You are to evaluate how this article differs from the previous two articles you have read for your post lab exercise in terms of structure, ease of comprehension, format, visual / graphical display of information, information contained therein, and targeted audience. In addition, you should compare the conclusions of this article to the article you read by Pleasants and Oberhauser (2013) addressing the presentation of the research and ease at which you interpreted the article. What conclusions between the two articles are similar? Are any dissimilar? If so, which ones and which do you tend to agree with?
Article information, format and targeted audience
The article by Robert Loerzel (2014) “Where did they go? Environmental threats shrink the numbers of Illinois’ beloved state insect, the monarch butterfly” differs tremendously from the previous two articles in that it was written for Illinois issues which are a university publication by University of Illinois at Springfield. The previous two articles from the post lab exercise were both not written for University publications but instead were peer reviewed research articles written by multiple authors for the benefit of the general scientific community. The structure, ease of comprehension, format, information contained, figures and graphs also differ significantly. The Pleasants and Oberhauser (2013) and Bernhardt (1998) articles are much heavier in scientific content and not intended for the lay person who may or may not be familiar with science. These two articles have several figures and graphs and are based on actual scientific experiments.
The article by Robert Loerzel (a freelance Chicago-based writer) on the other hand is intended for the average person who may or may not be familiar with science methodology but would still be able to read and appreciate the current findings, conclusions and opinions about the Monarch butterflies. It is much easier to understand and comprehend the article by Robert Loerzel and it also expresses the author’s opinion which is mostly his personal opinion and may or may not be completely accurate and factual as it has not been peer reviewed. It is Robert Loerzel’s interpretation of the current state of the Monarch butterflies and a summary of existing literature with quotes from several people familiar with or interested in Monarch butterflies. The article by Robert Loerzel does not contain any abstract, figures, tables, results and discussion as seen in the other articles.
Conclusions-Similarities, Differences and Personal Opinion
Conclusions between the articles by article by Robert Loerzel (2014) and Pleasants and Oberhauser (2013) that were similar include that both papers agree milkweed decline in the US Mid-west is responsible for decrease in the Monarch butterfly population in recent times. Both articles also agree that the use of the herbicide glyphosate by farmers in the US Mid-western states kills milkweed in addition to the shrinking amount of land available for milkweed to grow. Both articles take into account Monarch butterflies flying South to Mexico which was confirmed in 1975. Another similarity in the two articles is that Monarch butterfly overwintering populations were estimated in Mexico in the Pleasants and Oberhauser (2013) article while Monarch butterfly populations in Illinois and their numbers in Mexico were discussed and commented upon in the article by Robert Loerzel (2014). However, most of the article by Robert Loerzel (2014) focuses on Illinois issues like land conservation and natural resources. This article also contains several opinions and local folklore about the Monarch butterfly.
Overall, most of the conclusions between the two articles seem similar. I agree with the conclusions that milkweed loss due to herbicide use and shrinking agricultural land availability in the US Mid-west is responsible for the decline in Monarch butterfly populations. Thus, US Mid-western farmers and everyone else should try and help increase milkweeds and do what they can in order to help save the beautiful Monarch butterfly species.
REFERENCES:
Robert Loerzel “Where did they go? Environmental threats shrink the numbers of Illinois’ beloved state insect, the Monarch butterfly”, 2014 Website http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/archives/2014/0708/monarchs.html
Pleasants JM, Oberhauser KS, Milkweed loss in agricultural fields because of herbicide use: effect on monarch butterfly population, Insect Conservation and Diversity, Volume 6, pp 135-144, 2013.
Bernhardt PC, Dabbs JM, Fielden JA and Luther CD, Testosterone Changes During Vicarious Experiences of Winning and Losing Among Fans at Sporting Events, Psychology and Behavior Volume 65, No. 1, pp 59-62, 1998.
