Odonata next-door: an updated check-list of two parks in the Northern Milan outskirt (Lombardy, Italy)

Abstract

Odonata are usually regarded as bioindicators and model organisms in many studies and are subjected to increasing threats worldwide. Such insects populate freshwater ecosystems at both natural and urban landscapes and they are also well-known by common people. This work is aimed at summarizing and updating the current knowledge concerning Odonata species inhabiting two parks located at the northern boundary of the Milan outskirts (Italy, Lombardy). Occupancy status for odonate species were obtained merging the field data of surveys conducted during 2014 and 2015 with spare information from specialistic websites and forums, grey literature, and pictures collected at the same sites by occasional observers. The total number of species found in both parks showed an increase of species richness when compared with two previous studies. Morevoer, Odonata communities of the two parks showed a common chorological composition and similarity in the species assemblages. This work had also a positive impact about the perception of urban biodiversity: some of the untrained observers, who shared their pictures for species identification, rapidly acquired sufficient knowledge to easily recognize the most common species present in both parks.

Keywords

• Periurban Parks
• Urban Biodiversity
• Wetlands