Testing the Microclimatic Habitat Design Framework in Abandoned Sand and Gravel Extraction Sites Using the Karner Blue Butterfly
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Microclimatic planning is an important component in rehabilitating landscapes. Rehabilitation practices often simplify a landscape, reducing microclimatic complexity and decreasing the capacity of the land to support a variety of niche habitats. This study took a target-species approach to rehabilitation, applying the specific microclimatic requirements of the Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) using a microclimatic habitat design framework. Incident solar radiation was modeled for a range of slopes and aspects, and wind was modeled from different directions of flow. These results were applied to three aggregate (sand and gravel) extraction sites in Ontario, Canada. Microclimate units were mapped through a geographic information system, and the results were evaluated in terms of their capability for meeting the microclimatic habitat needs of the Karner blue butterfly. The framework provides a comprehensive rehabilitation planning framework that may be applied to a variety of focal species and climate regions. 2011 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
