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The Ecology and Biogeography of the Butterflies of the Trinity Alps and Mount Eddy, Northern California

1981; Volume: 18; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.5962/p.333761

2156-5457

Arthur M. Shapiro, Cheryl Palm, Karen L Wcislo,

Bryophyte Studies and Records

The butterfly faunas of the Trinity Alps and Mount Eddy, northern California, were investigated during five field seasons in the hope that they would shed light on the biogeographic history of the high-elevation biota of the Sierra Nevada.In particular, relict plants are numerous in the region, and bear on various scenarios advanced by phytogeographers for range changes of plants in the Pleistocene.The Trinities and Mount Eddy are the only non-Sierran, non-volcanic mountains in northern California reaching subalpine and alpine heights.The total Trinity-Eddy fauna includes 112 species.This fauna was compared with various Sierran faunas and with that of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.Most of the subalpine -alpine fauna is differentiated at the subspecies level between the Sierra Nevada and the Trinity-Eddy region, and there are no known populations of taxa previously regarded as "Sierran endemic."Two subspecies are endemic to the Trinity-Eddy subalpine region.Several others extend into Oregon.One, limited to Deadfall Meadow and Deadfall Lakes, is disjunct from the central interior Oregon Cascades.The montane fauna is less differentiated than the subalpine.Numerous differences in ecology and altitudinal distribution occur between the Trinity-Eddy region and northern Sierra.The Trinity-Eddy phenology is generally later, with a peak in abundance and diversity in autumn.The Trinity-Eddy fauna offers no evidence contrary to either northern or eastern distributional routes into the Sierra, but is more strongly supportive of the former.Several possible explanations of the character of the fauna are discussed.We are still not finished.In particular, the Deadfall Lakes and Mount Eddy have not been collected before July, so records of many spring species are missin.jfrom them.This hampers formal biogeo^raphic analysis of the Eddies vs. the Trinities.The broad outlines of patterns have, however, emerged, and the data we know we are lacking are not of a sort likeiy to upset those patterns.We think it is now fair to say that the Trinities are better known Lepidopterologically than any area in the Sierra Nevada except the South Yuba River -Donner Pass region and Yosemite National Park.Access to the Trinities requires a Wilderness Permit, which may be obtained at Redding, Mount Shasta City, Weaverville, or the Coffee Creek Ranger Station.Motorized vehicles are not permitted within the Primitive Area, or on Mount Eddy above Deadfall Meadow.Fire regulations are strictly enforced.We hope all Lepidopterists who may wish to visit this magnificent region will cooperate in preserving it in its primitive state for posterity.The Trinities: The Physical Setting