Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly (<i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>)
Anthropogenic land-cover change is modifying ecosystems at an accelerating rate. Changes to ecomorphologically variable taxa within those ecosystems serve as early-warning signs that resources on which humans and other animals depend are being altered. One known ecomorphologically variable taxon is...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/9/754 |
| _version_ | 1797579549973676032 |
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| author | Joseph S. Girgente Nancy E. McIntyre |
| author_facet | Joseph S. Girgente Nancy E. McIntyre |
| author_sort | Joseph S. Girgente |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anthropogenic land-cover change is modifying ecosystems at an accelerating rate. Changes to ecomorphologically variable taxa within those ecosystems serve as early-warning signs that resources on which humans and other animals depend are being altered. One known ecomorphologically variable taxon is <i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>, a species of dragonfly in the southeastern United States that shows pronounced variation in total body length across its limited geographic range. We measured total length of live as well as preserved museum specimens of <i>H. geminatus</i> and the sympatric species <i>Progomphus obscurus</i> (as a means for comparison). Both species showed significant size differences linked to HUC-8 watersheds in which they occur. <i>H. geminatus</i> showed additional significant differences on either side of the Apalachicola River, Florida, for all comparisons by sex. In overlapping watersheds, the species tended to show the same trends in length relative to their respective averages. Smaller body length was associated with more urban and agricultural land cover. These findings indicate that ecomorphological variation is tied to the watershed scale and point to significant variations on either side of the Apalachicola River. More thorough future analyses would be needed to verify trends in body length and identify the drivers behind them. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:38:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eaada4d697484035a4c239850189d43f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:38:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-eaada4d697484035a4c239850189d43f2023-11-19T11:15:26ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502023-09-0114975410.3390/insects14090754Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly (<i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>)Joseph S. Girgente0Nancy E. McIntyre1Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USAAnthropogenic land-cover change is modifying ecosystems at an accelerating rate. Changes to ecomorphologically variable taxa within those ecosystems serve as early-warning signs that resources on which humans and other animals depend are being altered. One known ecomorphologically variable taxon is <i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>, a species of dragonfly in the southeastern United States that shows pronounced variation in total body length across its limited geographic range. We measured total length of live as well as preserved museum specimens of <i>H. geminatus</i> and the sympatric species <i>Progomphus obscurus</i> (as a means for comparison). Both species showed significant size differences linked to HUC-8 watersheds in which they occur. <i>H. geminatus</i> showed additional significant differences on either side of the Apalachicola River, Florida, for all comparisons by sex. In overlapping watersheds, the species tended to show the same trends in length relative to their respective averages. Smaller body length was associated with more urban and agricultural land cover. These findings indicate that ecomorphological variation is tied to the watershed scale and point to significant variations on either side of the Apalachicola River. More thorough future analyses would be needed to verify trends in body length and identify the drivers behind them.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/9/754aquatic insectsenvironmental changesbody lengthlandscapeland-coverstreams |
| spellingShingle | Joseph S. Girgente Nancy E. McIntyre Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly (<i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>) Insects aquatic insects environmental changes body length landscape land-cover streams |
| title | Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly (<i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>) |
| title_full | Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly (<i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>) |
| title_fullStr | Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly (<i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly (<i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>) |
| title_short | Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly (<i>Hylogomphus geminatus</i>) |
| title_sort | watershed mediated ecomorphological variation a case study with the twin striped clubtail dragonfly i hylogomphus geminatus i |
| topic | aquatic insects environmental changes body length landscape land-cover streams |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/9/754 |
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