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Study design and mark-recapture estimates of dispersal: a case study with the endangered damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale

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Abstract

Accurate data on dispersal ability are vital to the understanding of how species are affected by fragmented landscapes. However, three factors may limit the ability of field studies to detect a representative sample of dispersal events: (1) the number of individuals monitored, (2) the area over which the study is conducted and (3) the time over which the study is conducted. Using sub-sampling of mark-release-recapture data from a study on the endangered damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale (Charpentier), we show that maximum dispersal distance is strongly related to the number of recaptured individuals in the mark-release-recapture study and the length of time over which the study is conducted. Median dispersal distance is only related significantly to the length of the study. Spatial extent is not associated with either dispersal measure in our analysis. Previously consideration has been given to the spatial scale of dispersal experiments but we demonstrated conclusively that temporal scale and the number of marked individuals also have the potential to affect the measurement of dispersal. Based on quadratic relationships between the maximum dispersal distance, recapture number and length of study, we conclude that a previous study was of sufficient scale to characterise the dispersal kernel of C. mercuriale. Our method of analysis could be used to ensure that the results of mark-release-recapture studies are independent of levels of spatial and temporal investment. Improved confidence in dispersal estimates will enable better management decisions to be made for endangered species.

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Acknowledgments

The fieldwork was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NER/A/S/2000/01322) and the Environment Agency. We thank Tim Sykes for his enthusiasm and help at all stages of the project and Jim Rouquette for his project management skills. Dan Bert, Kath Allen, Tom Sherratt and Brett Sandercock provided valuable comments on the manuscript. Coenagrion mercuriale is protected under Schedule 5 of the UK Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) and all work was carried out under licence from Natural England. CH was funded by a Government of Canada Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.

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  1. Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Canada

    Christopher Hassall

  2. Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    David John Thompson

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  1. Christopher Hassall
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Correspondence to Christopher Hassall.

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Hassall, C., Thompson, D.J. Study design and mark-recapture estimates of dispersal: a case study with the endangered damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale . J Insect Conserv 16, 111–120 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-011-9399-2

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