Biophysics and behavior affect tropical climate change impacts

This project seeks to understand how organismal biophysics and behavior impact our predictions of climate change impacts across large scales and latitude. Utilizing microclimatic and organismal data collected in Central and North America for the butterfly species, Chlosyne lacinia, this research aims to answer how climate changes might affect the widely distributed species. The model inputs microclimate and global climate data to predict body temperature of the butterfly at different times of day and at different points within its distribution. Using this model this study will demonstrate how behavior and biophysics alter our understanding of climate change impacts across latitude.