Insect thermal limits in warm and perturbed habitats: Dragonflies and damselflies as study cases. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Castillo-Pérez, E. Ulises; Suárez-Tovar, Catalina M.; González-Tokman, Daniel; Schondube, Jorge E.; Córdoba-Aguilar, Alex
• Is Part Of: Journal of thermal biology. Volume 103(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Disturbance -- Critical thermal maximum -- Tropics -- Survival -- Odonata; Thermobiology -- Periodicals; Temperature -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Thermobiologie -- Périodiques; Thermobiology; Periodicals; 571.46
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103164
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4565

Abstract

Abstract: Disturbance (e.g. loss of plant cover) increases ambient temperature which can be lethal for ectotherm insects especially in hot places. We compared the thorax temperatures of 26 odonate species as a function of body size, habitat quality ("conserved" and cooler vs "perturbed" and warmer) and suborder (Anisoptera vs Zygoptera), as well as critical thermal maximum ( CTmax ) and as a function of habitat quality in Argia pulla (Zygoptera) and Orthemis ferruginea (Anisoptera). We expected thorax temperatures to differ between suborders based on their differences in body size and habitat quality status, and that populations in perturbed sites would have higher critical thermal maxima compared to those in conserved sites. This study was done in a tropical region with high ambient temperatures. Anisopterans had a higher body temperature than zygopterans, with no difference between habitats. Thoracic and air temperature were positively related, yet body temperatures were higher than the ambient temperature. A. pulla had higher CTmax in the perturbed sites, while O. ferruginea showed the opposite trend. Microenvironmental changes increase the ambient temperature, perhaps filtering insect species. The apparent resilience of odonates to disturbance should be examined more closely (using more species), especially in small species like the zygopterans which appear to be more strongly affected by ambient temperature. Highlights: Loss of plant cover increases ambient temperature thereby affecting insect survival. We compared temperature and thermal limit in odonates related to body size, "conserved" vs "perturbed" habitat and suborder. Anisopterans had a higher temperature than zygopterans, with no difference between habitats. Zygopterans had higher thermal limits in a perturbed site while anisopterans had the opposite trend. Zygopterans appear more strongly affected by ambient temperature than anisopterans.