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Gibb H, Sanders NJ, Dunn RR, Watson S, Photakis M, Abril S, Andersen AN, Angulo E, Armbrecht I, Arnan X, Baccaro FB, Bishop TR, Boulay R, Castracani C, Del Toro I, Delsinne T, Diaz M, Donoso DA, Enríquez ML, Fayle TM, Feener DH, Fitzpatrick MC, Gómez C, Grasso DA, Groc S, Heterick B, Hoffmann BD, Lach L, Lattke J, Leponce M, Lessard JP, Longino J, Lucky A, Majer J, Menke SB, Mezger D, Mori A, Munyai TC, Paknia O, Pearce-Duvet J, Pfeiffer M, Philpott SM, de Souza JLP, Tista M, Vasconcelos HL, Vonshak M, Parr CL. Climate mediates the effects of disturbance on ant assemblage structure. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20150418. [PMID: 25994675 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have focused on the impacts of climate change on biological assemblages, yet little is known about how climate interacts with other major anthropogenic influences on biodiversity, such as habitat disturbance. Using a unique global database of 1128 local ant assemblages, we examined whether climate mediates the effects of habitat disturbance on assemblage structure at a global scale. Species richness and evenness were associated positively with temperature, and negatively with disturbance. However, the interaction among temperature, precipitation and disturbance shaped species richness and evenness. The effect was manifested through a failure of species richness to increase substantially with temperature in transformed habitats at low precipitation. At low precipitation levels, evenness increased with temperature in undisturbed sites, peaked at medium temperatures in disturbed sites and remained low in transformed sites. In warmer climates with lower rainfall, the effects of increasing disturbance on species richness and evenness were akin to decreases in temperature of up to 9°C. Anthropogenic disturbance and ongoing climate change may interact in complicated ways to shape the structure of assemblages, with hot, arid environments likely to be at greatest risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heloise Gibb
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and the Environment, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Nathan J Sanders
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark
| | - Robert R Dunn
- Department of Biological Sciences and Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7617, USA
| | - Simon Watson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and the Environment, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Manoli Photakis
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and the Environment, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Silvia Abril
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Montilivi Campus s/n, Girona 17071, Spain
| | - Alan N Andersen
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, PMB 44 Winnellie, Northern Territory 0822, Australia
| | - Elena Angulo
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Dpt. Etología y Conservación de la Biodiversidad, Avda. Americo Vespucio s/n (Isla de la Cartuja), Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | - Inge Armbrecht
- Department of Biology, Universidad del Valle (Colombia), Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
| | - Xavier Arnan
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalunya 08193, Spain
| | - Fabricio B Baccaro
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, CEP 69077-000, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Tom R Bishop
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP, UK Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Raphael Boulay
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte et Département, d'Aménagement du Territoire Université, François Rabelais de Tours, Tours 37200, France
| | - Cristina Castracani
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Israel Del Toro
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01366, USA
| | - Thibaut Delsinne
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Section of Biological Evaluation, Rue Vautier, 29, Brussels 1000, Belgium
| | - Mireia Diaz
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Montilivi Campus s/n, Girona 17071, Spain
| | - David A Donoso
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, CP 1101608, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Martha L Enríquez
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Montilivi Campus s/n, Girona 17071, Spain
| | - Tom M Fayle
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia and Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of Academy of Sciences Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, České Budějovice 370 05, Czech Republic Forest Ecology and Conservation Group, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Donald H Feener
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Matthew C Fitzpatrick
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Centre for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD 21532, USA
| | - Crisanto Gómez
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Montilivi Campus s/n, Girona 17071, Spain
| | - Donato A Grasso
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Sarah Groc
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) Rua Ceara, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38400-902, Brazil
| | - Brian Heterick
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia
| | - Benjamin D Hoffmann
- CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre, PMB 44 Winnellie, Northern Territory 0822, Australia
| | - Lori Lach
- Centre for Tropical Biology and Climate Change, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
| | - John Lattke
- Museo Inst. Zoologia Agricola, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Apartado 4579, Maracay 2101-A, Venezuela
| | - Maurice Leponce
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Section of Biological Evaluation, Rue Vautier, 29, Brussels 1000, Belgium
| | - Jean-Philippe Lessard
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4B-1R6
| | - John Longino
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Andrea Lucky
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, 970 Natural Area Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, USA
| | - Jonathan Majer
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia
| | - Sean B Menke
- Department of Biology, Lake Forest College, 555 North Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045, USA
| | - Dirk Mezger
- Field Museum of Natural History, Department of Zoology, Division of Insects, Moreau Lab, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - Alessandra Mori
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Thinandavha C Munyai
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
| | - Omid Paknia
- Institute of Animal Ecology and Cell Biology, TiHo Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, Hannover 30559, Germany
| | - Jessica Pearce-Duvet
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Martin Pfeiffer
- Department of Ecology, National University of Mongolia, Baga toiruu 47, PO Box 377, Ulaanbaatar 210646, Mongolia
| | - Stacy M Philpott
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Jorge L P de Souza
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Amazônicas-INPA, Coordenação de Biodiversidade-Cbio, Avenida André Araújo, 2936-Caixa Postal 2223, CEP 69080-971, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Melanie Tista
- Department of Tropical Ecology and Animal Biodiversity, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Heraldo L Vasconcelos
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará 1720, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Merav Vonshak
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5020, USA
| | - Catherine L Parr
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP, UK
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Jamison SL, Robertson M, Engelbrecht I, Hawkes P. An assessment of rehabilitation success in an African grassland using ants as bioindicators. KOEDOE: AFRICAN PROTECTED AREA CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.4102/koedoe.v58i1.1383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Many studies that evaluate rehabilitation make use of invertebrate bioindicators. Invertebrates, especially ants, make useful indicators as they are sensitive to environmental change. We compared ant assemblages in rehabilitated and control sites in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, a protected area important for grassland conservation in South Africa. Pitfall traps were used to sample ant assemblages at six control sites and six rehabilitated sites. In addition, environmental and vegetation surveys were conducted at each site. We found that the ant assemblages differed significantly between the control and rehabilitated sites, although there was considerable overlap; the control sites supported a greater species density and higher abundance of ants than the rehabilitated sites. In total, 36 ant species were collected (control sites: 34 species; rehabilitated sites: 26 species). The environmental survey revealed that percentages of bare ground and coarse sand, as well as soil pH, differed significantly between the control and rehabilitated sites. The control and rehabilitated sites also supported significantly different plant assemblages. Three indicator ant species were identified for the control sites: Crematogaster rectinota, Crematogaster amita and Monomorium fastidium. No indicator species were identified for the rehabilitated sites. These results suggest that recovery from the previous agricultural use of the area is still incomplete and highlights the lack of research examining the success of rehabilitation in the grassland biome.Conservation implications: The present study illustrates the need for further research on rehabilitation techniques utilised in the grassland biome. This is of value as the remainder of South African grasslands are considered critically endangered.
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Sackmann P, Farji-Brener A. Effect of fire on ground beetles and ant assemblages along an environmental gradient in NW Patagonia: Does habitat type matter? ECOSCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.2980/i1195-6860-13-3-360.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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García-Martínez MÁ, Escobar-Sarria F, López-Barrera F, Castaño-Meneses G, Valenzuela-González JE. Value of Riparian Vegetation Remnants for Leaf-Litter Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a Human-Dominated Landscape in Central Veracruz, Mexico. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 44:1488-1497. [PMID: 26352255 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvv141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/16/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Riparian remnants are linear strips of vegetation immediately adjacent to rivers that may act as refuges for biodiversity, depending on their habitat quality. In this study, we evaluated the role of riparian remnants in contributing to the diversity of leaf-litter ants by determining the relationship between ant diversity and several riparian habitat characteristics within a human-dominated landscape in Veracruz, Mexico. Sampling was carried out in 2012 during both dry and rainy seasons at 12 transects 100 m in length, where 10 leaf-litter samples were collected along each transect and processed with Berlese-Tullgren funnels and Winkler sacks. A total of 8,684 individuals belonging to 53 species, 22 genera, and seven subfamilies were collected. The observed mean alpha diversity accounted for 34.4% of the total species recorded and beta diversity for 65.6%. Species richness and composition were significantly related to litter-layer depth and soil compaction, which could limit the distribution of ant species depending on their nesting, feeding, and foraging habits. Riparian remnants can contribute toward the conservation of ant assemblages and likely other invertebrate communities that are threatened by anthropogenic pressures. In human-dominated landscapes where remnants of riparian vegetation give refuge to a diverse array of myrmecofauna, the protection of the few remaining and well-preserved riparian sites is essential for the long-term maintenance of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Á García-Martínez
- Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, México.
| | - Federico Escobar-Sarria
- Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, México
| | - Fabiola López-Barrera
- Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, México
| | - Gabriela Castaño-Meneses
- Ecología de Artrópodos en Ambientes Extremos, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, 76230, Querétaro, México
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56
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Gillette PN, Ennis KK, Domínguez Martínez G, Philpott SM. Changes in Species Richness, Abundance, and Composition of Arboreal Twig‐nesting Ants Along an Elevational Gradient in Coffee Landscapes. Biotropica 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Penelope N. Gillette
- Environmental Studies Department University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 U.S.A
| | - Katherine K. Ennis
- Environmental Studies Department University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 U.S.A
| | | | - Stacy M. Philpott
- Environmental Studies Department University of California 1156 High Street Santa Cruz CA 95064 U.S.A
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57
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Menke SB, Gaulke E, Hamel A, Vachter N. The Effects of Restoration Age and Prescribed Burns on Grassland Ant Community Structure. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 44:1336-1347. [PMID: 26314012 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvv110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
North American grassland environments are endangered as a result of degradation and conversion for agriculture and housing. Efforts to manage and restore grasslands have traditionally focused on monitoring plant communities to determine restoration success, but the incorporation of animal communities may provide important benchmarks of ecosystem function and restoration. Ants play many roles in maintaining ecosystem health in temperate grasslands, but relatively little is known about how ant communities respond to restoration. We studied the role that restoration age and prescribed burns have on ant communities in two types of Illinois grasslands, prairies and savannas, and identify indicator species of restoration success. Grassland environments included remnants and restorations that varied in age from newly restored sites, to sites that have been under restoration for >15 yr. We demonstrate that prairie and savanna ant communities are distinct, but respond to restoration in a similar manner. Three distinct prairie ant assemblages were identified based on the age of restoration of a site-sites <3 yr old, sites that have been under restoration >5 yr, and remnant prairies. Four distinct savanna ant assemblages were identified based on the age of restoration of a site-sites <3 yr old, sites 5-15 yr old, sites >15 yr old, and remnant savanna environments. After accounting for restoration age, time since last burn in both prairie and savannas does not explain community composition or species richness. Several ant species in both prairies and savannas have predictable changes in incidence that indicate their suitability for use as indicator species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean B Menke
- Department of Biology, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL 60045.
| | - Emilee Gaulke
- Department of Biology, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL 60045
| | - Allison Hamel
- Department of Biology, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL 60045
| | - Nicole Vachter
- Department of Biology, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL 60045
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58
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Bat aggregation mediates the functional structure of ant assemblages. C R Biol 2015; 338:688-95. [PMID: 26302832 DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2015.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In the Guianese rainforest, we examined the impact of the presence of guano in and around a bat roosting site (a cave). We used ant communities as an indicator to evaluate this impact because they occupy a central place in the functioning of tropical rainforest ecosystems and they play different roles in the food web as they can be herbivores, generalists, scavengers or predators. The ant species richness around the cave did not differ from a control sample situated 500m away. Yet, the comparison of functional groups resulted in significantly greater numbers of detritivorous fungus-growing and predatory ant colonies around the cave compared to the control, the contrary being true for nectar and honeydew feeders. The role of bats, through their guano, was shown using stable isotope analyses as we noted significantly greater δ(15)N values for the ant species captured in and around the cave compared to controls.
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Souza JLP, Baccaro FB, Landeiro VL, Franklin E, Magnusson WE, Pequeno PACL, Fernandes IO. Taxonomic sufficiency and indicator taxa reduce sampling costs and increase monitoring effectiveness for ants. DIVERS DISTRIB 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Luiz Pereira Souza
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia-INPA; Caixa Postal 2223 CEP 69080-971 Manaus AM Brazil
| | - Fabricio Beggiato Baccaro
- Departamento de Biologia; Universidade Federal do Amazonas-UFAM; Av. General Rodrigo Octávio 6200 Coroado I CEP 69077-000 Manaus AM Brazil
| | - Victor Lemes Landeiro
- Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT; CEP 78060-900 Cuiabá MT Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Franklin
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia-INPA; Coordenação de Biodiversidade; Caixa Postal 2223 CEP 69080-971 Manaus AM Brazil
| | - William Ernest Magnusson
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia-INPA; Coordenação de Biodiversidade; Caixa Postal 2223 CEP 69080-971 Manaus AM Brazil
| | - Pedro Aurélio Costa Lima Pequeno
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia-INPA; Caixa Postal 2223 CEP 69080-971 Manaus AM Brazil
| | - Itanna Oliveira Fernandes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia-INPA; Caixa Postal 2223 CEP 69080-971 Manaus AM Brazil
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Pimenta M, De Marco P. Leaf beetle (Chrysomelidae: Coleoptera) assemblages in a mosaic of natural and altered areas in the Brazilian cerrado. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 44:242-255. [PMID: 26013268 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-015-0280-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In landscape mosaics, species may use different vegetation types or be restricted to a single vegetation type or land-use feature highlighting the importance of the interaction of species requirements and environmental heterogeneity. In these systems, the determination of the overall pattern of β-diversity can indicate the importance of the environmental heterogeneity on diversity patterns. Here, we evaluate leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) as habitat quality bioindicators in a system with varying intensities of human impacts and different phyto-physiognomies (from open field to forests). We collected 1117 leaf beetles belonging to 245 species, of which 12 species and 5 genus were considered possible bioindicators based on IndVal measures. Higher species richness was observed in forests and regenerating fields, and habitats with lower species richness included pastures, mines, and veredas. Natural fields, regenerating fields, natural cerrado, and forest had higher values of β-diversity. Bioindicator systems that include not only species richness and abundance but also assemblage composition are needed to allow for a better understanding of Chrysomelidae response to environmental disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pimenta
- Lab de Ecologia, Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Brasília, DF, Brasil
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61
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Habitat characteristics shaping ant species assemblages in a mixed deciduous forest in Eastern India. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467415000036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Environmental complexity and spatial heterogeneity are important factors influencing the structure of ant species assemblages. This paper documents the effect of different vegetation and environmental factors on ant community structure and functional group composition in different habitat patches. Ants were sampled at 16 sites distributed across five habitat types in the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary. Sampling was performed 10 times over a 2-y period using pitfall traps. A total of 100 species belonging to 41 genera were collected during the study. Ant species richness was best explained by a combination of percentage grass cover, percentage litter cover and number of saplings whereas percentage litter cover and soil nitrogen concentration significantly explained the variation in ant species abundance. Dominant Dolichoderinae were present only at forest edge and were found to be associated positively with percentage bare ground cover and negatively with percentage litter cover. Generalized Myrmicinae, subordinate Camponotini and tropical climate specialists were prevalent in shaded forest habitats whereas opportunists were more common in two types of open habitat. Our study underpins the influence of vegetational complexity, litter and soil chemical properties on the structure and composition of ant species assemblages and various functional groups across forested habitats in this little-studied region.
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Improved resolution of cave weta diversity (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae): ecological implications for Te Paki, Far North, New Zealand. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2014.983939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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63
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Salyer A, Bennett GW, Buczkowski GA. Odorous house ants (Tapinoma sessile) as back-seat drivers of localized ant decline in urban habitats. PLoS One 2014; 9:e113878. [PMID: 25551819 PMCID: PMC4281180 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species and habitat disturbance threaten biodiversity worldwide by modifying ecosystem performance and displacing native organisms. Similar homogenization impacts manifest locally when urbanization forces native species to relocate or reinvade perpetually altered habitat. This study investigated correlations between ant richness and abundance in response to urbanization and the nearby presence of invasive ant species, odorous house ants (Tapinoma sessile), within its native region. Surveying localized ant composition within natural, semi-natural, and urban habitat supported efforts to determine whether T. sessile appear to be primary (drivers) threats as instigators or secondary (passengers) threats as inheritors of indigenous ant decline. Sampling 180 sites, evenly split between all habitats with and without T. sessile present, yielded 45 total species. Although urbanization and T. sessile presence factors were significantly linked to ant decline, their interaction correlated to the greatest reduction of total ant richness (74%) and abundance (81%). Total richness appeared to decrease from 27 species to 18 when natural habitat is urbanized and from 18 species to 7 with T. sessile present in urban plots. Odorous house ant presence minimally influenced ant communities within natural and semi-natural habitat, highlighting the importance of habitat alteration and T. sessile presence interactions. Results suggest urbanization releases T. sessile from unknown constraints by decreasing ant richness and competition. Within urban environment, T. sessile are pre-adapted to quickly exploit new resources and grow to supercolony strength wherein T. sessile drive adjacent biodiversity loss. Odorous house ants act as passengers and drivers of ecological change throughout different phases of urban ‘invasion’. This progression through surviving habitat alteration, exploiting new resources, thriving, and further reducing interspecific competition supports a “back-seat driver” role and affects pest management strategies. As demonstrated by T. sessile, this article concludes native species can become back-seat drivers of biodiversity loss and potentially thrive as “metro-invasive” species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Salyer
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Gary W. Bennett
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States of America
| | - Grzegorz A. Buczkowski
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States of America
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Ant community structure during forest succession in a subtropical forest in South-East China. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2014.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Maravalhas J, Vasconcelos HL. Revisiting the pyrodiversity-biodiversity hypothesis: long-term fire regimes and the structure of ant communities in a Neotropical savanna hotspot. J Appl Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Maravalhas
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU); Av. Pará 1720 38400-902 Uberlândia MG Brazil
| | - Heraldo L. Vasconcelos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU); Av. Pará 1720 38400-902 Uberlândia MG Brazil
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66
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Radtke T, Glasier J, Wilson S. Species composition and abundance of ants and other invertebrates in stands of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) and native grasslands in the northern Great Plains. CAN J ZOOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2013-0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Habitat alteration by exotic plant species can have profound effects on vertebrates, but its effects on invertebrates are less well-known. Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) is a perennial grass that has been planted on >106ha of the Great Plains. We tested the hypothesis that invertebrate communities (especially ants) differed between native grasslands and A. cristatum stands, using pitfall traps in Saskatchewan and Montana. Ant species composition differed significantly between native grasslands and A. cristatum stands, but there were no differences in total ant abundance, the abundance of functional groups, or species richness. Ant species richness was significantly greater in Montana than Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, bare ground was positively related to total ant abundance and the abundance of “cold-climate specialist” and “opportunist” functional groups of ants. In Montana, the cover of forbs was positively related to total ant abundance. The abundances of individual ant species were not predicted by any vegetation characteristics, except for Formica obscuripes Forel, 1886, which increased significantly with litter. The total abundance of other invertebrates was greater in native grasslands than in A. cristatum stands, although not significantly so. Within each vegetation type, variation in ant communities may depend either directly on the effects of vegetation species composition, or indirectly via the effect of vegetation on other factors such as temperature. The results suggest that ant community composition was influenced more by variation within grasslands and between locations than by differences between native and exotic grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- T.M. Radtke
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - J.R.N. Glasier
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 814 General Services Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1, Canada
| | - S.D. Wilson
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
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67
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Leach E, Nakamura A, Turco F, Burwell CJ, Catterall CP, Kitching RL. Potential of ants and beetles as indicators of rainforest restoration: characterising pasture and rainforest remnants as reference habitats. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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68
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Anthropogenic disturbance reduces seed-dispersal services for myrmecochorous plants in the Brazilian Caatinga. Oecologia 2013; 174:173-81. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2740-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 07/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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69
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70
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71
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Multiphase myrmecochory: the roles of different ant species and effects of fire. Oecologia 2013; 172:791-803. [PMID: 23386041 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2534-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2011] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) can be influenced by changes to ant assemblages resulting from habitat disturbance as well as by differences in disperser behaviour. We investigated the effect of habitat disturbance by fire on the dispersal of seeds of a myrmecochorous shrub, Pultenaea daphnoides. We also investigated the consequence of the seed relocation behaviours of two common dispersers (Pheidole sp. A and Rhytidoponera metallica) for the redispersal of seeds. Pheidole sp. A colonies did not relocate seeds outside their nests. In contrast, R. metallica colonies relocated 43.6% of seeds fed to them, of which 96.9% had residual elaiosome that remained attached. On average, R. metallica relocated seeds 78.9 and 60.7 cm from the nest entrances in burned and unburned habitat, respectively. Seeds were removed faster in burned than in unburned habitat, and seeds previously relocated by R. metallica were removed at similar rates to seeds with intact elaiosomes, but faster than seeds with detached elaiosomes. Dispersal distances were not significantly different between burned (51.3 cm) and unburned (70.9 cm) habitat or between seeds with different elaiosome conditions. Differences between habitat types in the frequency of seed removal, the shape of the seed dispersal curve, and the relative contribution of R. metallica and Pheidole sp. A to seed dispersal were largely due to the effect of recent fire on the abundance of Pheidole sp. A. Across habitat types, the number of seeds removed from depots and during dispersal trials most strongly related to the combined abundances of R. metallica and Pheidole. Our findings show that myrmecochory can involve more than one dispersal phase and that fire indirectly influences myrmecochory by altering the abundances of seed-dispersing ants.
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72
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Dias NDS, Zanetti R, Santos MS, Peñaflor MFGV, Broglio SMF, Delabie JHC. The impact of coffee and pasture agriculture on predatory and omnivorous leaf-litter ants. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2013; 13:29. [PMID: 23902334 PMCID: PMC3735050 DOI: 10.1673/031.013.2901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Accepted: 11/13/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Ants are known to function as reliable biological indicators for habitat impact assessment. They play a wide range of ecological roles depending on their feeding and nesting habits. By clustering ants in guilds, it is possible both to assess how agriculture and forest fragmentation can disturb ant communities and to predict the ecological impacts due to losses of a specific guild. This study aimed at determining the impact of non-shaded coffee and pasture agriculture on predatory and omnivorous guilds of leaf-litter ants of Atlantic Forest fragments in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Both coffee and pasture agriculture influenced leaf-litter ant community, although coffee was more disruptive than pasture. Coffee agriculture not only disturbed the diversity of predatory ants, but also negatively affected the number of predatory and omnivorous ants when compared to forest fragments. In contrast, pasture agriculture only disrupted the abundance of predatory ants. Fragment edges skirting crops were negatively affected in terms of leaf-litter ant abundance, but not diversity. Cluster analysis showed that forest fragments were similar irrespective of the cultivation, but the borders were similar to the crop. The study assessed agriculture impact by surveying ant guilds, and revealed that the predatory guild is more susceptible than omnivorous ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivia da Silva Dias
- Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Rua Dra. Sara Mesquita 2270, Bairro Pici, 60511-110, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Ronald Zanetti
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras/UFLA, Caixa Postal 37, 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - Mônica Silva Santos
- Departamento de Entomologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”-ESALQ/USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Caixa Postal 9, 13418-900 Piracicaba, SP, Brasil
| | - Maria Fernanda Gomes Villalba Peñaflor
- Departamento de Entomologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”-ESALQ/USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Caixa Postal 9, 13418-900 Piracicaba, SP, Brasil
| | - Sônia Maria Forti Broglio
- Centro de Ciĉncias Agrárias, Universidad Federal de Alagoas (CECA, UFAL). Campus Delza Gitaí, Rod. BR 104, Km 85, 57.100-000, Rio Largo, AL, Brazil
| | - Jacques Hubert Charles Delabie
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia, Convênio UESC/CEPLAC, Centro de Pesquisa do Cacau. Rod. Ilhéus/ltabuna, Km 22, 45600-000 ltabuna, BA, Brazil
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73
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Horváth R, Magura T, Tóthmérész B. Ignoring ecological demands masks the real effect of urbanization: a case study of ground-dwelling spiders along a rural–urban gradient in a lowland forest in Hungary. Ecol Res 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-012-0988-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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74
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HORROCKS GREGORYFB, CUNNINGHAM SHAUNC, O'DOWD DENNISJ, THOMSON JAMESR, MAC NALLY RALPH. Floodplain ants show a stronger response to an extensive flood than to variations in fallen-timber load. AUSTRAL ECOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2011.02315.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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75
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Ribas CR, Schmidt FA, Solar RRC, Campos RBF, Valentim CL, Schoereder JH. Ants as Indicators of the Success of Rehabilitation Efforts in Deposits of Gold Mining Tailings. Restor Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100x.2011.00831.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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76
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Osunkoya OO, Polo C, Andersen AN. Invasion impacts on biodiversity: responses of ant communities to infestation by cat’s claw creeper vine, Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) in subtropical Australia. Biol Invasions 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-011-0040-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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77
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Yates M, Andrew NR. Comparison of ant community composition across different land-use types: assessing morphological traits with more common methods. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-6055.2010.00795.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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78
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79
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HOFFMANN BENJAMIND, JAMES CRAIGD. Using ants to manage sustainable grazing: Dynamics of ant faunas along sheep grazing gradients conform to four global patterns. AUSTRAL ECOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02205.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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80
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BEAUMONT KIERENP, MACKAY DUNCANA, WHALEN MOLLYA. Interactions between ants and seeds of two myrmecochorous plant species in recently burnt and long-unburnt forest sites. AUSTRAL ECOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02215.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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81
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KWOK ALANBC, ELDRIDGE DAVIDJ, OLIVER IAN. Do landscape health indices reflect arthropod biodiversity status in the eucalypt woodlands of eastern Australia? AUSTRAL ECOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02219.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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82
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Dominguez-Haydar Y, Armbrecht I. Response of Ants and Their Seed Removal in Rehabilitation Areas and Forests at El Cerrejón Coal Mine in Colombia. Restor Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100x.2010.00735.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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83
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Ives CD, Hose GC, Nipperess DA, Taylor MP. The influence of riparian corridor width on ant and plant assemblages in northern Sydney, Australia. Urban Ecosyst 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-010-0141-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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84
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Pinheiro ER, Duarte LDS, Diehl E, Hartz SM. Edge effects on epigeic ant assemblages in a grassland–forest mosaic in southern Brazil. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2010.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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85
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BACCARO FABRICIOBEGGIATO, KETELHUT SUZANAMARIA, DE MORAIS JOSÉWELLINGTON. Resource distribution and soil moisture content can regulate bait control in an ant assemblage in Central Amazonian forest. AUSTRAL ECOL 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2009.02033.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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86
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Wike LD, Martin FD, Paller MH, Nelson EA. Impact of forest seral stage on use of ant communities for rapid assessment of terrestrial ecosystem health. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2010; 10:77. [PMID: 20673195 PMCID: PMC3383427 DOI: 10.1673/031.010.7701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2008] [Accepted: 02/10/2009] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Bioassessment evaluates ecosystem health by using the responses of a community of organisms that integrate all aspects of the ecosystem. A variety of bioassessment methods have been applied to aquatic ecosystems; however, terrestrial methods are less advanced. The objective of this study was to examine baseline differences in ant communities at different seral stages from clear cut to mature pine plantation as a precursor to developing a broader terrestrial bioassessment protocol. Comparative sampling was conducted at nine sites having four seral stages: clearcut, 5 year recovery, 15 year recovery, and mature stands. Soil and vegetation data were also collected at each site. Ants were identified to genus. Analysis of the ant data indicated that ants respond strongly to habitat changes that accompany ecological succession in managed pine forests, and both individual genera and ant community structure can be used as indicators of successional change. Ants exhibited relatively high diversity in both early and mature seral stages. High ant diversity in mature seral stages was likely related to conditions on the forest floor favoring litter dwelling and cold climate specialists. While ants may be very useful in identifying environmental stress in managed pine forests, adjustments must be made for seral stage when comparing impacted and unimpacted forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn D. Wike
- Savannah River National Laboratory, Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC, USA 29808
| | - F. Douglas Martin
- Current address: Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina — Aiken, University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801
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87
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Ostoja SM, Schupp EW, Sivy K. Ant Assemblages in Intact Big Sagebrush and Converted Cheatgrass-Dominated Habitats in Tooele County, Utah. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2009. [DOI: 10.3398/064.069.0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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88
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PIPER SCOTTD, CATTERALL CARLAP, KANOWSKI JOHNJ, PROCTOR HEATHERC. Biodiversity recovery during rainforest reforestation as indicated by rapid assessment of epigaeic ants in tropical and subtropical Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2009.01943.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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89
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Underwood EC, Christian CE. Consequences of prescribed fire and grazing on grassland ant communities. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2009; 38:325-332. [PMID: 19389280 DOI: 10.1603/022.038.0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Prescribed fire and livestock grazing are used for the management and restoration of native grasslands the world over; however, the effects of these management techniques on ant communities are unclear. We examined the response of ants to these disturbances in grasslands in northern California. Twenty-four 30 by 30 m plots were established across two sites that received one of four treatments: grazing, fire, grazing and fire, or no treatment. Ants were censused using 240 pitfall traps with one preburn and two postburn samples (14 d and 1 yr after burning). We analyzed ant abundance using broadly defined groups based on feeding habit and/or habitat use and detected no grazing effect but a significant fire effect that differed by group. Immediate postfire sampling showed an increase in cryptic species (particularly Brachymyrmex depilis). One year after the fire, no response was detected for cryptic species, but burned plots had greater abundance of seed harvesters. Analysis of vegetation showed burned plots had significantly greater forb cover, which might have provided greater food resources, and also lower biomass, which might have facilitated foraging. Understanding the effects of these management tools on ant abundance complements our understanding of their effect on vegetation and assists conservation practitioners effectively manage grassland ecosystems both in California and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Underwood
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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90
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Yek SH, Willliams SE, Burwell CJ, Robson SK, Crozier RH. Ground dwelling ants as surrogates for establishing conservation priorities in the Australian wet tropics. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2009; 9:12. [PMID: 19613441 PMCID: PMC3011884 DOI: 10.1673/031.009.1201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2007] [Accepted: 02/21/2008] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to identify a set of areas with high biodiversity value over a small spatial scale within the Australian Wet Tropics. We identified sites of high biodiversity value across an altitudinal gradient of ground dwelling ant communities using three measures of biodiversity. The three measures considered were estimated species richness, complementarity between sites and evolutionary history. The latter measure was derived using the systematic nomenclature of the ants to infer a surrogate phylogeny. The goal of conservation assessments could then be achieved by choosing the most diverse site combinations. This approach was found to be valuable for identifying the most diverse site combinations across an altitudinal gradient that could ensure the preservation of terrestrial ground dwelling invertebrates in the Australian Wet Tropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze Huei Yek
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
| | - Stephen E Willliams
- Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
| | - Chris J. Burwell
- Entomology Section, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, 4101, Australia
| | - Simon K.A. Robson
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
| | - Ross H. Crozier
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia
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91
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Parr CL. Dominant ants can control assemblage species richness in a South African savanna. J Anim Ecol 2008; 77:1191-8. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01450.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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92
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Fergnani P, Sackmann P, Cuezzo F. Environmental Determinants of the Distribution and Abundance of the Ants, Lasiophanes picinus and L. valdiviensis, in Argentina. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE 2008; 8:36. [PMCID: PMC3061608 DOI: 10.1673/031.008.3601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2007] [Accepted: 10/13/2007] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The distribution and abundance variation of the terrestrial ants, Lasiophanes picinus and Lasiophanes valdiviensis Emery (Formicinae: Lasiini), which are endemic in Patagonia (Argentina and Chile), are described and a set of environmental factors are examined to explain the observed patterns. Ants were collected using 450 pitfall traps arranged in 50, 100 m2 grid plots each with nine traps within a roughly 150 × 150 km area representative of the subantartic-patagonian transition of Argentina. Five sampling periods each 8-days long were carried out between November 2004 and March 2006. To understand the distributional patterns and their link to environmental variables discriminant analysis was used. Path analysis was performed to test for direct and indirect effects of a set of environmental variables on species abundance variation. L. picinus was more frequently captured and attained higher abundance in the forests, while L. valdiviensis was more frequently captured and more abundant in the scrubs. The maximum daily temperature and mean annual precipitation explained L. picinus distribution (i.e. presence or absence) with an accuracy of 90%. L. valdiviensis distribution was predicted with almost 70% accuracy, taking into account herbal richness. The maximum daily temperature was the only climatic variable that affected ant abundance directly; an increase in temperature led to an increase of L. picinus abundance and a decrease of L. valdiviensis abundance. The amount of resources, as indicated by the percent plant cover, explained the variation of the abundance of both species better than the variety of resources as indicated by plant richness (i.e. models including plant richness had low fit or no fit at all). A direct effect of habitat use by cattle was found, as indicated by the amount of feces in the plots, only when variables related to the amount of resources were replaced by variables with less explanatory power related to the variety of resources. This study provides new data on the ecology of Lasiophanes species in relation to existing hypotheses proposed to explain patterns of abundance variation. Evidence is provided that changes in temperature (i.e. global climate change) may have important consequences on populations of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Fergnani
- Laboratorio Ecotono, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche, INIBIOMA UNC-CONICET. Pasaje Gutiérrez 1125 (8400) Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Paula Sackmann
- Laboratorio Ecotono, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche, INIBIOMA UNC-CONICET. Pasaje Gutiérrez 1125 (8400) Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Fabiana Cuezzo
- CONICET Instituto Superior de Entomología (INSUE), Facultad de Cs. Naturales e IML. Miguel Lillo 205. (4000) San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
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93
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ANDERSEN ALANN. Not enough niches: non-equilibrial processes promoting species coexistence in diverse ant communities. AUSTRAL ECOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2007.01810.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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94
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VASCONCELOS HERALDOL, LEITE MARCOSF, VILHENA JOSÉMS, LIMA ALBERTINAP, MAGNUSSON WILLIAME. Ant diversity in an Amazonian savanna: Relationship with vegetation structure, disturbance by fire, and dominant ants. AUSTRAL ECOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2007.01811.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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95
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Stringer LD, Lester PJ. The ant community response to the arrival ofMonomorium sydneyenseforel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at sulphur point, Tauranga, New Zealand. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2008. [DOI: 10.1080/03014220809510102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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96
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Gove AD, Majer JD, Dunn RR. A keystone ant species promotes seed dispersal in a “diffuse” mutualism. Oecologia 2007; 153:687-97. [PMID: 17534665 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-007-0756-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2006] [Accepted: 04/19/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In order to understand the dynamics of co-evolution it is important to consider spatial variation in interaction dynamics. We examined the relative importance of ant activity, diversity and species identity in an ant seed dispersal mutualism at local, regional and continental scales. We also studied the determinants of seed dispersal rates and dispersal distances at eight sites in the Eneabba sandplain (29.63 S, 115.22 E), western Australia to understand local variation in seed dispersal rate and distance. To test the generality of the conclusions derived from the eight local sites, we established 16 sites along a 1650-km transect in western Australia, covering 11 degrees of latitude and a six-fold increase in rainfall, at which we sampled the ant assemblage, estimated ant species richness and ant activity and observed the removal rate of myrmecochorous seeds. We also assessed the importance of ant species identity at a continental scale via a review of studies carried out throughout Australia which examined ant seed dispersal. Among the eight sandplain shrubland sites, ant species identity, in particular the presence of one genus, Rhytidoponera, was associated with the most dispersal and above average dispersal distances. At the landscape scale, Rhytidoponera presence was the most important determinant of seed removal rate, while seed removal rate was negatively correlated with ant species richness and latitude. Most ant seed removal studies carried out throughout Australia reinforce our observations that Rhytidoponera species were particularly important seed dispersers. It is suggested that superficially diffuse mutualisms may depend greatly on the identity of particular partners. Even at large biogeographic scales, temporal and spatial variation in what are considered to be diffuse mutualisms may often be linked to variation in the abundance of particular partners, and be only weakly - or negatively - associated with the diversity of partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D Gove
- Centre for Ecosystem Diversity and Dynamics, Department of Environmental Biology, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, WA, Australia.
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97
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Andersen AN, Parr CL, Lowe LM, Müller WJ. Contrasting fire‐related resilience of ecologically dominant ants in tropical savannas of northern Australia. DIVERS DISTRIB 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2007.00353.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alan N. Andersen
- Bushfire Cooperative Research Center, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, PMB 44 Winnellie, NT 0822, Australia,
| | - Catherine L. Parr
- Bushfire Cooperative Research Center, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, PMB 44 Winnellie, NT 0822, Australia,
| | - Lyn M. Lowe
- Bushfire Cooperative Research Center, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, PMB 44 Winnellie, NT 0822, Australia,
| | - Warren J. Müller
- CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences, GPO Box 664, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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Ballinger A, Lake PS, Nally RM. Do terrestrial invertebrates experience floodplains as landscape mosaics? Immediate and longer-term effects of flooding on ant assemblages in a floodplain forest. Oecologia 2007; 152:227-38. [PMID: 17221254 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-006-0648-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2006] [Accepted: 12/11/2006] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Considering the floodplain landscape as a mosaic of habitat patches at different successional stages is useful for understanding (1) the processes associated with individual floods and (2) the legacy of flood history. Here, we investigate the applicability of the mosaic model to opportunistic ant species inhabiting the floodplain. Ground-active ant assemblages in river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) floodplain forest in south-eastern Australia were sampled before and for two years after a major flood in 2000-2001 at 24 sites with different inundation histories. Despite the mobility and opportunistic life history traits of floodplain ants, flood history appeared to impose a persistent mosaic structure on ant assemblages. Increasing duration of inundation of the forest floor was associated with decreasing species richness. beta-diversity was low, with the ant species at the most inundation-prone sites being a subset of those at drier sites. Less extensive flooding occurred in 2002-2003, enabling the consistency of short-term responses to inundation to be assessed. Flooding acts as a resetting mechanism, creating a characteristic ant assemblage. After floodwaters receded, there was little evidence of convergence in the structure of ant assemblages through time between sites flooded for different durations. The persistence of dissimilarities in ant assemblages suggests that succession towards terrestrialization was either not occurring or that it was operating at a rate that was too slow to be detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ballinger
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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Watts CH, Didham RK. Rapid recovery of an insect–plant interaction following habitat loss and experimental wetland restoration. Oecologia 2006; 148:61-9. [PMID: 16429311 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-005-0344-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2005] [Accepted: 12/14/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the impact of wetland habitat loss and isolation on an insect-plant interaction, and the subsequent rate of recovery of the interaction following experimental habitat restoration. We compared herbivore colonisation rates and herbivory damage by 'Batrachedra' sp. (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) on experimentally placed potted Sporadanthus ferrugineus (Restionaceae) plants at increasing distances (up to 800 m) from an intact habitat (the source population). These tests showed that even a moderate degree of isolation (i.e. greater than 400 m) from the intact wetland habitat caused an almost complete collapse of the insect-plant interaction, at least in the short term. The number of eggs and larvae of colonising 'Batrachedra' sp., as well as average larval size and the proportion of S. ferrugineus stems damaged, all decreased logarithmically with increasing distance from the intact habitat, presumably due to dispersal limitation of the herbivore. Subsequently, to test whether the interaction can recover following habitat restoration, we surveyed herbivore colonisation rates and herbivory damage on naturally regenerated S. ferrugineus plants on experimentally restored 'islands' at increasing distances (up to 800 m) from an intact habitat. The rate of recovery of the interaction was surprisingly rapid (i.e. between 196 and 308 weeks). The degree of difference in the density of eggs and larvae, and in the proportion of stems damaged with increasing isolation from the intact wetland, gradually diminished over 196 weeks. After 308 weeks there was no significant difference in the insect-plant interaction between the intact wetland sites and any of the experimentally restored sites up to 800 m away. These results suggest that some insect-plant interactions can recover rapidly from habitat loss with restoration management.
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100
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Bestelmeyer BT. Does desertification diminish biodiversity? Enhancement of ant diversity by shrub invasion in south-western USA. DIVERS DISTRIB 2005. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1366-9516.2005.00122.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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