Rhionaeschna mutata is a rare North American dragonfly that is considered a species of concern or threatened throughout its range. It is most widely distributed in the eastern USA, but recent adult records indicate that its range extends further north and west than previously known. Effective conservation planning for rare species requires understanding their habitat requirements, and no comprehensive characterization of this species’ reproductive habitat has previously been conducted. We conducted a review to synthesize information from records throughout this species’ range and identified a narrow set of conditions that describe R. mutata reproductive habitat: small, heavily vegetated, fish-free ponds with a wooded riparian edge and with sphagnum present. While this habitat type may formerly have been widespread across this species’ native range, anthropogenic activities have likely resulted in loss and increased fragmentation of R. mutata reproductive habitat. Our review also revealed that this species is transient or ephemeral, collected at a site one year and absent in subsequent years. Effective conservation planning for ecologically restricted odonates, such as R. mutata, requires consideration of multiple anthropogenic activities that threaten species’ ability to persist.

中文翻译：

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一种罕见的、短暂的、生态受限的达纳蜻蜓的生殖栖息地偏好和保护挑战的回顾：Rhionaeschna mutata

Rhionaeschna mutata 是一种罕见的北美蜻蜓，在其分布范围内被视为受关注或受到威胁的物种。它在美国东部分布最广，但最近的成人记录表明，它的范围比以前已知的更北和更西。对稀有物种进行有效的保护规划需要了解它们的栖息地要求，而此前尚未对该物种的繁殖栖息地进行全面描述。我们进行了一项审查以综合该物种范围内的记录信息，并确定了一组狭隘的条件来描述 R. mutata 繁殖栖息地：小型、植被繁茂、无鱼的池塘，河岸边缘树木繁茂，存在泥炭藓。虽然这种栖息地类型以前可能在该物种的原生范围内广泛存在，人为活动可能导致 R. mutata 繁殖栖息地的丧失和破碎化程度增加。我们的审查还表明，该物种是短暂的或短暂的，一年在一个地点收集，随后几年不存在。对生态受限的齿科动物（如 R. mutata）进行有效的保护规划，需要考虑威胁物种生存能力的多种人为活动。