Spatial variation in early-winter snow cover determines local dynamics in a network of alpine butterfly populations

Abstract

Snow cover is an extremely variable but critical component of alpine environments. We use long term population data on multiple small populations of the alpine butterfly Parnassius smintheus, combined with high-resolution satellite imagery of meadows, to show a strong link between fine-scale spatial and temporal variation in early-winter snow cover and annual change in butterfly population size, accounting for up to 80 percent of the variation in annual population change. Snow cover in early winter for each meadow is the best predictor of annual adult population change, despite being estimated for a relatively short time-window in late November. We identify a means by which subpopulation response to a local, short-term weather variable can be assessed over a large spatial extent, but also at a resolution relevant to the biology and local dynamics of this alpine species.