Dragonfly migration along the Baltic coast

01/08/2023 to 31/07/2024

Many species in the animal kingdom migrate across large geographical scales. These annual movements are associated with the provision of ecosystem services. Because of their role in food webs and for pollination, insects including migratory species are important for the provision of ecosystem services. Tracking the migration of insects is challenging since common approaches are difficult to apply. For insects which hatch in the aquatic environment, the H isotope signature of C-bonded H (δ2Hn) in wings is used as a marker for the natal origin. As a basis for the assignment of natal origins, ‘wing isoscapes’ resulting from the relationship between δ2Hn values of wings of sedentary species and δ2H values of annual precipitation were developed for North America. It remains unclear whether a dragonfly-wing isoscape developed for North America can be transferred to Europe with partly different native species. Sightings at Bird Observatories suggest an autumn migration of dragonflies along the Baltic coast, but a direct prove is lacking. As a prerequisite for a joint research project on this topic, ties need to be established to colleagues working on animal migration along the Baltic coast (Oskars Keišs, Latvia, Meelis Leivits, Estonia) and local knowledge needs to be gathered.