4.
In highly fragmented landscapes, such as the one in which this study occurred,
butterflies which show little or no response to edges may exhibit high emigration
rates because of the high probability of encountering an edge in small habitat patches.
Butterflies may respond strongly to even subtle habitat boundaries, but those
responses may be modified by the edge structure, local environment or other conditions.
Therefore, modifying edge structure may be a way to influence emigration rates, making
it a useful tool for conservation.