Odonata as Bioindicators

By -

Photo of Dragonfly by Northeast Regional Conservation Needs
            Dragonflies and damselflies are carnivorous insects under the order Odonata. They play a significant role in ecosystems such as the wetlands. As both nymphs and adults they are predators to many different species. They can feed on mayflies, midges, moths, and mosquitos. They are also an important food source to birds, bats, lizards, and spiders. Dragonflies and damselflies are not only significant to the freshwater ecosystems, but are indicators of “ecological health, ecological integrity, and environmental change, including climate change, as well as indicators of habitat recovery” (Simaika, 2011). These insects can be used to assess the effects of pollution or alterations in different types of habitats, and help keep the environment healthy.
            In comparison to other macroinvertebrates in freshwater systems, dragonflies and damselflies have been identified as a great bioindicator species. They are commonly known, easily identified in the field, occupy different types of habitats, sensitive to water quality changes as well as other ecological conditions of their habitat and their species co-exists and interacts with a diverse community, large enough for assessments, all significant being a bioindicator species. Dragonflies live in the water as larvae and are terrestrial as adults, a challenge to biomonitoring if the different stages were affected differently by environmental variables, but research has shown otherwise and can be used to their advantage (Valente-Neto, 2016). Another major reason for using dragonflies over macroinvertebrates in surveys is that they are easy to observe and “provide a quick, and therefore low-cost, indication of the health or richness of freshwaters” (Simaika, 2011).
            An example of the application of using odanates as a bioindicator to test the impact of human activity on aquatic ecosystem is a study that looked at methylmercury contamination in dragonfly larvae (Jeremiason, 2016). The release of sulfate into the aquatic system was related to iron mining activity and results in the formation of methylmercury. This study took samples of the water and the dragonfly larvae to compare the concentrations of methylmercury as a way of monitoring the contamination to these aquatic systems.

Photo of Wetland by Michigan Wetland Management District
            Currently freshwater ecosystems like wetlands or ponds are suffering from the degradation and loss of aquatic habitats due to fragmentation and pollution. This loss of habitat puts the survival of Odonates, significant to both terrestrial and aquatic habitats, at risk. The loss of Odonates is a reflection of environmental health. A major problem that has caused these major shifts in these ecosystems and is putting stress on the environment is urbanization. As urban areas begin to expand, there is removal of native vegetation, which results in degradation and fragmentation of these habitats, the extraction and use of water is resulting in the modification of hydraulic systems, the climate is increasing due to the increase in pollution, and the rate of waste production and pollution is far beyond the rate at which the environment can process and degrade them (Villalobos-Jimenez, 2016). This is not to say that urbanization is bad but an opportunity to learn more about the mechanisms of ecosystems and understand how to maintain these ecosystems in a continuously changing environment.  Continued research will allow us to better the management of urban areas and the integration of diverse ecosystems.
           




Bibliography
Jeremiason, J., Reiser, T., Weitz, R., Berndt, M., & Aiken, G. (2016). Aeshnid dragonfly larvae as bioindicators of methylmercury contamination in aquatic systems impacted by elevated sulfate loading. Ecotoxicology, 25(3), 456-468. doi:10.1007/s10646-015-1603-9

Simaika, J. P., & Samways, M. J. (2011). Comparative assessment of indices of freshwater habitat conditions using different invertebrate taxon sets. Ecological Indicators, 11(2), 370-378. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2010.06.005

Valente-Neto, F., de Oliveira Roque, F., Rodrigues, M. E., Juen, L., & Swan, C. M. (2016). Toward a practical use of Neotropical odonates as bioindicators: Testing congruence across taxonomic resolution and life stages. Ecological Indicators, 61(Part 2), 952-959. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.10.052

Villalobos-Jimenez, G., Dunn, A. M., & Hassall, C. (2016). Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) in urban ecosystems: A review. European Journal Of Entomology, 113217-232. doi:10.14411/eje.2016.027

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mimicry: Being Masters of Disguise

By Anonymous -
Image
By: Cassidy Herbster, Cari Marota and Malik Mason  First to explain mimicry, it is copying another insect or inanimate object to aid in avoidance of predators and/or catching prey. There are two types of mimicry: batesian and mullerian. Batesian refers to when only the insect who is mimicking benefits while mullerian is when both the model and mimicking insect benefits. Most common way is with coloring. The colors of the bad tasting, venomous, or vicious insect is copied by a different insect to avoid being eaten by a predator, though the copy cat doesn't actually have that defense, it just appears so.  They also use coloring to blend in to catch prey or avoid being prey.  The insect being mimicked is called the model. Insects will not always only mimic other insects, but creatures such as arachnids or reptiles. Mimicry might not be for the whole lifetime of the insect. For example, the larvae of an insect could mimic a predator but grow up and not use mimicry as su...
Read more

Bear Lake Bog

By Anonymous -
Image
            A picture of a wetland bog from the Northern Hemisphere Source: https://infograph.venngage.com/p/176597/bog-biome               From lakeside dunes to old-growth white pine forests, Michigan is enriched with unique ecosystems. Although many of which have been claimed by society for agricultural and suburban means, portions of conserved land have been reserved for public recreation and admiration of wilderness. Wetland bogs are microcosms that serve as host to many unique organisms. While they used to be much more prevalent in the United States, they are still an important ecosystem in the US. This blog will expound on our class’s excursion to a bog named Bear Lake Bog.             Bear Lake Bog is located about six miles south of Au Sable campus and is found between the East Lakes and Bear Lake. We visited this bog on May 22, 2018. We broug...
Read more

Honey Bees and Colony Collapse Disorder

By -
Image
            Beginning in the winter of 2006 to 2007, beekeepers began to notice a significant decline in losses of their hives, as high as 30 to 90 percent for no apparent reason ( Kaplan, 2012 ). The population of honeybees continues to decline today. The disappearance of these honey bees is now known as the colony collapse disorder (or CCD). This is concerning because honeybees play an important role in the pollination of plants, especially for agriculture but the loss of honeybees doesn’t stop there. The honey that honeybees make has significant medicinal properties. Honey provides antioxidants, relief to colds, and when applied to scrapes or wounds, it aids the healing process with its natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties ( Shock, 2015 ). It promotes digestion. The loss of honeybees is not only a threat to biodiversity but the health of plants and people. Colony losses of managed ...
Read more