In the dissertation – which examines the genetic variation in three common meadow butterflies – it is stated that inbreeding can be more common than previously thought.
Particularly vulnerable is the common meadow butterfly, the meadow blue. For decades, the number of individuals and genetic diversity have decreased sharply for the meadow blue.
"This affects the species' ability to survive in the long term", says Zachary J. Nolen, researcher at the Department of Biology at Lund University, in a comment.
The butterflies are affected, among other things, by the fact that natural pasture lands, which are some of Sweden's most species-rich areas, have decreased sharply due to intensified agriculture and overgrowth.
According to the study, the result provides guidance in the work of restoring natural environments.
"We need to restore more cohesive habitats in the landscape. It is crucial if we want to preserve both the species and their genetic variation", says Zachary J. Nolen.
