Monarch butterfly roost site variables and habitat conservation

The criteria that Monarchs use to select specific roost sites, and the landscape context where those sites are found, have received little study. We developed ecological niche models for the Atlantic Flyway roost sites using modeling algorithms, citizen scientist observations, and environmental variables that are known to affect Monarchs in the adult stage prior to migration. These models can be used to help prioritize survey and conservation efforts for Monarchs in areas most suitable for their roosting. We conducted a vulnerability assessment of predicted suitable roost habitat, assessed the connectivity of the habitat with Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis, used Zonation software to create a relative value ranking of the Atlantic flyway region for Monarch roost site conservation, and mapped areas of high conservation value in the flyway in regards to their current predicted vulnerability.