Pune: A
landmark two-year survey across the Western Ghats has revealed a worrying gap
in the region’s biodiversity: researchers were able to document only about 65%
of the dragonfly and damselfly species historically recorded in the region,
pointing to a potential shortfall of nearly 35% of these ecologically critical
insects.
Conducted
between February 2021 and March 2023, the study mapped “Odonata” populations,
an order of insects comprising dragonflies and damselflies, across 144 sites
spanning five states. The scale and spread of the survey make it one of the
most extensive recent efforts to assess freshwater biodiversity in the Western
Ghats, a 1,600-kilometre mountain chain along India’s west coast and a globally
recognised biodiversity hotspot.
The
research team, Dr. Pankaj Koparde (Assistant Professor, MIT-WPU Pune),
Arajush Payra (PhD Scholar, MIT-WPU Pune), Amey Deshpande (MSc Student, MIT-WPU
Pune), and Reji Chandran (Society for Odonate Studies, Kerala), undertook
rigorous fieldwork across a wide range of freshwater habitats, including
rivers, streams, waterfalls, ponds, lakes, and dams. Many of these locations
were remote and difficult to access, with logistical challenges compounded by
terrain and the need for official permissions.
Over
the course of the study, the team recorded 143 distinct odonate species,
including 40 species endemic to the Western Ghats. However, the overall count
represents only around 65% of the species historically known from the region,
an alarming gap that raises concerns about species decline and habitat
degradation.
Odonates
are highly sensitive to environmental changes because they depend entirely on
freshwater ecosystems for reproduction. As a result, they are widely regarded
as “indicator taxa,” meaning their presence, or absence, directly reflects the
ecological health of water bodies. The missing species, researchers suggest,
may be early indicators of deeper ecological stress.
The
study points to multiple, intensifying threats across the Western Ghats. These
include linear infrastructure development, hydropower projects, severe
pollution, and large-scale land-use changes. Additional pressures such as
unregulated tourism, recurring forest fires, and the growing impact of climate
change are further fragmenting and degrading these ecosystems.
The
conservation status of the species that were recorded also adds to the concern.
While Three species, Elattoneura souteri, Protosticta sanguinostigma
and Cyclogomphus ypsilon, are currently classified as “Vulnerable,”
while most of the observed species fall under the “Data Deficient” and “Not
Evaluated” category on the IUCN Red-List of Threatened Species, indicating
significant gaps in scientific understanding.
The
study also highlights variations across states. Maharashtra, where the highest
number of sites (105) were surveyed, recorded 100 species, including 12 endemic
ones. Kerala, despite fewer sampled sites (14), showed a high concentration of
endemic diversity with 33 endemic species among 83 recorded. Karnataka (17
sites) recorded 64 species with 6 endemics, Goa (3 sites) documented 35 species
including 4 endemics, while Gujarat (5 sites) recorded 18 species with no
endemic species observed.
Reflecting
on the findings, Dr. Pankaj Koparde emphasised the urgency of expanding
research efforts. “This study is a result of one of the most extensive Odonata
surveys across the Ghats. We see a south to north compositional turnover, which
needs to be studied further. Our surveys could recover only 65% of known
Odonata fauna of the Ghats, indicating plausible loss of species and habitats,”
he said. He added that the research “adds value to current literature, fills an
important gap, and lays the foundation for prioritising Odonata-rich areas for
conservation.”
The
144-site survey establishes a critical baseline for future ecological
monitoring in the Western Ghats. At the same time, it serves as a stark
warning: without urgent and sustained efforts to address pollution, habitat
loss, and ecosystem fragmentation, the region risks losing not just individual
species, but the delicate freshwater systems they help sustain.