Greenhouse effect and butterflies

1997/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ekologia

The greenhouse effect caused by the increase in the proportion of CO2 gas on our planet has caused damage to the American butterfly species Euphydryas editha. According to California biologist Kamila Parmesan of the University of Santa Barbara, this species is slowly hiding. This orange-winged butterfly is very sensitive to temperature changes. When it comes to caterpillar alone, it is decided by the leaves that live or die.

If they are watered by heat, the caterpillar does so immediately. As this butterfly only migrates sporadically, starting to decrease means that the average temperature has increased.

Biologist Parmesan has controlled the population of Euphydryas editha butterflies from Canada to Mexico and the results are very worrying: in the lower latitudes three quarters have been lost. In the higher latitudes, on the contrary, ice and cold are somewhat better than before.