A long-term study of butterfly populations in Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park is shedding light on ecological changes and the impacts of human activities on local ecosystems. The study, which has been ongoing since the 1990s, represents one of the longest-running volunteer-driven insect surveys in North America. The project provides crucial data that is helping scientists decipher the causes of environmental shifts and the health of butterfly populations in the region.
A Volunteer-Powered Initiative
The butterfly surveys, managed by a dedicated group of volunteers, are conducted weekly throughout the growing season. Volunteers traverse designated transects, identifying and counting butterfly species within a specific range. Their work not only contributes to scientific understanding but also fosters a community of environmentally conscious citizens engaged in the preservation of local wildlife.
Christie Bahlai, Ph.D., associate professor in Kent State University’s Department of Biological Sciences, and Thomas Franzem, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar in the Bahlai Lab of Computational Ecology, have won a $25,000 grant from the U. S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service to analyze the butterfly data that has been collected now for decades. Kent State Today spoke with Bahlai and Franzem about their research.
Bahlai emphasized the value of this consistent, long-term data collected by volunteers.
“This data is incredibly valuable for science because it allows us to measure change over time,” she said. “Ecologists often measure changes after they've occurred, but with this kind of monitoring, we can observe how changes unfold in natural communities.”
Understanding Ecological Change
The data collected from the butterfly surveys helps researchers like Bahlai and Franzem analyze trends in butterfly communities and assess the impact of park management practices on these populations. The study examines whether specific management interventions, such as invasive species control, mowing regimes and habitat restoration, have influenced butterfly diversity and abundance.
“One of the sites, for example, was a former basketball stadium [Richfield Coliseum] that was restored to grassland habitat,” Franzem said. “We're monitoring how such transformations impact butterfly populations over time.”
Butterflies as Ecological Indicators
Butterflies are more than just beautiful insects; they play crucial roles in ecosystems as pollinators and herbivores. They also are an essential food resource for birds and other wildlife.
“Butterflies help regulate plant growth and maintain ecological balance,” Bahlai explained. “Their presence, absence or fluctuations can tell us a lot about the health of the environment.”
The study highlights the importance of long-term ecological research in understanding environmental changes, especially in the face of climate change and habitat loss. “Ohio serves as a sort of average America,” Bahlai remarked, suggesting that findings from the state's diverse habitats can offer insights into broader ecological trends across the country.
Challenges and Conservation Efforts
The research has revealed concerning trends, particularly regarding iconic species like the monarch butterfly. Monarchs face numerous threats, including habitat loss due to herbicide use, deforestation in overwintering sites and climate-related challenges such as droughts in key migration areas. These findings underscore the complex web of factors affecting butterfly populations, described by Bahlai as “death by a thousand paper cuts.”
Efforts to conserve butterflies and their habitats are critical, not only for the survival of these insects but for the overall health of ecosystems. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park study serves as a model for how community involvement and scientific research can work together to address environmental challenges.
How to Get Involved in Citizen Science
While the research suggests humans are having a detrimental impact – by way of things like pesticide use and mowing practices – we can help reverse it too, according to Bahlai and Franzem.
“Rewilding” is a concept whereby property owners will forego a traditional manicured lawn (or even just a section of a garden) in favor of a landscape that is allowed to grow wild and includes native plant species that will support the local ecosystem. Slowly growing in popularity, there are now plenty of resources online to help choose native plants for your garden that will support a healthy ecosystem.
“It does help,” Bahlai said. “The more little patches the better, but if you're the only one to do it, the insects can only travel so far and so it might take a while to get colonized and you might not get the same numbers. So just the more people doing it the better. If we all do it, then we can get that continuity. Every little bit counts.”
Bahlai’s Top Tips for Supporting the Local Ecosystem:
- Change the landscape in your yard.
- Advocate for more wild landscapes.
- Vote for politicians who do things like help protect parks and conserve nature.
- Mitigate climate change.
- Participate in citizen science programs, like iNaturalist.
As the study continues, Bahlai, Franzem and other researchers hope to gain further insights into how butterfly populations respond to environmental changes and inform conservation strategies that can mitigate the negative impacts of human activities on these vital creatures. The National Park Service grant, which supports Bahlai’s and Franzem’s involvement in the project expires in September of 2025, but they hope the project itself will continue in perpetuity.
Learn more about butterfly conservation efforts in Northeast Ohio.
Learn more about Kent State’s Department of Biological Sciences.
WRITTEN BY: Amy Antenora
PHOTO CREDIT: Kent State Dept. of Biological Sciences and National Park Service