The dragonfly delusion: why it is essential to sample exuviae to avoid biased surveys |
| |
Authors: | Eva M Raebel Thomas Merckx Philip Riordan David W Macdonald David J Thompson |
| |
Institution: | (1) Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon, OX13 5QL, UK;(2) School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, England, UK |
| |
Abstract: | Odonate populations and species numbers are declining globally. Successful conservation requires sound assessments of both
odonate distributions and habitat requirements. Odonates have aquatic (larval) and terrestrial (adult) stages, but most surveys
that are used to inform conservation managers are undertaken of the adult stage. This study investigates whether this bias
towards adult records in odonate recording is misinterpreting the environmental quality of sites. The habitat focus is farmland
ponds, a key feature of agricultural landscapes. We tested whether or not, adult, larval and exuvial surveys lead to similar
conclusions on species richness and hence on pond quality. Results showed that pond surveys based upon larvae and exuviae
are equally suitable for the reliable assessment of presence/absence of odonates, but that adult surveys are not interchangeable
with surveys of larvae/exuviae. Larvae were also found at ponds with no emerging individuals due to changes in habitat quality,
therefore presence of exuviae remains the only proof of life-cycle completion at a site. Ovipositing females were recorded
at all ponds where exuviae were totally absent hence adult surveys over-estimate pond quality and low-quality ponds are functioning
as ecological traps. Highly mobile and generalist species were recorded at more locations than other species. Adult surveys
also bias recording towards genera, species and populations with non-territorial mate-location strategies. Odonate biodiversity
monitoring would benefit from applying the best survey method (exuviae) to avoid wasting valuable financial resources while
providing unbiased data, necessary to achieve conservation objectives. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|