[Leps-l] Cuba and Its Fantastic Biodiversity - ABF Forum Zoom Meeting Tonight 2/22 at 7 pm (CST)

[Mike Quinn]

Greetings!

Most of Austin is still recovering from last week's historic winter storm
(140-170 hrs below freezing in Travis Co.!), so this month's Austin
Butterfly Forum presentation on Cuba and it's butterflies by Marc Minno
should be a most welcome diversion!

This Zoom meeting is open to all! Please click this link to start joining
in at 6:30 pm (Central Time) tonight, February 22. Meeting will start at
7:00.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87269323860
<https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87269323860?fbclid=IwAR3F56VvI3LuoSS3cfCZv7jtyEgsGvEkpK6-RoME0AIGmlx1-ohbaNwkTOU>
(Save
this link for next month's March 22 Zoom meeting.)
(Note: This link has been checked (and rechecked), but if you have any
problems logging in, please contact me at entomike at gmail.com or text at
512-577-0250)

*Exploring a Tropical Paradise: Cuba and Its Fantastic Biodiversity, *presented
by Marc C. Minno, Ph.D.

Since 2011, I have been working with volunteers and Cuban scientists to
explore Cuba's extraordinary natural areas, document flora and fauna, and
assess the conservation needs of the rarest butterflies. Cuba has some
plant communities that are similar to those in South Florida including
mangrove swamps, freshwater marshes, and dry tropical forests, but others
have no equivalent such as savannas, scrubs, and pinelands on serpentine
soils, moist tropical forests in the mountains, and arid, rocky shrublands.
The island is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots with many endemic
plants and animals. At least 210 different kinds of butterflies have been
reported from Cuba and about 40% are unique to the island. Butterflies are
often good at dispersing and there is exchange with Mexico, Hispaniola,
south Florida, and other widely separated places.  This presentation will
give an overview of Cuban culture, landscapes, and biodiversity.
Bio: Dr. Minno has a Ph.D. in zoology and more than 30 years of
professional experience as an interdisciplinary scientist. He is currently
a Water Resource Coordinator with the Suwannee River Water Management
District in Live Oak, Florida. Marc and Maria Minno also work on plant and
butterfly projects throughout Florida via Eco-Cognizant, Inc., their
home-based consulting business. In addition to his many years of experience
with wetlands, Dr. Minno is keenly interested in conservation biology and
has conducted field research throughout the US and in Central America,
South America, Caribbean, Europe, and India. Since 2011 Dr. Minno has been
working with biologists in Cuba to better understand the ecological
relationships of imperiled butterflies in southern Florida. He has
authored/ coauthored six books and six book chapters on butterflies and
plants.

[image: Mogotes Cuba Vinales Valley June 2014 LR.jpg]

[image: PC Phoebis avellaneda M Cuba Sierra de Chorillo Jun 11 2012 7903
LR.jpg]

[image: P Parides gundlachianus Cuba Granma Prov Turquino Natl Park Nov 16
2016 0711 LR.jpg]

The Zoom meeting link is also on our Austin Butterfly Forum
<http://austinbutterflies.org/> website and our Butterfly Forum Facebook
Page <https://www.facebook.com/groups/1126095124154672>.

Please share this invitation with anyone you think might be interested!

Our March 22 zoom meeting will be on the conservation of the Manfreda Giant
Skipper by Marianna Trevino-Wright. Executive Director, National Butterfly
Center

To ensure notices of future meetings, please join our club:
http://austinbutterflies.org/html/membership.html
Mike Quinn, vice president, programs
Austin Butterfly Forum
entomike at gmail.com
512-577-0250 - cell
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/leps-l/attachments/20210222/95ecaac0/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Mogotes Cuba Vinales Valley June 2014 LR.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 180653 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/leps-l/attachments/20210222/95ecaac0/attachment-0003.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: PC Phoebis avellaneda M Cuba Sierra de Chorillo Jun 11 2012 7903 LR.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 130069 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/leps-l/attachments/20210222/95ecaac0/attachment-0004.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: P Parides gundlachianus Cuba Granma Prov Turquino Natl Park Nov 16 2016 0711 LR.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 338134 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/leps-l/attachments/20210222/95ecaac0/attachment-0005.jpg>