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Does one community shape the other? Dragonflies and fish in Swedish lakes

Wittwer, Torben LU ; Sahlen, Goran and Suhling, Frank (2010) In Insect Conservation and Diversity 3(2). p.124-133
Abstract
1. Freshwater communities are often structured by predation. In permanent lentic freshwater habitats dragonfly larvae are major predators which, in return, suffer predation by fish. Antipredator traits vary between the dragonfly species, and the dragonfly communities are therefore shaped by the presence of fish. But fish communities vary, and as different fish species affect dragonflies in different ways, the species composition of the fish community may affect the composition of the dragonfly community. 2. We sampled dragonfly larvae in 24 lakes with a known fish stock in south-western Sweden, and explored the impact of fish as well as vegetation structure on dragonfly communities by means of multivariate analyses. 3. We found that the... (More)
1. Freshwater communities are often structured by predation. In permanent lentic freshwater habitats dragonfly larvae are major predators which, in return, suffer predation by fish. Antipredator traits vary between the dragonfly species, and the dragonfly communities are therefore shaped by the presence of fish. But fish communities vary, and as different fish species affect dragonflies in different ways, the species composition of the fish community may affect the composition of the dragonfly community. 2. We sampled dragonfly larvae in 24 lakes with a known fish stock in south-western Sweden, and explored the impact of fish as well as vegetation structure on dragonfly communities by means of multivariate analyses. 3. We found that the presence of four fish species affected the community structure of dragonflies. The impact strength depended mainly on the abundance of Perca fluviatilis, with which most dragonfly species were negatively correlated. Many dragonfly species were also positively correlated with the occurrence of at least one fish species, which may reflect similar habitat requirements or imply indirect positive effects of these fish species. 4. Of the 24 recorded dragonfly species, four did not occur in lakes dominated by P. fluviatilis, whereas only one species was lacking in lakes dominated by Rutilus rutilus. The dragonfly species diversity was higher in R. rutilus lakes than in P. fluviatilis lakes. 5. Our results suggest that the fish species composition is a major determinant of the dragonfly community, which in turn will influence the lower trophic levels. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Odonata, predation, trophic interactions, analysis, multivariate, fish, Antipredator traits, community composition
in
Insect Conservation and Diversity
volume
3
issue
2
pages
124 - 133
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000276404300007
  • scopus:77952123662
ISSN
1752-4598
DOI
10.1111/j.1752-4598.2010.00083.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
aad24640-c86e-40e1-8950-a1c71d12a8c0 (old id 1603907)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 09:58:28
date last changed
2022-03-04 06:53:52
@article{aad24640-c86e-40e1-8950-a1c71d12a8c0,
  abstract     = {{1. Freshwater communities are often structured by predation. In permanent lentic freshwater habitats dragonfly larvae are major predators which, in return, suffer predation by fish. Antipredator traits vary between the dragonfly species, and the dragonfly communities are therefore shaped by the presence of fish. But fish communities vary, and as different fish species affect dragonflies in different ways, the species composition of the fish community may affect the composition of the dragonfly community. 2. We sampled dragonfly larvae in 24 lakes with a known fish stock in south-western Sweden, and explored the impact of fish as well as vegetation structure on dragonfly communities by means of multivariate analyses. 3. We found that the presence of four fish species affected the community structure of dragonflies. The impact strength depended mainly on the abundance of Perca fluviatilis, with which most dragonfly species were negatively correlated. Many dragonfly species were also positively correlated with the occurrence of at least one fish species, which may reflect similar habitat requirements or imply indirect positive effects of these fish species. 4. Of the 24 recorded dragonfly species, four did not occur in lakes dominated by P. fluviatilis, whereas only one species was lacking in lakes dominated by Rutilus rutilus. The dragonfly species diversity was higher in R. rutilus lakes than in P. fluviatilis lakes. 5. Our results suggest that the fish species composition is a major determinant of the dragonfly community, which in turn will influence the lower trophic levels.}},
  author       = {{Wittwer, Torben and Sahlen, Goran and Suhling, Frank}},
  issn         = {{1752-4598}},
  keywords     = {{Odonata; predation; trophic interactions; analysis; multivariate; fish; Antipredator traits; community composition}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{124--133}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Insect Conservation and Diversity}},
  title        = {{Does one community shape the other? Dragonflies and fish in Swedish lakes}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-4598.2010.00083.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1752-4598.2010.00083.x}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}