An ecological auto-ethnography of a monarch butterfly

Monarch butterflies face severe habitat loss and degradation due to industrial agriculture expansion, threatening their survival. This study highlights the impact of monocultures on ecological diversity and stability, contrasting with the protected Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, which safeguards 56,259 hectares, including critical wintering forests spanning 13,551 hectares. The research employs an ecological auto-ethnography approach, documenting the species' annual migration from North America to Michoacán and Estado de México while analyzing regulatory challenges and environmental pressures. It underscores the vulnerability of monocultures to ecological catastrophes and their role in accelerating species extinction, emphasizing the need for habitat preservation to sustain monarch populations.

Lanka, S. V. (2018). An ecological auto-ethnography of a monarch butterfly. Around the World in 80 Species, 324–333. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429437397-17