1. The Ecology and Conservation of Damselfly Populations Katherine Allen Population and Evolutionary Biology Research Group School of Biological Sciences University of Liverpool

2. Study species Ischnura pumilio Coenagrion mercuriale

3. Distribution Mediterranean species North Africa Europe and Middle East Siberia Northern range margin in UK Restricted distribution In decline in UK

4. Objectives Understand population structure Investigate dispersal potential Determine habitat requirements Ischnura pumilo Assess monitoring methods Coenagrion mercuriale Facilitate conservation management

5. Methods

6. Understand population structure Estimate population size Confidence limits for estimates Investigate survival Effect of age, sex, temperature, number of parasites Program MARK Statistical significance of differences between models AIC / LRT

7. Investigate dispersal potential Net lifetime movement Maximum and average values Effect of sex, age, weather etc Multiple regression Patterns of movement Effect of landscape features, wind direction and density of individuals Spatial statistics

8. Determine habitat requirements Survey 32 sites, past and present Environmental variables Vegetation community Other odonate species Abundance of I. pumilio Multivariate analysis Ordination

9. Assess monitoring methods Pollard walk (Pollard 1977) Non-specialist Regular counts for monitoring through time Relationship to MRR estimates Large C. mercuriale databases I. pumilio data collected summer 2006 Regression

10. Acknowledgements Professor Dave Thompson Dr Ian Harvey NERC Environment Agency Dr Philip Corney Sara Ball Chris Gamble Chris Hassall Laura Johnson Rebecca Moran Justine Saelens Amy Thompson Helen Turner