Global changes in the odonate family ratios in response to the tropical forest degradation.

Odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) can indicate the ecological health of aquatic biota within the rich but vulnerable biodiversity of tropical forests. The reaction of odonates to deforestation can be measured by changes in coarse taxonomic ratios. Suborder Zygoptera are thermal conformers susceptible to overheating, having the affinity with shaded, intact sites.

Sum or mean in calculation of qualitative scoring methods using the Dragonfly Biotic Index, and an alternative approach facilitating conservation prioritization.

Qualitative scoring methods are tools for rapid freshwater health assessments. Total score is often calculated as the sum or mean of the values of the species involved, with minor nuances in interpretation, but with significant implications. We used the Dragonfly Biotic Index (DBI) calculated on Central European odonate species to demonstrate these implications.

Individual variability in habitat selection by aquatic insects is driven by taxonomy rather than specialisation.

Habitat selection, the choice of a habitat based on its perceived quality, is a key mechanism structuring freshwater communities. To date, individual variability in habitat selection has been neglected, and specialisation has never been considered in this type of studies. We examined the individual differences in the habitat selection of backswimmers (Notonectidae) and diving beetles (Dytiscidae).

Highway stormwater ponds as islands of Odonata diversity in an agricultural landscape.

Stormwater management ponds, which are constructed to retain excess runoff and pollutants from traffic, play an important role in the freshwater biodiversity in highly modified areas. However, their roles in agricultural and semi-natural landscapes remain largely unexplored. In this study, we used Odonata as a bioindicator to compare a set of highway stormwater ponds and surrounding ponds within an agricultural and semi-natural landscape to examine the extent to which stormwater ponds act as biodiversity refuges.

Specialization directs habitat selection responses to a top predator in semiaquatic but not aquatic taxa.

Habitat selectivity has become an increasingly acknowledged mechanism shaping the structure of freshwater communities; however, most studies have focused on the effect of predators and competitors, neglecting habitat complexity and specialization. In this study, we examined the habitat selection of semiaquatic (amphibians: Bufonidae; odonates: Libellulidae) and aquatic organisms (true bugs: Notonectidae; diving beetles: Dytiscidae). From each family, we selected one habitat generalist species able to coexist with fish (Bufo bufo, Sympetrum sanguineum, Notonecta glauca, Dytiscus marginalis) and one species specialized in fishless habitats (Bufotes viridis, Sympetrum danae, Notonecta obliqua, Acilius sulcatus).

Effects of Landscape Patterns and Their Changes to Species Richness, Species Composition, and the Conservation Value of Odonates (Insecta).

Understanding the impact of the changing proportion of land-use patterns on species diversity is a critical issue in conservation biology, and odonates are good bioindicators of these environmental changes. Some freshwater ecosystems that have been modified due to human activities can serve as important secondary habitats for odonate assemblages; however, the majority of studies addressing the value of secondary habitats in industrial and urban areas for adult dragonfly diversity have been limited to the local scale, and the value of such habitats for gamma diversity is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between human transformations of land use/land cover and dragonfly diversity.

Behavioural Phenotypic Plasticity of Submerged Oviposition in Damselflies (Insecta: Odonata).

Emerald damselfly is a common species within the temperate zone, with no special need for protection. The tactic of submerged oviposition is well known from other Odonata species, but has rarely been noticed or described in . Our study investigated the tactics of oviposition in this species, and shows that submerged oviposition indeed occurs frequently in .

Different Oviposition Strategies of Closely Related Damselfly Species as an Effective Defense against Parasitoids.

Parasitoidism is one of the main causes of insect egg mortality. Parasitoids are often able to detect eggs using semiochemicals released from eggs and disturbed plants. In response, female insects adopt a wide variety of oviposition strategies to reduce the detectability of eggs and subsequent mortality.

Dragonfly Hunter CZ: Mobile application for biological species recognition in citizen science.

Citizen science and data collected from various volunteers have an interesting potential in aiding the understanding of many biological and ecological processes. We describe a mobile application that allows the public to map and report occurrences of the odonata species (dragonflies and damselflies) found in the Czech Republic. The application also helps in species classification based on observation details such as date, GPS coordinates, and the altitude, biotope, suborder, and colour.

Phenotypic plasticity in specialists: How long-spined larval Sympetrum depressiusculum (Odonata: Libellulidae) responds to combined predator cues.

Phenotypic plasticity is a common defensive strategy in species experiencing variable predation risk, such as habitat generalists. Larvae of generalist dragonflies can elongate their abdominal spines in environments with fish, but long spines render larvae susceptible to invertebrate predators. Long-spined specialists adapted to fish-heavy habitats are not expected to have phenotypic plasticity in this defence trait, but no empirical studies have been undertaken.

Home range, movement, and distribution patterns of the threatened dragonfly Sympetrum depressiusculum (Odonata: Libellulidae): a thousand times greater territory to protect?

Dragonflies are good indicators of environmental health and biodiversity. Most studies addressing dragonfly ecology have focused on the importance of aquatic habitats, while the value of surrounding terrestrial habitats has often been overlooked. However, species associated with temporary aquatic habitats must persist in terrestrial environments for long periods.