Aquatic Insects And Their Ecological Benefits

This seminar work on the ecological benefits of aquatic insects was done taking into consideration basic questions and concepts that can be derived from the given topic of study.

Some of these questions included 

Information on the aquatic insects and their benefits and risks to the society are scanty among the general public, students and the scientific community, when compared with the same on the land insects. A brief description is furnished about the body structures and features of the eleven orders of aquatic insects that exist.

These orders are Collembola (springtails), Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), Hemiptera (true bugs), Megaloptera (dobsonflies and alderflies), Neuroptera (songillaflies), Trichoptera (caddisflies), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Coleoptera (beetles) and Diptera (true flies). 

Detailed information is presented on the beneficial role of aquatic insects in food webs, bio-monitoring, fishing and control of noxious weeds. 

The harmful impacts caused by these animals to the society and the ecosystem by way of general nuisance, transmission of diseases and destruction of crops, were all described in the study.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

BODY

CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS

ADAPTATIONS FOR AQUATIC HABITATS

LIFE CYCLES

INSECT LIFE CYCLES IN A TEMPERATE STREAM

SLOW SEASON LIFE CYCLE

FAST SEASON LIFE CYCLE

ADAPTIVE MECHANISM OF INSECTS 

SNORKEL WITH A BREATHING TUBE

SCUBA TANK

WALKING ON WATER

OTHER AQUATIC ADAPTATIONS

RIPPLE EFFECT 

DOUBLE VISION

OARS 

BREATHING UNDERWATER

GENERAL ANATOMY OF INSECTS 

PHYSICAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE INSECT COMMUNITY

1. WATER TEMPERATURE

2. VOLUME AND VELOCITY OF WATER FLOW (DISCHARGE)

3. SUBSTRATES

4. ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS

3. SOCIETAL BENEFITS OF AQUATIC INSECTS

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES