Land Uses for Pasture and Cacao Cultivation Modify the Odonata Assemblages in Atlantic Forest Areas

Abstract

Tropical forests such as the Atlantic Forest are under constant threats from the impact of human activities, mostly being caused by the loss of native forest areas for other land uses. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of changes in land use for pasture and cacao cultivation on the richness and composition of Odonata assemblages in comparison to native forest areas. We also evaluated the species as possible indicators of these different land uses. In total, 64 streams were sampled in southern Bahia, Brazil. A total of 84 species were recorded. The results indicated that changes in land use modify the richness and composition of Odonata assemblages. Regarding composition, our results indicated a difference among the assemblages in the three land use areas and that the native areas maintain more stable assemblages. According to the indicator species analysis, 13 species were recorded as possible bioindicators for different land uses. Changes in aquatic ecosystems and their surroundings caused by different land uses a select group of different species groups, modifying Odonata diversity among these areas. Notably, land uses that maintain a certain integrity of the environment, as in the case of cacao cultivation, are the best alternatives for conserving Odonata biodiversity in comparison with pasture.

A Special Issue on the Diversity, Ecology and Evolution of Dragonflies and Damselflies (Insecta: Odonata)

“…Two articles in this section dealt with land use for pasture and cocoa cultivation in the Brazilian state of Bahia. The first one, entitled "Land uses for pasture and cacao cultivation modify the Odonata assemblages in Atlantic Forest areas" [17], investigates the effects of changes in land use on Odonata assemblages in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The study found that changes such the conversion of original forest areas to pasture significantly alter the richness and composition of Odonata assemblages.…”

Response of Odonata communities to dry season in a Deciduous Forest in the Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…They play a relevant ecological role as bioindicators of water quality and associated terrestrial ecosystems (Catling 2005; gonçalVes 2012). For example, the family Coenagrionidae becomes more frequent and abundant compared to other families of Zygoptera, as well as Libellulidae to other families of Anisoptera, in tropical forests of higher anthropic pressure (sigutoVá et al 2019), such as areas of pasture or cocoa cultivation, which promote modifications in Odonata communities compared to native areas (Santos & rodrigues 2022). Besides that, in the trophic levels, both larvae and adults are predators (Costa et al 2012;Fulan & anjos 2015;Vatandoost 2021) and also serve as prey for different taxa (Costa et al 2012;souza et al 2018).…”