Potential of Odonate (Dragonflies and Damselflies) Diversity as a Bioindicator of Water Quality

Inorder to determine whether a relationship existed between water quality and odonate fauna, data were collected from four selected sites of Pala Municipality, Kottayam District, Kerala. The Water Quality Index, Simpsons diversity index and Species abundance values were calculated. The area with highest water quality index shows highest species richness and the area with lowest water quality index shows lowest species richness. The abundance of Brachythemis contaminate sp. in the polluted area and Bradinopyga geminate sp. in the non-polluted area shows their indicator efficiency. A potential exists for Odonata species diversity, numbers of individuals and occurrence of particular species to be used as a bioindicator of water quality. Advantages include, data that reects a time period rather than a point in time and also low costs.