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They aren't pollinators, but seem to face some of the same problems as
pollinators:<br><br>
Dragonfly crisis in Japan: A likely consequence of recent agricultural
habitat degradation <br><br>
<b><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00063207">
Biological Conservation<br>
</a></b>
<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=PublicationURL&_tockey=%23TOC%235798%232009%23998579990%231377055%23FLA%23&_cdi=5798&_pubType=J&view=c&_auth=y&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a8991c7d37f43fa0c1e6ac8a9c2bcdaf">
Volume 142, Issue 9</a>, September 2009, Pages 1899-1905 <br><br>
<b><a name="bcor1"></a>Taku
<a name="bcor1"></a>
Kadoya<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V5X-4VY6FT4-4&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1aa6537307561f0802bbf1e2a37750fd#cor1">
<img src="http://www.sciencedirect.com/scidirimg/entities/REcor.gif" width=15 height=14 alt="Corresponding Author Contact Information">
</a><sup>,
<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V5X-4VY6FT4-4&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1aa6537307561f0802bbf1e2a37750fd#implicit0">
a</a>,
<a href="mailto:kadoya@e-mail.jp">
<img src="http://www.sciencedirect.com/scidirimg/entities/REemail.gif" alt="E-mail The Corresponding Author">
</a></sup>, Shin-ichi
Suda<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V5X-4VY6FT4-4&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1aa6537307561f0802bbf1e2a37750fd#implicit0">
<sup>a</a>,
<a href="mailto:suda@ever-green.ne.jp">
<img src="http://www.sciencedirect.com/scidirimg/entities/REemail.gif" alt="E-mail The Corresponding Author">
</a></sup> and Izumi
Washitani<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V5X-4VY6FT4-4&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2009&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1aa6537307561f0802bbf1e2a37750fd#implicit0">
<sup>a</a>,
<a href="mailto:awashi@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp">
<img src="http://www.sciencedirect.com/scidirimg/entities/REemail.gif" alt="E-mail The Corresponding Author">
</a></sup><br><br>
</b><sup>a</sup>Department of Ecosystem Studies, Institute of Agriculture
and Life Science, University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
113-8657, Japan<br><br>
<h3><b>Abstract</b></h3>Many Japanese dragonfly species depend on habitat
complexes maintained in rice paddy systems. We postulated that recent
alterations to habitat complexes in paddy systems have had adverse
effects on dragonfly populations, especially those ‘once common species’
that have come to depend primarily on paddy systems following losses of
natural floodplain habitats. A high proportion of Japanese lentic
dragonfly species depends on paddy fields or agricultural ponds that have
been extensively degraded, while lotic species can often use both paddies
and natural river systems. Thus we also postulated that lentic species
are more susceptible to changes in agricultural habitats and are subject
to higher extinction risks than lotic species. We aimed to extend
previous work on estimating dragonfly extinction risk by developing
mechanistic insights into the processes involved. Postulates were tested
by analyzing relationships between (1) previous quantitative extinction
risk assessments for dragonfly species and (2) species’ ecological
characteristics (i.e., distribution range and habitat type [lentic or
lotic]). Lentic species were disproportionately represented among those
with elevated extinction risk. Species with large distribution ranges
were also subject to higher extinction risks than those with narrower
ranges, reflecting a driving force acting at a national scale (i.e.,
intensive degradation of paddy systems).<br>
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