Aeshna viridis distribution and habitat choices in South and Central Sweden and the possibility to use a database as a tool in monitoring a threatened species

Aeshna viridis, a dragonfly generally considered to be a specialist as it in most cases chooses Stratiotes aloides as its habitat, have suffered badly from habitat loss and fragmentations throughout Europe under the last century as the human demand of land use have grown. It ́s thereby considered near threatened on EU red list and is included in the Habitat Directive. This means that it is protected by EU law as all EU Member States is committed to protect, monitor and report back to EU the status of the species. Several European countries have designed protection plans for S. aloides to improve the preservation of A. viridis. My study in South and Central Sweden shows that the strong connection between A. viridis and S. aloides may not be consistent all over the distribution range of A. viridis, as my survey showed that larvae occur among other water plants when S. aloides is not present. Another aim in this study was to evaluate the possibility to use occurrence data on A. viridis and S. aloides from the Species Observations System to monitor A. viridis distribution and dispersal. My study implies uncertainties of how well the datasets reflects reality and more research is necessary before clarifying if datasets could be a possible tool in conservation management of A. viridis.