Using citizen science data to estimate trait and climate drivers of daily activity patterns in temperate butterflies.

ABSTRACT: Characterizing temporal niche is integral to understanding eco-evolutionary interactions of species, but research into the timing of species' daily activity patterns (diel activity) has remained challenging due to data limitations. In timing their activity, organisms face trade-offs such as maximizing foraging and reproduction during favorable conditions while minimizing predation and competition. We assembled large-scale daily activity data across hundreds of butterfly species, broad geographic regions, and seasons using research-grade iNaturalist observations in the conterminous United States. The activity of butterflies is known to be temperature-dependent, and this clade contains a wide range of body sizes, enabling tests of key thermoregulatory trade-offs related to diel activity, cli

SUBMITTER: Idec J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12637895 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature