Odonata as bioindicator for monitoring anthropogenic disturbance of Owabi wetland sanctuary, Ghana

Abstract

This study proposes a method for assessing anthropogenic disturbance in the Owabi wetland sanctuary in Ghana using Odonata. Uniqueness of a species to specific land use (LU) class and its tolerance to environmental conditions served as the criteria for the monitoring. Twenty-nine species were identified from the families Aeshnidae, Libellulidae, Chlorocyphidae, Calopterygidae and Coenagrionidae. A Kruskal-Wallis’s test suggest significant difference in species richness across the anthropogenic disturbance regimes. Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798) was identified as an indicator of high anthropogenic disturbance; Orthetrum abbotti Calvert, 1892 and Africallagma vaginale (Sjöstedt, 1917) were indicators of moderate anthropogenic disturbance; and Gynacantha bullata Karsch, 1891, Tramea limbata (Desjardins, 1832), Olpogastra lugubris Karsch, 1895, Neodythemis klingi (Karsch, 1890), Brachythemis leucosticta (Burmeister, 1839), Chlorocypha curta (Hagen in Sélys, 1853), Chlorocypha luminosa (Karsch, 1893), Chlorocypha radix Longfield, 1959 and Agriocnemis sp. were identified as indicators of low anthropogenic disturbance.