diagram showing adult dragonfly habitat selection

Canopy cover affects habitat selection by adult dragonflies

In a new paper in Hydrobiologia, Sarah French (McCauley lab) examined whether habitat choices made by adult dragonflies, and how their aquatic offspring respond determines where dragonflies are found. They observed dragonflies’ responses to open and closed canopy cover at experimental aquatic habitats. Closed canopy cover reduced the number of adult dragonflies arriving at these habitats, but not the survival of larval dragonflies. Habitat selection behaviour by adults therefore plays a major role in shaping larval distributions.

Congrats to Sarah on her first paper from her work here at UTM!

Read this paper »