Butterfly community abundance and distribution along a gradient of woody vegetation density at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve, and Tefft Savanna Nature Preserve, Indiana 1998-1999

Publication Date

2020-05-12

Start Date

1998-05-13

End Date

1999-09-27

Grundel, R., 2020, Butterfly community abundance and distribution along a gradient of woody vegetation density at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve, and Tefft Savanna Nature Preserve, Indiana 1998-1999: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9TYX2AG.

Type: Related Primary Publication

We present information on the distribution of butterflies across a woody vegetation gradient in northwest Indiana, USA. These data are part of a series of biodiversity studies undertaken with the intent of improving the scientific basis for restoration of savannas in the Midwest U.S. Therefore, we are interested in how animal populations might respond to changes in woody vegetation density during habitat restoration. Several animal groups have been investigated to understand this relationship - birds, bees, amphibians, reptiles, and butterflies. The dataset described here represents data on butterflies collected at 25 sites, in three northwest Indiana locations (Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (now National Park) (National Park Service), Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve and Tefft Savanna Nature Preserve (Indiana Department of Natural Resources), in 1998-1999. The data are analyzed to understand determinants of butterfly abundance and distribution, especially the role of canopy cover in determining that distribution. In the future, these data could serve as a baseline for understanding changes in butterfly abundance.

• Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC)
• USGS Data Release Products