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What Is Lange's Metalmark Butterfly Effect?

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The Lange's Metalmark Butterfly, specifically located in Antioch Dunes, has been on the endangered species list since 1976 ("Top 10 U.S. Endangered Species Threatened by Human Population"). Without these butterflies, the diversity of wildlife species around the San Francisco Bay Area would cease to exist, and the refuge would become a cement plant (Smith). Currently, there are only about 150 Lange's Metalmark Butterflies living in the wild ("Lange's Metalmark Butterfly"). However, many organizations and individuals are beginning to invest effort in saving the Metalmark Butterflies from extinction ("Conservation and Preservation").
Background
For the past 40 years, the Lange’s Metalmark Butterfly (Apodemia mormo langei) …show more content…

In today’s society, the “Butterfly Effect” is a metaphor for describing the possibility of chaos from one miniscule factor, popularized by the thought that “a large storm in New England may be caused by a butterfly wing flap in China” ("Concepts: Butterfly Effect"). Mathematical models have claimed that the butterfly concept is false; however, this concept of chaos may refer to the possibility of the extinction of other butterfly species if one species becomes extinct ("Concepts: Butterfly Effect"). Many different species of butterflies die off due to various causes such as habitat loss, the use of herbicides, and climate change …show more content…

As a result of "human emissions of greenhouse gasses," numerous species of butterflies worldwide are facing the risk of extinction (World Wide Fund). Global warming is the gradual heating of the planet, which is triggered by human activities such as pollution from factories, results in climate change around the world (Rogers). Due to climate change, various species of butterflies need to adapt to these changes, but instead, they are dying out due to their sensitivity to fluctuating temperatures (Rogers). In the United Kingdom, scientists predict that “for every 1 °C increase in southwestern Europe’s temperature, some 14 different species of migratory butterflies and moths are forced to make the leap to England to cool off, which means making a long journey over open water” (Rogers). Climate change has required many species of butterflies to leave their migration paths and cross the treacherous oceans; this increases their risk of death

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