Other Animal Sciences Commons^™

Predators And Life Histories Shape Lestes Damselfly Assemblages Along A Freshwater Habitat Gradient, Robby Stoks, Mark A. Mcpeek

Dartmouth Scholarship

Survey data from New England showed that assemblages of Lestes dam- selflies are organized along the entire gradient of pond permanence and predator presence. One assemblage occupies vernal ponds lacking large dragonfly predators and fish; four are largely confined to temporary ponds that typically contain dragonfly predators; one dom- inates fishless permanent ponds and lakes where dragonflies are the top predators; and one dominates permanent ponds and lakes where fish are the top predators. We determined the role of life history and predation in maintaining this striking pattern by conducting a series of transplant experiments in the field and a …