The Ornate Bluet (Coenagrion ornatum). © Filip Tichánek
After showing the unxepectedly great potential of drainage ditches of the Radovesická spoil heap for conservation of communities of headwaters dragonflies and damselflies, Filip has focused in more detail on the endangered damselfly Coenagrion ornatum, the most threatened odonate species found. Just recently, the first paper using results of his master thesis has been published in the Journal of Insect Conservation. The capture-mark-recapture data showed that the population of C. ornatum includes 4,500 adults. The spoil heap was thus proven to be a valuable secondary refuge. The damselfly prefers slow-flowing and shallow streams with heterogeneous emergent vegetation and a rocky streambed. The creation of such streams should be considered in restoration plans of post-mining sites’ drainage systems.
Full citation: Tichanek F., Tropek R. (2016) The endangered damselfly Coenagrion ornatum in post-mining streams: population size, habitat requirements and restoration. Journal of Insect Conservation 20: 701-710.