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Can artificial ponds retain dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata) biodiversity? A preliminary study in the Brazilian Amazon

Although ponds are rich ecosystems for the maintenance of aquatic biodiversity, in many regions of the world, they have been adversely affected by anthropogenic changes in surrounding landscapes. Dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) are characterized by larval phases that are closely associated with aquatic ecosystems and can accordingly serve as useful indicators of the quality of these environments. In this study, we evaluated the patterns of abundance, richness, and taxonomic composition of adult Odonata in artificial and natural ponds located in the Legal Amazon of Maranhão, which have been exposed to different levels of disturbance. We analysed how the composition of the Odonata assemblages varies between natural and artificial ponds and also assessed to what extent artificial ponds and degraded natural ponds are able to maintain Odonata biodiversity. Our results indicate that the abundance, richness, and composition of Odonata among the monitored ponds were adversely impacted by more disturbed landscapes, with greater abundance and richness being recorded in preserved natural ponds. Although the degraded artificial and natural ponds have Odonata diversities comparable to those of the preserved natural ponds, the latter tend to be characterized by unique and exclusive species, thereby indicating the urgent need for measures designed to protect these natural ecosystems.