Forest edges and their effects on the arrival of dragonflies at north-temperate experimental ponds

The matrix, an environment in the landscape that individuals move through but do not reside in, can affect species dispersal and the arrival of individuals at habitat patches. Elements around this matrix that provide refuge or resources may shape the arrival of animals at habitat patches, even when those patches are equivalent in quality. Adult dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera) frequently use open terrestrial environments during movement and dispersal in north-temperate regions…

Shifts in dragonfly community structure across aquatic ecotones

Dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera) are often used as indicators of habitat type and quality due to their varied use of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Species differ in their preferences for lotic and lentic waters, but community changes across ecotones, or transitional zones between distinct habitats (e.g. lotic and lentic), are not well understood. We quantified dragonfly…

Parthenogenetic Ischnura hastata revisited: present status and notes on population ecology and behaviour (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Populations of Ischnura hastata found in the Azores archipelago represent the only known example of parthenogenesis in the order Odonata. In this paper, we present results from fieldwork done on the islands of São Miguel, Pico, Santa Maria, and Graciosa, aimed at characterizing population ecology and habitat preferences of this species. Sampling of several ponds…

Season and temperature dependent location of mating territories in Somatochlora flavomaculata in a heterogeneous environment (Odonata: Corduliidae)

In a heterogeneous environment, males of Somatochlora flavomaculata regularly occupy site-fixed locations away from water, adjacent to vertical landscape elements, and to a lesser extent, also at water, i.e. at oviposition sites. Territories both over land and over water are typically patrolled by continuous site-fixed flights. These places serve as rendezvous sites where copulation is…

Nested-subset structure of larval odonate assemblages in the Enoree River basin, USA

Communities have a nested-subset structure if the species found in species-poor assemblages are also found in progressively more species-rich assemblages. This nested-subset structure can be caused by differential colonization rates among species, differential extinction rates among species, or nested niche space. In this study, the assemblages of larval odonates in the Enoree River of South…