Maliau dragonfly project (proposal)
From BiodivBorneo09
Community composition and interactions among dragonflies over water bodies at Maliau Basin
Andrew Brownjohn, Fikty Aprilinayati, Mindy Tuan
Contents |
Introduction
In attempting to understand how diversity is maintained, we are examining a small water body in Maliau Basin that hosts a high number of dragonfly species. Habitat partitioning and competition for resources influence greatly the behaviour of animals, especially predators that need to hunt actively for their prey. Dominance behaviour, territoriality and aggression may result, and we are extrapolating that from the interactions we can observe within the community of dragonflies. In manipulative experiments we will also be looking at the roles and significance of some species in the community.
Research question
- Is there a hierarchy of dominant dragonfly species within a dragonfly community, and if so, how are community dynamics affected when a species are removed from the system?
Hypothesis
- Our hypothesis is that there is a hierarchy of dominance, and that another species will move up into that position of dominance.
Methods
- A central site picked for the experiment is split into 3 sub-sites and each observer takes 1 site.
- For half-hour periods, each observer records intra/interspecies interactions between dragonfly individuals.
- Five minute intervals are given between each period for observers to rotate sites.
- Abundance and diversity of dragonflies are recorded in each site.
- Interactions are also standardised and recorded.
- These interactions are quantified and tabulated to examine intra/interspecies relationships, and also weighted to establish a dominance matrix.
- Manipulative experiments done by removing certain dominant and non-dominant species of dragonflies will be conducted and subsequent reactions by the community will be recorded.
