Distribution of Adult Odonata Among Localized Wetlands in East-central Mississippi

Abstract

We measured species richness and composition of adult Odonata and inferred habitat preferences among man-made wetland sites and surrounding tracts of natural bottomland forest. Cumulative species richness and composition were described by proportion coefficients and beta diversity indices. The three man-made sites provided open space resources, and more species were observed in each than in the floodplain forest. Twenty-nine of 42 species documented over a four-month period were observed in only one or two of the four wetlands studied. Large differences in species assemblages between the immediately adjacent ditch and marsh sites were the best evidence for high habitat affinity because distance and structural barriers to movement were absent. Such compositional asymmetry may reflect differential vegetative and reproductive suitability of the habitats. Results suggest that the open-canopy wetlands supported higher diversity of adult Odonata, and that distinct odonate assemblages were found among different habitat types in this flood-plain wetland complex.