Abstract
Understanding the role of abiotic and biotic factors on biological communities is a challenge for ecologists. Individuals of the order Odonata have a close connection with these factors, which can influence the establishment of each stages of live. This study evaluated the relationship between habitat complexity and limnological variables on the diversity of Libellulidae larvae and adults. Our hypotheses were that (i) limnological variables would have a greater influence than habitat complexity on larvae and (ii) habitat complexity would influence more adults. Forty-six sampling sites were evaluated in the Brazilian Amazon region. Our results indicated the effects of limnological variables and habitat complexity on both life stages, with higher influence of the first on larvae and the second on adults, mainly for species composition. The abundance of the Eichhornia azurea, which has enormous morphological plasticity, together with the presence of a range of other macrophyte species provides different habitat architectures, with more suitable microhabitats for different odonates. The habitat complexity metrics had combined effects on the larvae, presumably because of the greater availability of refuges from predators and food sources. In contrast, in the adults, the relationship with habitat complexity is associated with the availability of ovipositing sites and perches.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq; Edital Universal 461032/2014-7) and Fundação Amazônia Paraense de Amparo a Estudos e Pesquisas (FAPESPA; Edital de apoio a doutores recém contratados 10/2016) for funding this study. We thank Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES—Finance Code 001) and CNPq for the scholarship to Joás S Brito and Leandro Juen (process: 304710/2019-9). We thank the Ferreira Penna Scientific Station (ECFPn from MPEG) for support and help in field activities, specially “Seu Mó”. We also want to thank the all the team in the field for their support, especially professor Dr. Raphael Ligeiro to give the opportunity to us to do this work. Finally, we are in debit with the team of the Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation for their support, Fernando G. Carvalho for his help in identifying the adult odonates, Rute Souza and Thiago Mendes for identifying the larvae, Nayara L. Franco, Ana Luisa Fares and Flávia A. Nonato for their help during data collection and the identification of the macrophyte species, Naiara Raiol for the map production, Erlane J. Cunha for enhancing the figures and Stephen Ferrari for improving the English language.
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Brito, J.S., Michelan, T.S. & Juen, L. Aquatic macrophytes are important substrates for Libellulidae (Odonata) larvae and adults. Limnology 22, 139–149 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10201-020-00643-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10201-020-00643-x