posted June 24, 2025
MSI PI Emilie Sneed-Rood (professor, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior) and postdoc Lindsey Kemmerling were featured on Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) about research into lead concentrations in butterflies. The research, which was published in the journal Ecology of the Total Environment, involved 22 species of butterflies in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. Although there have been efforts for several decades to reduce lead contamination, lead still exists in the environment. Insects can absorb lead either from dirt or from particles in the air. The research indicated that higher lead levels were correlated with smaller wing size. Smaller wings can be detrimental to a butterfly’s ability to find food, escape predators, and migrate.
The MPR story can be found on their website: U of M study finds lead contamination threatens butterflies. The paper can be found on the journal website: Lead (Pb) concentrations across 22 species of butterflies correlate with soil and air lead and decreased wing size in an urban field study.
Professor Snell-Rood uses MSI resources for RNA-sequencing studies that are investigating possible genetic differences that may determine whether individuals are specialized or can survive under a variety of conditions.