Skip to content

Nature

Dragonflies - Indicator Species of Environmental Health

by Michelle Simon 11 Jun 2012
Dragonflies - Indicator Species of Environmental Health

Dragonfly image; Credit: © Shutterstock

Delicate fluttering wings, fascinating hovering motions, dainty, beautiful yet extremely precious in indicating the health of ecosystems, and overall environmental quality, dragonflies are one of nature's many precious species giving us a physical sense of our damage or care.

Not only are they precious today, but they are prehistoric, dating back to 300 million years ago, once giant insects with wingspans of up to 65 cm, which makes them extremely magnificent and fascinating.

Scientists have theorised on the prehistoric oxygen level conditions, existing at the time, at almost 50% more than O2 levels today, which were ideal for the ancient dragonfly and may have promoted their larger growth. Whilst humans have a single tracheal system inhaling O2, insects have a multiple tracheal tube system. Other theories on their physiological size reduction include predation by prehistoric birds.

Meganeuridae

Meganeuridae; Credit: © Hcrepin

Such ancient creatures deserve more respect than we give them by destroying their habitats. Not only are they are a indicator for healthy biophysical environmental conditions but lead to an indication of other species in an aquatic environment and the general biodiversity. Spending most of their lives underwater in rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, their presence in aquatic environments do signify water quality due to dragonflies and damselflies requiring clean water to thrive.

Their survival also requires healthy indigenous vegetation to provide oxygen and clean the water but also helping them to hide and for their transformation process from nymphs to adult fliers. If dragonflies are absent from or near a water body, the potential issues may be pesticides and excessive nutrients from agricultural landscapes, siltation from soil and bank erosion, various water contaminants from human settlement and industry or urban landscapes.

According to the EU Red Data List, with about 5,680 species, the dragonflies constitute a relatively small insects order and most species are found in the tropics. Their sensitivity to habitat quality and their amphibious life cycle make dragonflies well suited for evaluating environmental changes.

Dragonflies are also beneficial to potential human health risks by consuming mosquitoes and their larvae; they also eat a range of other insect life at various metamorphic phases. Damselflies are their close relatives but differ in that the dragonfly's forewings differ from their hind ones and both sets remain open at rest unlike the damselfly. The larval stage of the dragonfly is spent underwater and creating a risk from predators such as frogs, fish, newts and other invertebrates.

From ancient giant form to present day fairy like physiques, these creatures play such an enormous role in the environment and are our flying 'green' flags of good environmental quality.

href="https://earthtimes.org/index.html">Nature News

Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping