Research Topics
Please click on a topic below to see related research projects.
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Growth & Development
- This section covers changes that occur as monarch develop from egg to adult, including the effects of temperature, day length, and other environmental factors on monarch development.
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Interactions with Milkweed
- Learn about milkweed plant toxins and other defenses, and how these factors affect monarch development and behavior.
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Monarch Vital Statistics
- Learn how to record the physical appearance, mass, wing length, behavior, and fate of monarchs as well as how these data can be used in scientific analyses.
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Parasites & Natural Enemies
- This section covers common monarch predators, parasites, diseases, and other natural enemies.
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Reproductive Biology
- Learn about the basics of monarch reproduction, including diapause, oviposition behavior, basic physiology and anatomy, and other factors.
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Conservation
- This section covers some of the major issues affecting monarch populations, the need to address these issues, and recommendations for conservation actions.
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Migration
- Learn the basics of monarch migration including timing, overwintering locations, and how scientists study migration.
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Population Dynamics
- Learn how monarch populations change over time and how population data are collected and analyzed.
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Human Impact
- This section covers major human influences on monarch habitat and populations.
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Overwintering
- Learn about factors influencing diapause in overwintering monarchs as well as environmental factors that affect monarch survival in overwintering locations.
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Outreach
- This section addresses citizen science, environmental education, and interactions between citizens, scientists, educators, and youth involving science inquiry.
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General Issues
- This section provides general resources about monarchs and monarch conservation including conference summaries, monitoring initiatives, and conservation actions.