摘要：Fresh waters are the most threatened ecosystems in the world. In South Africa, water abstraction, alteration ofriverine ecosystems through dam building, inter-basin water transfer, introduction of alien aquatic organisms andorganic and industrial pollution have left few freshwater ecosystems in a natural state. Because of their size andinteresting behaviour, dragonflies and damselflies (Order: Odonata) are considered to be the most charismaticof all aquatic insects. They have attracted the attention of amateur societies and clubs in the Americas, Europeand Japan. In South Africa, the study of dragonflies has been well established scientifically through the worksof pioneering entomologists such as Elliot Pinhey and Boris Balinski. Warwick and Michelle Tarboton have donemuch to transform this information on South African Odonata to a more popular media through the productionof several guides and fold-out identification guides. Michael Samways and John Simaika now take this one stepfurther in developing an index that uses the identification of Odonata to species level, to assess and monitor thehealth of aquatic ecosystems.
