The influence of land use on dragonfly and damselfly (Odonata) community structure

Land-use change is a major driver of insect biodiversity loss, yet its effects on odonate assemblages remain understudied in Central Europe. We investigated the species richness, abundance, conservation value, and community composition of dragonflies across natural, agricultural, and urban land-use types in Slovakia, using data collected from 2000 to 2021. In total, 2,829 individuals representing 32 species—49% of the national fauna—were recorded. Agricultural sites supported the highest species richness (28), followed by urban (27) and natural sites (9). Despite this, the Dragonfly Biotic Index (DBI) did not differ significantly among land-use types, suggesting that species of conservation value can occur outside of natural habitats. Community composition differed significantly across land uses, with natural habitats supporting distinct assemblages, while generalist species were broadly distributed. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed significant effects of both land use and habitat traits on species distribution patterns. Our findings highlight the potential conservation value of anthropogenic habitats for odonates and showcase the importance of integrating diverse land-use types into regional conservation strategies.