Population dynamics and drivers of the eastern monarch (Danaus plexippus) across its full annual cycle: a cross-scale synthesis of a model migratory species

Abstract

The monarch butterfly is arguably the best-known butterfly species throughout its global range. Declines in the size of the overwintering colonies in Mexico have sparked controversy regarding the conservation of the species and this controversy has been heightened since the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and International Union for the Conservation of Nature concluded that the eastern monarch populations were threatened (or in the case of United States Fish and Wildlife Service, warranted listing). Drivers of decline vary through space and time. Here, we present a synthesis of longitudinal monarch abundance studies that aim to disentangle the putative drivers of decline from one another. We find remarkable consistency that suggests monarch populations are indeed declining and that potential drivers of such decline shift over time. We strongly encourage future work on the species paired with mechanistic, experimental designs to address some long-standing knowledge gaps.