Indicator species are integral to evaluating the health of ecosystems. They are early indicators of changing environmental conditions that may prove detrimental to other species in the same region. Insects, including dragonflies, are climate sensitive species since much of their growth and development depends on temperature.
In this lesson, students will learn about dragonflies as indicators of climate change. They will become familiar with the life cycle of a dragonfly, learn to identify different species of dragonflies, and assess dragonfly biodiversity. At each of these learning milestones, students will engage in a discussion about how rapid changes in climate conditions can be detrimental not only to dragonflies but to the success and survival of wildlife around the world.