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Heterogeneity in altered streams does not increase the richness of stream specialist species of Odonata in the Maranhense Cerrado

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Abstract

The Brazilian Cerrado is a biodiversity hotspot that has suffered significant vegetation loss in the states that make up the so-called MATOPIBA region in recent years an area currently experiencing soybean cultivation expansion in Brazil. This expansion can change the environmental conditions of freshwater streams, as they receive the impacts of activities occurring in their drainage basin. In this study, we assessed how anthropogenic activities impact the conservation status and environmental heterogeneity of streams and how these modifications affect the proportion between abundance and species richness among the suborders of Odonata (Anisoptera and Zygoptera). We also assessed whether conserved streams had a greater number of specialist species when compared to altered streams. To assess these objectives, we collected data from 24 streams within matrices presenting a gradient in their integrity and vegetation cover conditions. Altered areas showed a tendency higher to heterogeneity compared to preserved streams. As expected, we observed that the proportion of abundance and species richness of Zygoptera was higher in preserved streams, while for Anisoptera, it was higher in altered streams. Despite altered sites having higher environmental heterogeneity, we failed to register of a greater number of specialist species in these areas. This implies that the presence of riparian forests is essential for maintaining habitat integrity supporting the maintenance of species that are more sensitive to changes in environmental gradients.

Implications for insect conservation: We underscore the significance of permanent protection areas in maintaining the habitat integrity of streams and preserving the diversity of Odonata species, particularly for Zygoptera.

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Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files).

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Acknowledgements

We thank Instituto Federal do Maranhão Campus Caxias for making the support and infrastructure available for our research. DSV thanks Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Cientfico e Tecnológico do Maranhão (FAPEMA) for young scientist professor (process 48802/2022) and doctoral grant (process BD-02551/23) and Instituto Federal do Maranhão for the license to study doctorate (process nº 1107/2023); LJ thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for a research productivity grant (process 304710/2019-9).

Funding

DSV received young scientist professor (process 48802/2022) and doctoral grant (process PBD-02551/23) from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Maranhão (FAPEMA); LJ received research productivity grant (process 304710/2019–9) from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Ecologia de Comunidades, Instituto Federal do Maranhão, Campus Caxias, Rodovia MA- 340, Km 02, Gleba Buriti do Paraíso, Povoado Lamego, Zona Rural, Caxias, CEP 65600-000, MA, Brasil

    Daniel Silas Veras, Guilherme Santana Lustosa & Monica Marcela da Conceição Sousa

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade, Ambiente e Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, Morro do Alecrim, s/n - CEP 65, Caxias, 600-000, Maranhão, Brasil

    Maria Fernanda Ribeiro Ferreira

  3. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Rua Augusto Correia, n° 1, Bairro Guamá, Belém, CEP 66075-110, PA, Brasil

    Daniel Silas Veras & Leandro Juen

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  1. Daniel Silas Veras
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  2. Maria Fernanda Ribeiro Ferreira
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Contributions

D.S.V., G.S.L. and M.F.R.F. performed the measurements, D.S.V. and L.J. were involved in planning and supervised the work, D.S.V., M.F.R.F., M.M.C.S and G.S.L. processed the experimental data, performed the analysis, drafted the manuscript and designed the figures. D.S.V. and L.J. aided in interpreting the results and worked on the manuscript. All authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Daniel Silas Veras.

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Veras, D.S., Ferreira, M.F.R., Lustosa, G.S. et al. Heterogeneity in altered streams does not increase the richness of stream specialist species of Odonata in the Maranhense Cerrado. J Insect Conserv (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-024-00582-3

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