Patterns of richness, diversity and abundance of an odonate assemblage from a tropical dry forest in the Santiago Dominguillo Region, Oaxaca, México (Insecta: Odonata).

Enrique González-Soriano,Felipe Noguera,Santiago Zaragoza-Caballero,Cisteil Pérez-Hernández,Leonardo González-Valencia

doi:10.3897/bdj.9.e60980

Abstract

A study on the patterns of richness, diversity and abundance of the Odonata from Santiago Dominguillo, Oaxaca is presented here. A total of 1601 specimens from six families, 26 genera and 50 species were obtained through monthly samplings of five days each. Libellulidae was the most diverse family (21 species), followed by Coenagrionidae (19), Gomphidae (4) and Calopterygidae (3). The Lestidae, Platystictidae and Aeshnidae families were the less diverse, with only one species each. Argia was the most speciose genus with 11 species, followed by Enallagma, Hetaerina, Erythrodiplax and Macrothemis with three species each and Phyllogomphoides, Brechmorhoga, Dythemis, Erythemis and Orthemis with two species each. The remaining 17 genera had one species each. Argia pipila Calvert, 1907 and Leptobasis vacillans Hagen in Selys, 1877 were recorded for the first time for the state of Oaxaca. We also analysed the temporal patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic divergence for the Santiago Dominguillo Odonata assemblage: the Shannon diversity value throughout the year was 21.07 effective species, while the Simpson diversity was 13.17. In general, the monthly phylogenetic divergence was higher than expected for taxonomic distinctness, and lesser for average taxonomic distinctness. Monthly diversity, evenness and taxonomic divergence showed significant positive correlations (from moderate to strong) with monthly precipitation values. The analysis of our results, however, indicates that an increase in rainfall not only influences the temporal diversity of species, but also the identity of supraspecific taxa that constitute those temporal assemblages, i.e. there is an increase in temporal phylogenetic divergence.

Highlights

Tropical forests are the most important reservoirs of terrestrial biodiversity around the world
List of Odonata species registered from Santiago Dominguillo, Oaxaca, Mexico, including phenology data and number of individuals collected
Climate change predictions for the entire Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Preserve suggest increased aridity, higher temperature and lower rainfall leading to reduced river flow and increased salinity and mineralisation of the drylands streams, leading to a loss of aquatic macroinvertebrates' biodiversity (LópezLópez et al 2019). We suggest that those changes in temperature and precipitation regimes will affect odonate abundance and species richness, and taxonomic structures of the TDF odonate assemblages

Summary

Introduction

Tropical forests are the most important reservoirs of terrestrial biodiversity around the world. Tropical dry forests (abbreviated as TDF) are seasonal ecosystems in which precipitation occurs only during a portion of the year and the decrease in rainfall causes changes in the patterns of greenish/senescence of the forest, resulting in a reduction of productivity and availability of resources for animals and, in the biological activity in the forest during the dry season (Martínez-Hernández et al 2019). The relevance of the TDF has been recognised by many authors as very rich ecosystems with an abundance of endemic animal and plant species, which are, at great risk due to deforestation and human activities (e.g. cattle ranching and agriculture, in Mesoamerica, (Banda 2016, Miles et al 2006, SánchezAzofeifa et al 2005). Documenting the biodiversity of the TDF is an urgent task for the proper management and conservation of this ecosystem

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Conclusion