Changes in species richness of aquatic insects in a newly constructed biotope

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  • TANAKA Koichi
    National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences
  • HAMASAKI Kenji
    National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences:(Present office)Kyousei Science Center for Life and Nature, Nara Women's University
  • MATSUMOTO Koukichi
    National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences
  • KAMADA Terushi
    National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences

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Other Title
  • 造成されたビオトープにおける水生昆虫の種数の変化
  • ゾウセイ サレタ ビオトープ ニ オケル スイセイ コンチュウ ノ シュスウ ノ ヘンカ

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Abstract

A biotope, with an area of 1500 m^2 and consisting of ponds and water canals, was constructed in the experimental field of Koibuchi College of Agriculture and Nutrition, Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, in 2004. To assess the suitability of this biotope as a habitat for insects, we surveyed the populations of odonate adults and aquatic insects (coleopterans, hemipterans, and odonate nymphs) in this biotope during 2006-2011. We observed 31 odonate species and at least 41 species of aquatic insects during this period. Thus, this biotope may provide a profitable habitat for these insects. The species richness, i.e., the number of species, of odonates and aquatic insects increased until 2007, and then decreased in 2008. This decrease may be attributed to the accumulation of mud at the bottom of the water bodies, which may deteriorate the quality of the habitat for aquatic insects. To recover habitat quality, we dredged up mud from the bottom of the water bodies in December 2008. Following 2009, the species richness of odonates and aquatic insects increased again. We estimate the process and factors responsible for the changes in the species richness of odonates and aquatic insects, and discuss some approaches for managing the biotope.

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