Downstream Changes in Odonate (Insecta: Odonata) Communities along a Suburban to Urban Gradient: Untangling Natural and Anthropogenic Effects
The community structure of lotic odonates (Insecta: Odonata) changes downstream, but it is difficult to untangle natural and anthropogenic causes. We surveyed larvae and adults at 15 sites along the Reedy River in Greenville Co., SC, USA, from sites in forested suburban landscapes through the urban...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-02-01
|
Series: | Insects |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/3/201 |
id |
doaj-f66bdff729cc4fbb98bf1abb9a536c01 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-f66bdff729cc4fbb98bf1abb9a536c012021-02-28T00:02:41ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502021-02-011220120110.3390/insects12030201Downstream Changes in Odonate (Insecta: Odonata) Communities along a Suburban to Urban Gradient: Untangling Natural and Anthropogenic EffectsWade B. Worthen0R. Kile Fravel1Connor P. Horne2Biology Department, Furman University, Greenville, SC 29613, USA1716 Johnson Marina Rd, Chapin, SC 29036, USASchool of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Greenville, SC 29605, USAThe community structure of lotic odonates (Insecta: Odonata) changes downstream, but it is difficult to untangle natural and anthropogenic causes. We surveyed larvae and adults at 15 sites along the Reedy River in Greenville Co., SC, USA, from sites in forested suburban landscapes through the urban core of the city of Greenville. We used principal component analyses and Akaike information criteria models to describe the relationships between larval and adult community descriptors (abundance, richness, and diversity) and habitat characteristics at several spatial scales, including water chemistry, sediment and detritus, aquatic and streamside vegetation, and the percent cover of landforms in the surrounding landscape. At all scales, larval abundance, richness, and diversity correlated with the amount of detritus. At a small scale, adult indices correlated with the amount of sunlight and streamside vegetation. Zygopteran community composition was nested at a large scale; richness and diversity did not correlate with changes in the landscape but increased downstream. Anisopteran composition was also nested, but richness correlated with the percent cover of field, wetland, and open water in the habitat and was unrelated to downstream site position. Landscape transformation affected anisopterans more than zygopterans by opening habitats that facilitate these generalist heliotherms.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/3/201Odonatadragonflyanthropogenic effectscommunity ecologynestedness |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Wade B. Worthen R. Kile Fravel Connor P. Horne |
spellingShingle |
Wade B. Worthen R. Kile Fravel Connor P. Horne Downstream Changes in Odonate (Insecta: Odonata) Communities along a Suburban to Urban Gradient: Untangling Natural and Anthropogenic Effects Insects Odonata dragonfly anthropogenic effects community ecology nestedness |
author_facet |
Wade B. Worthen R. Kile Fravel Connor P. Horne |
author_sort |
Wade B. Worthen |
title |
Downstream Changes in Odonate (Insecta: Odonata) Communities along a Suburban to Urban Gradient: Untangling Natural and Anthropogenic Effects |
title_short |
Downstream Changes in Odonate (Insecta: Odonata) Communities along a Suburban to Urban Gradient: Untangling Natural and Anthropogenic Effects |
title_full |
Downstream Changes in Odonate (Insecta: Odonata) Communities along a Suburban to Urban Gradient: Untangling Natural and Anthropogenic Effects |
title_fullStr |
Downstream Changes in Odonate (Insecta: Odonata) Communities along a Suburban to Urban Gradient: Untangling Natural and Anthropogenic Effects |
title_full_unstemmed |
Downstream Changes in Odonate (Insecta: Odonata) Communities along a Suburban to Urban Gradient: Untangling Natural and Anthropogenic Effects |
title_sort |
downstream changes in odonate (insecta: odonata) communities along a suburban to urban gradient: untangling natural and anthropogenic effects |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Insects |
issn |
2075-4450 |
publishDate |
2021-02-01 |
description |
The community structure of lotic odonates (Insecta: Odonata) changes downstream, but it is difficult to untangle natural and anthropogenic causes. We surveyed larvae and adults at 15 sites along the Reedy River in Greenville Co., SC, USA, from sites in forested suburban landscapes through the urban core of the city of Greenville. We used principal component analyses and Akaike information criteria models to describe the relationships between larval and adult community descriptors (abundance, richness, and diversity) and habitat characteristics at several spatial scales, including water chemistry, sediment and detritus, aquatic and streamside vegetation, and the percent cover of landforms in the surrounding landscape. At all scales, larval abundance, richness, and diversity correlated with the amount of detritus. At a small scale, adult indices correlated with the amount of sunlight and streamside vegetation. Zygopteran community composition was nested at a large scale; richness and diversity did not correlate with changes in the landscape but increased downstream. Anisopteran composition was also nested, but richness correlated with the percent cover of field, wetland, and open water in the habitat and was unrelated to downstream site position. Landscape transformation affected anisopterans more than zygopterans by opening habitats that facilitate these generalist heliotherms. |
topic |
Odonata dragonfly anthropogenic effects community ecology nestedness |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/3/201 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT wadebworthen downstreamchangesinodonateinsectaodonatacommunitiesalongasuburbantourbangradientuntanglingnaturalandanthropogeniceffects AT rkilefravel downstreamchangesinodonateinsectaodonatacommunitiesalongasuburbantourbangradientuntanglingnaturalandanthropogeniceffects AT connorphorne downstreamchangesinodonateinsectaodonatacommunitiesalongasuburbantourbangradientuntanglingnaturalandanthropogeniceffects |
_version_ |
1724247775860752384 |