensure the future success of GM cotton. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Humans are generally having a strong, widespread, and negative impact on nature. Given the many ways we are impacting nature and the many ways nature is responding, it is useful to study responses in an integrative context. My thesis is focused largely (two out of the three data chapters) on butterfly species’ range shifts consistent with modern climate change in Canada. I employed a macroecological approach to my research, drawing on methods and findings from evolutionary biology, phylogenetics, conservation biology, and natural history. I answered three main research questions. First, is there a trade-off between population growth rate (rmax) and carrying capacity (K) at the mutation scale (Chapter 2)? I found rmax and K to not trade off, but in fact to positively co-vary at the mutation scale. This suggests trade-offs between these traits only emerge after selection removes mutants with low resource acquisition rates (i.e., unhealthy genotypes), revealing trade-offs between remaining genotypes with varied resource allocation strategies. Second, did butterfly species shift their northern range boundaries northward over the 1900s, consistent with climate warming (Chapter 3)? Leading a team of collaborators, we found that most butterfly species’ northern range boundaries did indeed shift northward over the 1900s. But range shift rates were slower than those documented in the literature for more recent time periods, likely reflecting the weaker warming experienced in the time period of my study. Third, were species’ rates of range shift related to their phylogeny (Chapter 3) or traits (Chapter 4)? I found no compelling relationships between rates of range shift and phylogeny or traits. If certain traits make some species more successful at northern boundary range expansion than others, their effect was not strong enough to emerge from the background noise inherent in the broad scale data set I used.

The maize stem borers, Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) are economically important pests of maize in South Africa. Genetically modified Bt maize (MON810) expressing Cry1Ab protein is used to control these pests on approximately 425 000 hectares in South Africa. Before this study no information was available on the diversity of Lepidoptera on maize in South Africa or the potential impact of Bt maize on non-target Lepidoptera species under field conditions. There was also no information on the susceptibility to Bt maize of another stem borer species, Sesamia calamistis (Hampson) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which is not a target species of Bt maize. The aims of this study were to determine which Lepidoptera species occur and feed on maize and could be directly exposed to Bt toxin as well as to assess the levels of infestation of target stem borer species and non-target Lepidoptera species on Bt- and non-Bt maize fields. Field collections of Lepidoptera that were directly exposed to Bt toxin through feeding on Bt maize plants were done between January 2004 and May 2006. Surveys were conducted in the North-West, Free State, Gauteng and Limpopo provinces. In order to quantify infestation levels and incidence of larvae on plants, sampling was done by inspecting between 300 – 900 plants per field. Studies were also done to compare the incidence of damaged plants and larvae on plants between Bt- and adjacent non-Bt maize fields. The susceptibility of S. calamistis to several Bt maize hybrids was evaluated under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Fifteen species of Lepidoptera were recorded on maize plants. The following six species were recorded to feed on Bt maize and were reared on Bt maize until the adult stage: Acantholeucania loreyi (Noctuidae), Agrotis segetum (Noctuidae), B. fusca (Noctuidae), Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae), Eublemma gayneri (Noctuidae) and Nola phaeocraspis (Nolidae). Although Bt maize was damaged by several species of leaf, stem and ear feeding Lepidoptera in this study, the incidence of damage was always significantly lower on Bt maize fields than susceptible fields. This study provided base line data on Lepidoptera that feed on Bt maize in South Africa. Non-target Lepidoptera species that are directly exposed to Bt toxin was identified. An ecological model wasused to develop a preliminary risk assessment for Bt maize through which priority species for research and monitoring was identified as well as species that are at risk of resistance development. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science (Plant Protection))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Genetically modified (GM) cotton expressing Cry1Ac proteins was released in South Africa in 1997 for control of the bollworm complex on this crop. No reports of the failure of Bollgard® cotton to control these pests have yet been made. Throughout the world there are concerns about the development of resistance of target pests to Bt cotton due to the use of only one Bt gene. The aim of this study was to determine if Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Diparopsis castanea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) developed resistance to Bt cotton in South Africa. To determine if H. armigera developed resistance, laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the levels of larval survival and development time when feeding on Bt and non–Bt cotton. Bollworm populations were collected on maize and cotton at different sites in South Africa and reared on Bt and non–Bt cotton under laboratory conditions. Results showed that some populations survived on Bt cotton and that a significant proportion of the individuals successfully completed their life cycles on Bt cotton. Surveys were also conducted amongst cotton farmers to determine the levels of compliance to the refuge strategy that has to be implemented by farmers as an insect resistance management (IRM) strategy to delay resistance development. The levels of compliance to refugia requirements were low and farmers generally only started planting refugia several years after they planted Bt cotton for the first time. The development of resistance of H. armigera to Bt cotton in South Africa can possibly be ascribed to non–compliance to the prescribed refuge requirements. No conclusions can be made on resistance of D. castanea to Bt cotton but the relatively long time to mortality of larvae could indicate development of tolerance to Cry1Ac proteins. The new generation Bollgard II® cotton, expressing both Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab2 proteins, has been released in South Africa during the 2010/11 growing season and field observations showed effective control of the bollworm complex at several sites in the country. Monitoring of refuge compliance levels as well as resistance development in the bollworm complex to Bollgard II® cotton is necessary to ensure the future success of GM cotton. / Thesis (M. Environmental Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2005. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning). Alnarp : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2005. / Härtill 7 uppsatser.

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