Correlates of Odonata species composition in Amazonian streams depend on dissimilarity coefficient and oviposition strategy

Abstract

Environmental and spatial heterogeneity affects the distribution of aquatic insects, determining or influencing the variation in local species composition. Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) have different strategies for oviposition site selection that depend on environmental conditions. However, Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) can reduce the availability of suitable sites for Odonata oviposition through environmental homogenization. We investigated the relationship between environmental and spatial heterogeneity and variation in species composition of Odonata with different oviposition strategies (endophytic, epiphytic and exophytic) in Amazonian streams in a gradient of LULC. We used the Jaccard and Bray‐Curtis coefficients and the Manhattan distance to estimate a continuum of variation in species composition. Variation in the composition of endophytic and epiphytic species was explained by spatial heterogeneity. Using abundance data and the Manhattan distance, we found a relationship between variation in species composition and environmental heterogeneity. Endophytic species composition was related to perch heterogeneity, while exophytic species composition was related to perch and canopy cover heterogeneity. Exophytic and endophytic species could be used in biomonitoring as they respond to specific environmental predictors and because exophytic species do not have spatial patterns across the landscape. Different dissimilarity coefficients provide complementary information about the responses of multispecies communities to land use, as some will represent strong effects (presence‐absence indexes) while others will represent more subtle effects (abundance‐based indexes). Land use can increase the environmental heterogeneity of some predictors (perches and canopy cover). Physical changes in streams such as hydromorphological alterations can modify specific habitats, affecting oviposition strategies and supporting tolerant species.

Effect of environmental integrity on the functional composition of the Odonata (Insecta) community in streams in the Eastern Amazon

“…Oviposition is a trait that can influence the distribution of Odonata species and is important in determining the separation of functional groups between environments (Calvão et al, 2022). Although a habitat may appear suitable for many aspects of dragonfly life history, crucial oviposition sites are often of poor quality or absent (Grönroos et al, 2013;Heino and Peckarsky, 2014).…”

The pine sawyer beetle alters oviposition strategy in response to extreme high temperatures

“…Oviposition strategies of insects can be shaped by host density, the physical condition of oviposition site and the presence of eggs from conspeci c females (Calvão et al 2022;Chadee 2009). In normal condition, M. alternatus females generally laid one egg within one oviposition slit.…”

“…For instance, females of Anastrepha ludens have been observed to adjust the number of eggs per clutch based on host density (Díaz-Fleischer and Aluja 2003). Additionally, physical changes in habitat have been found to impact the oviposition strategies of Odonata species (Calvão et al 2022). The oviposition strategies of Aedes aegypti, on the other hand, depend on multiple factors such as the physical condition of the oviposition site, the presence of eggs from conspeci c females, and the number or size of clutches already present at the site (Chadee 2009).…”

Heat stress‐induced oviposition behavioral change correlates with sperm damage in the pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus alternatus

“…12 Additionally, physical changes in the habitat have been found to impact the oviposition behavior of Odonata species. 13 The oviposition strategy of Aedes aegypti depends on multiple factors, such as the physical condition of the oviposition site, the presence of eggs from conspecific females and the number or size of clutches already present at the site. 14 However, there is limited research on the relationship between insect oviposition strategies and environmental temperature.…”