The bright, beautiful colors associated with butterflies are beginning to fade. While previously key to the species' survival in colorful tropical forests, bright coloring may be less advantageous in what are now plantations. 

What's happening?

The Guardian reported on these initial findings by researchers on butterflies as a part of a larger trend called discoloration, where the loss of nature is impacting the colors of our world. As ecosystems become polluted and degraded by human activity, colors are appearing more muted, from coral bleaching to predictions that rainbow visibility will worsen.

For many species, butterflies included, color has been key to survival, providing camouflage, scaring off predators, or attracting mates. But as early as 2019, researchers began discussing the potential disadvantage of being colorful in the Amazon following deforestation and the development of monoculture eucalyptus plantations — a common feature in the Amazon and elsewhere, now covering at least 22 million hectares (over 54 million acres) of land across the globe.

According to Ricardo Spaniol from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, "The most colourful species are often the first to disappear locally after deforestation, probably because of the loss of native vegetation and their increased exposure to predators."

Why is discoloration important?

Spaniol described the realization that forests are losing their colors as "frightening and revelatory," providing a prime example of the reaction of species to changes in their habitats. 

Experts look to butterflies as an indicator of change, teaching them how nature adapts to a changing climate. Spaniol further postured that this loss of color could mean a loss of ecosystem richness generally, with impacts expanding to other species and ecosystem services.

What can be done about the dulling of butterflies?

There are two main solutions to the discoloration of butterflies and ecosystems at large. The first is protecting habitats like the Amazon, thus preventing further degradation and the development of more monoculture forests. Indigenous communities can, and do, play a critical role in the protection of these forests and ecosystems worldwide. It can't rely only on them, however — all communities must take local climate action.

The second key solution is in restoration — Spaniol's research shows that forests that were left to restore for 30 years show key increases in butterfly biodiversity. So, even where natural habitats have been diminished, there is still hope to bring back their true colors.

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