Landscape changes, habitat characteristics and use by Parnassius apollo in Sierra Nevada (Spain)

Abstract

Landscape changes, habitat characteristics and use by Parnassius apollo in Sierra Nevada (Spain). There are some evidences of limited gene flow between Parnassius apollo populations in Sierra Nevada, in particular between the west and east side of the mountain range. Here we show that apollo butterflies do not use nowadays the area of Puerto de la Ragua, a mountain pass that separates west and east populations, despite being an area where butterflies were very abundant in the past. The absence of butterflies in the area would explain the previously found genetic differentiation between west and east areas. We also show that the availability of larval host plant and adult nectar sources is smaller at the lowest altitude in the area, and discuss which factors might explain the disappearance of the species from this area.