Assessing the spatial knowledge gaps of Odonata diversity and conservation in the South American Pampa

Abstract

1. Anthropogenic activities highly threaten neotropical freshwater habitats. Aquaticinsects are sensitive to environmental alterations and thus considered under greatrisk due to such pressures. However, large-scale gaps regarding the knowledge ofthe distribution of aquatic insect species remain in the Neotropics, particularly inthe South American temperate grasslands (Pampas), hindering the knowledge ofhotspots of aquatic insect diversity and the prioritization of conservation areasdestined to protect their populations.2. Here, we review the current knowledge regarding the geographical distribution ofOdonata species and use ecological niche models to estimate the areas with thehighest potential richness of Odonata species in the Pampas. We also calculate asampling effort index and interpolate it with maps of protected areas to identifythe spatial knowledge gaps regarding their conservation in the region3. Our compilation of Odonata species records retrieved 237 species for the Pampa.However, Odonata species were recorded in less than 2% of the Pampa. Ourfindings indicated a higher potential diversity of Odonata in northeasternArgentina, southern Uruguay and southern Brazil. Interpolations of samplingeffort index and protected areas showed that 95% of the area potentially rich inOdonata species fall outside protected areas.4. Our study highlights the shortfall regarding the knowledge of the distribution ofOdonata diversity in non-forest landscapes of the Neotropical region. It alsoshows that protected areas of the Pampa cover a minor area of the Odonataspecies range in the region.