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Atlas of the European dragonflies and damselflies
Abstract
This work is the first detailed and comprehensive overview of the distribution of the dragonflies and damselflies of Europe. It is an important milestone for professionals and amateurs alike. Covers the distribution and habitat selection of all 143 European species of dragonflies and damselflies. Gives a complete description of their global and European distribution, illustrated by over 200 distribution maps. Gives for each species information on taxonomy, range, population trends, flights season and habitat. Includes unique photos and flight season diagrams for virtually all European species. Contains extensive background information on taxonomy, conservation, and for each country an overview of the history of odonatological studies. The book is the result of a co-operation of over 50 European dragonfly experts who over the past decade compiled all records of dragonflies and damselflies, from the Azores to the Ural and from the North Cape to Lampedusa. These records were gathered by thousands of volunteers from across Europe. This endeavour was coordinated by Jean- Pierre Boudot (Société Française d’Odonatologie) and Vincent Kalkman (European Invertebrate Survey – Netherlands/Naturalis Biodiversity Centre).
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... At the time when this study was undertaken, only a few countries had a database with distribution records and rarely were maps showing the diversity available. Now, twenty years later, the availability of distribution data has shown a strong increase with databases currently available for Africa, Europe, Australia, North America, and parts of Asia [2][3][4][5], and it seems likely that within a decade, such databases will span the global range of Odonata. However, this will not mean that distribution patterns of all species will be known, let alone understood, as these databases simply contain an overview of available records and, for many species, distribution maps will often illustrate a lack of field work for some areas. ...
... For the Western Palaearctic, distribution data have been brought together, resulting in atlases for the Mediterranean and North Africa [11], Europe [3], and West and Central Asia [12]. Distribution data for Japan were derived from a database constructed by the National Biodiversity Center of Japan [13] to which data used for the maps presented in the field guide of the Japanese odonates were added [14]. ...
Citation: Kalkman, V.J.; Boudot, J.-P.; Futahashi, R.; Abbott, J.C.; Bota-Sierra, C.A.; Guralnick, R.; Bybee, S.M.; Ware, J.; Belitz, M.W. Diversity of Palaearctic Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata). Diversity 2022, 14, 966. https://doi.
More than 1.2 million distribution records were used to create species distribution models for 402 Palaearctic species of dragonflies and damselflies. On the basis of these diversity maps of total, lentic and lotic diversity for the whole of the Palaearctic (excluding China and the Himalayan region) are presented. These maps show a clear pattern of decreasing diversity longitudinally, with species numbers dropping in the eastern half of Europe and remaining low throughout a large part of Russia, then increasing again towards Russia’s Far East and Korea. There are clear differences in diversity patterns of lentic and lotic species, with lentic species being dominant in colder and more arid areas. Areas with a high diversity of species assessed as threatened on the IUCN red list are largely restricted to the Mediterranean, Southwest Asia, and Japan, with clear hotspots found in the Levant and the southern half of Japan. The diversity at species, generic, and family level is higher in the south of Japan than in areas at a similar latitude in the western Mediterranean. This is likely to be the result of the more humid climate of Japan resulting in a higher diversity of freshwater habitats and the stronger impact of the glacial periods in the Western Palaearctic in combination with the Sahara, preventing tropical African lineages dispersing northwards.
... We studied three high-latitude and three low-latitude populations of Ischnura elegans within the species' European range (Boudot and Kalkman, 2015 Between mid-June and mid-July 2019, 25-35 mated females were collected in each population. The females were individually placed in small plastic vials with wet filter paper for oviposition. ...
The integration of life-history, physiological and behavioural traits into the pace-of-life generates a powerful framework to understand trait variation in nature both along environmental gradients and in response to environmental stressors. While the gut microbiome has been hypothesized as a candidate mechanism to underlie differentiation in the pace-of-life, this has been rarely studied. We investigated the role of the gut microbiome in contributing to the differentiation in pace-of-life and in thermal adaptation between populations of Ischnura elegans damselfly larvae inhabiting warmer low latitudes and colder high latitudes. We carried out a common-garden experiment, whereby we manipulated the exposure of the damselfly larvae to two key global warming factors: 4 °C warming and a 30 °C heat wave. Comparing the bacterial composition of the food source and the bacterioplankton indicated that damselfly larvae differentially take up bacteria from the surrounding environment and have a resident and functionally relevant microbiome. The gut microbiome differed between larvae of both latitudes, and this was associated with the host's latitudinal differentiation in activity, a key pace-of-life trait. Under heat wave exposure, the gut microbial community composition of high-latitude larvae converged towards that of the low-latitude larvae, with an increase in bacteria that likely are important in providing energy to cope with the heat wave. This suggests an adaptive latitude-specific shift in the gut microbiota matching the better ability of low-latitude hosts to deal with heat extremes. In general, our study provides evidence for the gut microbiome contributing to latitudinal differentiation in both the pace-of-life and in heat adaptation in natural populations.
Climate change is rearranging the mosaic of biodiversity worldwide. These broad-scale species re-distributions affect the structure and composition of communities with a ripple effect on multiple biodiversity facets. Using European Odonata, we asked: i) how climate change will redefine taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity at European scales; ii) which traits will mediate species’ response to global change; iii) whether this response will be phylogenetically conserved. Using stacked species distribution models, we forecast widespread latitudinal and altitudinal rearrangements in Odonata community composition determining broad turnovers in traits and evolutionary lineages. According to our phylogenetic regression models, only body size and flight period can be partly correlated with observed range shifts. In considering all primary facets of biodiversity, our results support the design of inclusive conservation strategies able to account for the diversity of species, the ecosystem services they provide, and the phylogenetic heritage they carry in a target ecosystem.
The Earth’s climate is changing with a trend towards higher mean temperatures and increased temperature fluctuations. Little attention has been paid to the effects of thermal variation on competition within species. Understanding the temperature-dependence of competition is important since it might affect dynamics within and between populations. In a laboratory experiment we investigated the effects of thermal variation on growth and cannibalism in larvae of a damselfly. The temperature treatments included three amplitudes between 20 and 26 °C with an average of 23 °C, and a constant control at 23 °C. Larvae were also raised at five constant temperatures for an estimation of the thermal performance curve, which showed that the thermal optimum for growth was 26.9 °C. Cannibalism was significantly positively correlated with initial body size variance. There was neither a difference among the temperature variation treatments, nor between the constant and the variation treatments in growth and cannibalism. Hence, positive and negative effects of temperature variation within the linear range of a species thermal performance curve might cancel each other out. Since our study mimicked natural temperature conditions, we suggest that the increase in temperature variation predicted by climate models will not necessarily differ from the effects without an increase in variation.
The two sibling and syntopic odonate species Sympetrum striolatum and Sympetrum vulgatum are common and widespread in Central Europe. While S. striolatum has strong positive population trends, declines of S. vulgatum are observed. The aim of this study was to identify possible drivers of these diverging trends. We presumed that differences in egg development may lead to differences in survival until hatching. First, eggs laid in non-permanent or shrinking waterbodies may suffer of increasing drought periods. Second, differences in developement may cause increased size-mediated intraguild predation, a common cause of reduced survival in odonate larvae. Egg development time and hatching rates were recorded of eleven egg clutches of S. vulgatum and ten clutches of S. striolatum under simulated drought vs. water and direct vs. delayed development treatments. Hatching rates were reduced under drought conditions, and particularly so in S. vulgatum. We did not observe obligate winter diapause in any of the egg clutches. But, S. vulgatum varied widely in development between clutches, while the eggs of S. striolatum developed much faster and hatched highly synchronously. This would provide S. striolatum with a temporal advantage that may lead to a size-advantage over most S. vulgatum. We also found that S. vulgatum grew faster. Faster larval growth would only compensate for those S. vulgatum with fast egg development. The current population trends may be partly attributed to lowered survival of S. vulgatum under drought and by phenological and, thus, size benefits of S. striolatum.
Implications for insect conservation
Our results show that population dynamics of two closely related dragonfly species can be explained by climatically induced changes in their interactions. Understanding the causes and processes of behavioural changes resulting in differing population trends is fundamental for the protection of species.
Odonata is considered a "flagship" group of insects and its investigation is of primary importance especially for protected areas where freshwater ecosystems occur. In this study, we focused on Odonate fauna in the "Cansiglio Forest" (Veneto, Italy), a karst area where the only checklist available dates back more than 40 years ago. In order to update the Odonate adult distribution in the area, we selected 21 ponds that were sampled monthly, from May to August, during a 2-years survey. In total, 21 species (belonging to 14 genera and 5 families) have been recorded: we confirmed 15 species from the previous species list and we added to the whole species list 6 new species. Dominant families were represented by Libellulidae (33%) and Aeshnidae (23%), the most common genus was Sympetrum (19%), and the most frequent species was Coenagrion puella (63%). In term of patterns of species richness, highly grazed and pastured ponds exhibited the lower number of species and individuals, as a probable response to the high level of animal disturbance on the vegetation and due to the eutrophication processes. Our results are important also in terms of conservation and management of freshwater sites belonging to Natura 2000 site.
First record of Ceriagrion tenellum in Brandenburg (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)-In 2008 C. tenellum was recorded for the first time in Brandenburg, northeastern Ger-many. The circumstances of the record-a single male only-and the water body are briefly described. The species, which has chiefly an Atlantic and western Mediterranean distribution, benefited from the milder winters during recent years and was observed increasingly at the eastern fringe of its area. The distances to the closest known localities in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania were 50 to 85 km. Hence, other hitherto undiscovered occurrences can be expected.
Zusammenfassung
Im Jahr 2008 wurde Ceriagrion tenellum anhand eines einzelnen Männchens erstmals in Brandenburg nachgewiesen. Die Fundumstände und das Fundgewässer werden kurz erläutert. Die atlantisch-westmediterran verbreitete Art profitierte in den letzten Jahren von den milderen Wintern und wurde vermehrt an ihrem östlichen Arealrand beobachtet. Die nächsten aktuell bekannten Fundorte der als eher ausbreitungsschwach eingestuften Art liegen in Sachsen-Anhalt und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 50 bis 85 km entfernt. Es wird daher von weiteren unentdeckten Vorkommen ausgegangen.
A list of hitherto unpublishedrecords is provided, based on data collected by several workers. Altogether, 34 spp. from 8 Portuguese districts are mentioned.
Seventeen species of odonates have been recorded on the Maltese Islands of which Pantala flavescens represents a new record. Diagnostic features of the adult and larval stages of these species are described in this work. The work also combines findings from previous literature on Maltese Odonata with information gathered from fieldwork data in order to give an insight on the current situation of the Odonata of the Maltese Islands and serves as an identification guide to both adults and larvae of these insects. The anatomy and physiology of the larval and adult forms of these insects, which are discussed in this work, are adapted to the predatory lifestyle which they lead. The fact that odonate larvae frequent different habitats from adults helps to reduce competition for resources. Adult odonates can be found in a number of local habitats, mostly near freshwater but also brackish water bodies since freshwater is a scarce natural resource on the Maltese Islands. Global warming is affecting the distribution range of odonates in the Mediterranean-while some species may be on the decline, others which can thrive in hot dry environments are progressively being recorded in the Mediterranean and southern Europe, including the Maltese Islands. Relatively little work on the Odonata of the Maltese Islands has been done previous to the present work. Most of this involves listing of locally recorded species; very little research investigates odonate behaviour and distribution. No information exists as to why species such as Sympetrum striolatum, and Orthetrum cancellatum have become progressively uncommon in recent years, and therefore more research is required on the matter. Because of limiting water resources, freshwater habitats on the Maltese Islands are quickly drained of water, which may be used for agricultural purposes. This may tend to reduce species richness of local odonates. Biologists are now considering dragonflies as biological indicators of a healthy environment and make recommendations in order to preserve the habitats frequented by these insects. KEY WORDS. Biology, habitats, global warming, human impact, Pantala flavescens. PREAMBLE. Dragonflies and damselflies are insects which, though relatively easy to observe, have not been extensively studied on the Maltese Islands. They are beautiful creatures, and because, as recent research has revealed, they can be used as bio indicators as well as monitors of the quality of freshwater habitats, they are worth preserving as part of the local natural ecosystems. The main aim of this work is to give a detailed overview of the Odonata of the Maltese Islands, as well as to serve as an identification guide for the species. It first gives an account of the anatomy, biology and aspects of the ecology of the organisms, and then describes each locally recorded
In July 2009 the damselfly Erythromma lindenii was recorded for the first time in Czech Republic. The locality may be found in northern Bohemia (the Liberec region) and it is a pond called Horní Kunratický rybník near the village of Kunratice u Cvikova. It is a mesotrophic pond of 0,07 km 2 at 350 m above sea level with submerged vegetation dominated by Myriophyllum spicatum and a narrow zone of litoral vegetation. It is located approx. 65 km SE from the nearest known locality-Knappensee-in Saxony.
Thirty-two species collected during 2012 from Azerbaijan are listed, three further species were identified from photographs taken in 2008. Of the resulting 35 species, six species were new for the country, the record of Cordulegaster vanbrinkae being the third locality in the world.
Orthetrum coerulescens (Fabricius) and O. anceps (Schneider) are very closely related forms, the first of which is distributed in Europe farther northwest than the latter. For the distinction of these two forms, only one reliable character (structure of lamina anterior of the 2nd abdominal segment in males) can be utilized. A review of the localities of museum specimens revealed that the two taxa are allopatric with a belt of secondary intergradation along the line of contact. Hybrid populations exist in Sicily as well as in Hungary and former Yugoslavia. Whereas the influence of Orthetrum coerulescens on the phenotypes decreases gradually from west to east on the Balkan peninsula (but is still recognizable even on Crete), the parental forms persist, isolated by the “Strait of Bonifacio”, on Sardinia and Corsica, respectively. Single hybrids have been found, however, far outside the zone of secondary intergradation. It is obvious, hence, that Orthetrum coerulescens and O. anceps are not full species but either members of a superspecies or even subspecies which would have to be united under the older name Orthetrum coerulescens (Fabricius).