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Changes in Odonata abundance between 2000 and 2015–2016 in Saga Plain, northern Kyushu, Japan

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Abstract

The impacts of systemic pesticides on biodiversity are a major ecological concern. Rapid population declines of Sympetrum species (Odonata: Libellulidae) have been reported in various localities in Japan beginning in the 2000s. Several studies suggested that nursery box use of fipronil in paddy fields to prevent insect feeding on rice seedlings negatively impacts Sympetrum larvae. Although several other Odonata species are suspected to have declined significantly in recent decades, accurate evaluations of their population declines and identification of the causes are difficult due to limited data on population density prior to the declines. In addition, a recent study revealed that herbicide use negatively affects phytophilous species, but positively impacts benthic populations of lentic Odonata by reducing the prevalence of macrophytes. To evaluate the changes in the abundance of Odonata during recent decades, we conducted line transect observation of Odonata populations at one site along the Tafusegawa River in Saga Plain, northern Kyushu, Japan in 2000 and 2015–2016, before and after the use of fipronil in paddy fields in this area. We identified that Sympetrum eroticum eroticum (Selys) (Libellulidae) populations have significantly decreased in recent years. In addition, prevalence of a lotic benthic species, Asiagomphus pryeri (Selys) (Gomphidae), has significantly decreased in this time period. Other lotic benthic species have also declined in this area, suggesting that benthic environments might have degraded in recent years. In contrast to the decrease of the abovementioned species, prevalence of the lentic and benthic species Orthetrum melania melania (Selys) and Rhyothemis fuliginosa Selys (Libellulidae) (Libellulidae) significantly increased. The densities of lentic phytophilous species appear to have decreased, suggesting that reduction of macrophytes in surrounding lentic environments could be involved in these changes.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. K. Goka for his valuable comments on this study and Dr. M. Ikegami for preparing and processing land cover data around the census site. This study was supported in part by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (4–1701) of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Systems Ecology, Faculty Agriculture, Saga University, Honjo 1, Saga, 840-8502, Japan

    Akihito Kita & Makoto Tokuda

  2. Saga Prefectural Space and Science Museum, Nagashima 16351, Takeo, Saga, 843-0021, Japan

    Akihito Kita

  3. Koshikan High School, Niiji 1698, Yamato, Japan

    Masato Nakahara

  4. The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan

    Makoto Tokuda

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  1. Akihito Kita
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Correspondence to Makoto Tokuda.

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Research involving animal participants

The paper has been prepared and submitted in accordance with the ethical standards of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). This research involved contact with wild animals (odonates), and we basically performed only observation of the individuals. Although some individuals were captured by sweeping nets, they were released after species identification.

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Kita, A., Nakahara, M. & Tokuda, M. Changes in Odonata abundance between 2000 and 2015–2016 in Saga Plain, northern Kyushu, Japan. J Insect Conserv 24, 575–583 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-020-00226-2

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