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Mendonça-Santos RG, Antoniazzi R, Camarota F, dos Reis YT, Viana-Junior AB. Scattered trees as crucial elements in maintaining urban diversity: A case study with canopy ants in a biodiversity hotspot. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2023.103894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
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2
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How do patch burnings affect ant communities and seed removal in a subtropical grassland? Perspect Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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3
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He Y, Liu H, Yang Q, Cao Y, Yin H, Zhou Z, Yu Q, Wang X. Neighborhood Effects on Tree Mortality Depend on Life Stage of Neighbors. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:838046. [PMID: 35273630 PMCID: PMC8902350 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.838046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Neighborhood effects are a crucial ecological processes that allow species to coexist in a forest. Conspecific and heterospecific neighbors, as major group classifications, affect tree mortality through various mechanisms associated with neighbor life stages. However, the influence of neighbor life stages on neighborhood effects and by what mechanisms remains a knowledge gap. Here we censused the mortality of 82,202 trees belonging to 30 species in a 20-ha subtropical forest and classified their neighbors into the following life stages: earlier, same and later. Next, we implemented generalized linear mixed models to estimate the effect of neighbors at different life stages on tree mortality. Our results showed that conspecific later stage neighbors had a positive effect on tree mortality overall, while conspecific earlier stage neighbors had a negative effect on tree mortality. Furthermore, these opposing effects appear to offset each other so that the overall effect of conspecific neighbors on tree mortality is weakened. In contrast, heterospecific neighbors had a decreasing effect on tree mortality overall. These effects are consistent with those of later stage heterospecific neighbors. Our findings demonstrate that neighbors strongly impact tree mortality, and their specific effects are closely related to neighbor life stages. Further, any single effect from one neighbor life stage may disturb or dominate the total effects of the neighbors. Therefore, the neighbors must be divided into different life stages to best explain the neighborhood effect on forest dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heming Liu
- Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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4
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Soares H, Oliveira PS. Foraging and Spatial Ecology of a Polydomous Carpenter Ant, Camponotus leydigi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Tropical Cerrado Savanna: A Natural History Account. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 50:19-27. [PMID: 33313693 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvaa164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Carpenter ants (genus Camponotus) are considered to be predominantly omnivorous, mixing several feeding habits that include predation, scavenging of animal matter, and plant-derived resources. Nitrogen acquisition is crucial for the nutritional ecology of ant colonies because growing larvae require sustainable protein provisioning. Here, we investigate the foraging ecology and the spatial nesting structure of the carpenter ant, Camponotus leydigi Forel, in Brazilian cerrado savanna. By marking workers from different nests with distinct colors, we revealed that C. leydigi occupies physically separated but socially connected nests (up to 30 m apart), a phenomenon known as polydomy. Observational data on aboveground internest movements in C. leydigi corroborate cooperative exchanges between nest units and confirm several types of social connections, including internest transfer of liquid and solid food, transport of colony members (brood, workers), movement of solitary workers, and internest recruitment. Polydomous C. leydigi allocate foragers throughout 1,700 m2, feeding mostly on termites and plant-derived exudates. Influx of exudates is threefold higher compared with solid food. Uric acid pellets excreted by lizards comprise 20% of the solid diet in C. leydigi, a rare quantitative assessment of this peculiar type of nitrogen complementation in ants. Based on video recordings, we hypothesize that nest decentralization in C. leydigi may reduce foraging constraints caused by overt interference by the aggressive ant, Ectatomma brunneum Smith, F. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), which regularly blocks nest entrances. Our field study enhances the importance of natural history data to clarify selective pressures underlying the evolution of particular behavioral patterns (nutritional and nesting habits) in ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélio Soares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo S Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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5
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Nakazawa T, Katayama N. Stage-Specific Parasitism by a Mutualistic Partner Can Increase the Host Abundance. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.602675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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6
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Vasconcelos HL, Koch EBA, Camarota F, Tito R, Zuanon LA, Maravalhas J. Severe fires alter the outcome of the mutualism between ants and a Neotropical savanna tree. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPhysical disturbances, such as fire, may affect the relationship between ants and plants. We evaluated the extent to which severe fires alter the protective effect of ants against the herbivores of an extrafloral-nectary bearing tree. We performed an ant removal experiment and sampled the ant fauna from the same trees over 4 years: the pre-fire year, the fire-year, and again 1 and 2 years later. Ants reduced insect herbivory in the pre-fire year and in the fire-year but failed to provide any plant protection in the two years after fire. The magnitude of the ant effect on herbivory did not differ between the pre-fire year and the fire-year. Fire reduced the abundance of ants with strictly arboreal-nesting habits. However, in the fire year (but not in the subsequent ones), this decline was compensated by an increase in the abundance of arboreal generalists and ground-nesting ants foraging in trees. Our results indicate that severe fires can affect the strength and direction of the ant effects on herbivory by altering the structure of the arboreal ant community and the abundance of insect herbivores. Fire disturbance is thus an important factor of conditionality of ant-plant mutualisms in fire-prone habitats, like the Cerrado savannas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heraldo L Vasconcelos
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, CEP, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Elmo B A Koch
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia, Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau–Comissão Executiva Plano da Lavoura Cacaueira, CEP, Ilhéus-BA, Brazil
| | - Flávio Camarota
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, CEP, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | - Richard Tito
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, Territorio y Energías Renovables, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Peru
| | - Lino A Zuanon
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, CEP, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - Jonas Maravalhas
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, CEP, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
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7
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Camarota F, Vasconcelos HL, Marquis RJ, Powell S. Revisiting ecological dominance in arboreal ants: how dominant usage of nesting resources shapes community assembly. Oecologia 2020; 194:151-163. [PMID: 32909091 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04748-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Ecologically dominant species can shape the assembly of ecological communities via altering competitive outcomes. Moreover, these effects may be amplified under limited niche differentiation. Nevertheless, the influences of ecological dominance and niche differentiation on assembly are rarely considered together. Here, we provide a novel examination of dominance in a diverse arboreal ant community, defining dominance by the prevalent usage of nesting resources and addressing how it influences community assembly. We first used a series of quantitative observational and experimental studies to address the natural nesting ecology, colony incidence on surveyed trees, and level of dominance over newly available nesting resources by our focal species, Cephalotes pusillus. The experimental studies were then used further to examine whether C. pusillus shapes assembly via an influence on cavity usage by co-occurring species. C. pusillus was confirmed as a dominant user of cavity nesting resources, with highly generalized nesting ecology, occupying about 50% of the trees within the focal system, and accounting for more than a third of new cavity occupation in experiments. Our experiments showed further that the presence of C. pusillus was associated with modest effects on species richness, but significant decreases in cavity-occupation levels and significant shifts in the entrance-size usage by co-occurring species. These results indicate that C. pusillus, as a dominant user of nesting resources, shapes assembly at multiple levels. Broadly, our findings highlight that complex interactions between a dominant species and the resource-usage patterns of other species can underlie species assembly in diverse ecological communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávio Camarota
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, USA. .,Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil. .,Instituto de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | | | - Robert J Marquis
- Department of Biology and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA
| | - Scott Powell
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Takefumi Nakazawa
- Dept of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung Univ. No.1, University Road Tainan City 701 Taiwan
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9
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Monteiro GF, Macedo-Reis LE, Dáttilo W, Fernandes GW, Siqueira de Castro F, Neves FS. Ecological interactions among insect herbivores, ants and the host plantBaccharis dracunculifoliain a Brazilian mountain ecosystem. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Graziella França Monteiro
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Insetos; Departament of Genética; Ecologia e Evolução; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; CEP31270-901 Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade; Departament of Biologia Geral; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Uso dos Recursos Naturais; Departament of Biologia Geral/CCBS; Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros; Montes Claros Brazil
| | - Luiz Eduardo Macedo-Reis
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Insetos; Departament of Genética; Ecologia e Evolução; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; CEP31270-901 Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología; Instituto de Ecología, A.C.; Xalapa Mexico
| | - Geraldo Wilson Fernandes
- Ecologia Evolutiva & Biodiversidade; Departament of Biologia Geral; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Uso dos Recursos Naturais; Departament of Biologia Geral/CCBS; Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros; Montes Claros Brazil
| | - Flavio Siqueira de Castro
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Insetos; Departament of Genética; Ecologia e Evolução; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; CEP31270-901 Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Frederico S. Neves
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Insetos; Departament of Genética; Ecologia e Evolução; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; CEP31270-901 Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Uso dos Recursos Naturais; Departament of Biologia Geral/CCBS; Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros; Montes Claros Brazil
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10
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Abdala-Roberts L, Reyes-Hernández M, Quijano-Medina T, Moreira X, Francisco M, Angulo DF, Parra-Tabla V, Virgen A, Rojas JC. Effects of amount and recurrence of leaf herbivory on the induction of direct and indirect defences in wild cotton. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2019; 21:1063-1071. [PMID: 31237391 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The induction of defences in response to herbivory is a key mechanism of plant resistance. While a number of studies have investigated the time course and magnitude of plant induction in response to a single event of herbivory, few have looked at the effects of recurrent herbivory. Furthermore, studies measuring the effects of the total amount and recurrence of herbivory on both direct and indirect plant defences are lacking. To address this gap, here we asked whether insect leaf herbivory induced changes in the amount and concentration of extrafloral nectar (an indirect defence) and concentration of leaf phenolic compounds (a direct defence) in wild cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). We conducted a greenhouse experiment where we tested single event or recurrent herbivory effects on defence induction by applying mechanical leaf damage and caterpillar (Spodoptera frugiperda) regurgitant. Single events of 25% and 50% leaf damage did not significantly influence extrafloral nectar production or concentration. Extrafloral nectar traits did, however, increase significantly relative to controls when plants were exposed to recurrent herbivory (two episodes of 25% damage). In contrast, phenolic compounds increased significantly in response to single events of leaf damage but not to recurrent damage. In addition, we found. that local induction of extrafloral nectar production was stronger than systemic induction, whereas the reverse pattern was observed for phenolics. Together, these results reveal seemingly inverse patterns of induction of direct and indirect defences in response to herbivory in wild cotton.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Abdala-Roberts
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - M Reyes-Hernández
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - T Quijano-Medina
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - X Moreira
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, Spain
| | - M Francisco
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, Spain
| | - D F Angulo
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - V Parra-Tabla
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - A Virgen
- Departamento de Agricultura, Sociedad y Ambiente, ECOSUR Unidad Tapachula, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - J C Rojas
- Departamento de Agricultura, Sociedad y Ambiente, ECOSUR Unidad Tapachula, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
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11
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Ribeiro LF, Solar RRC, Sobrinho TG, Muscardi DC, Schoereder JH, Andersen AN. Different trophic groups of arboreal ants show differential responses to resource supplementation in a neotropical savanna. Oecologia 2019; 190:433-443. [PMID: 31069514 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04414-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Resource-ratio theory predicts that consumers should achieve optimal ratios of complementary nutrients. Accordingly, different trophic groups are expected to vary in their N-limitation depending on the extent to which they feed primarily on carbohydrate (CHO) or protein. Among arboreal ants, N-limitation ranges from high (for trophobiont tenders), intermediate (leaf foragers) and low (predators). We report results from a manipulative field experiment in a Brazilian savanna that tests the differential attractiveness of nitrogen and CHO to arboreal ants, as well as experimentally examines changes in broader ant foraging patterns in response to protein and CHO supplementation. Every tree within 32 20 × 20 m plots were supplemented with either protein, CHO; protein + CHO or a water control (n = 8 in each case) for a 7-day period in each of the wet and dry seasons. As predicted, different trophic groups responded differentially to supplementation treatment according to the extent of their N-limitation. The richness and abundance of the most N-limited group (trophobiont tenders) was highest at protein supplements, whereas less N-limited trophic groups showed highest species richness (leaf foragers) or abundance (predators) at CHO supplements. Protein supplementation markedly increased the general foraging abundance of trophobiont tenders, but decreased the abundance of leaf foragers. We attribute the latter to increased competition from behaviorally dominant trophobiont tenders. Our study provides experimental evidence that nutrient availability is a major factor influencing arboreal ant communities, both directly through the provision of different resources, and indirectly through increased competitive pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laila F Ribeiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Avenida P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, MG, CEP 36570-000, Brazil.
| | - Ricardo R C Solar
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Tathiana G Sobrinho
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, BR 101 Norte, Km 60, São Mateus, ES, CEP 29932-540, Brazil
| | - Dalana C Muscardi
- Departamento de Educação e Ciências Humanas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, BR 101 Norte, Km 60, São Mateus, ES, CEP 29932-540, Brazil
| | - José H Schoereder
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Avenida P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, MG, CEP 36570-000, Brazil
| | - Alan N Andersen
- Research School for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, 0909, Australia
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12
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Antoniazzi R, Garro RNSL, Dáttilo W, Ribeiro SP, Neves FS. Ant species richness and interactions in canopies of two distinct successional stages in a tropical dry forest. Naturwissenschaften 2019; 106:20. [PMID: 31041541 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-019-1614-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Canopy ecology is a fast-growing field, but still a scientific frontier in many ecological aspects. For instance, the hypothesis that tree traits shape patterns in ant-plant interactions lacks data, notably for tropical canopies in different successional stages. In this study, we investigated canopy traits, such as tree height, the presence of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), connectivity among tree crowns, and successional stage, structure ant-tree interactions in a tropical dry forest (TDF), examining whether these are the determinant factors for ant species richness. We collected ants on trees in early and late successional stages over 2 years, in rainy and dry seasons. In the late successional stage, ant species richness was greater in the taller trees; in the early successional stage, the smallest trees had a greater ant species richness than the taller trees. The EFNs and connectivity among treetops had no effect on ant species richness. We obtained a tree-ant network of the early successional stage, involving 786 interactions among 57 ant species and 75 trees; in the late successional stage, the network had 914 interactions among 60 ant species and 75 trees. There were 27 species of trees in our study, 11 of which (40.7% of all individual trees) had EFNs. The ant-plant interactions were not randomly distributed, suggesting that various biotic factors structured the ant assemblies. This study presents new insights into ant-tree interactions, showing that both tree height and successional stage influence the occurrence of many species of ants in tree canopies of tropical dry forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reuber Antoniazzi
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. .,Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Raphael N S L Garro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Sérvio P Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Ecohealth e Ecologia de Insetos de Dossel e Sucessão Natural, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Frederico S Neves
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil.,Laboratório de Ecologia de Insetos, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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13
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Pacelhe FT, Costa FV, Neves FS, Bronstein J, Mello MAR. Nectar quality affects ant aggressiveness and biotic defense provided to plants. Biotropica 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fábio T. Pacelhe
- Graduate School in Ecology, Conservation and Wildlife Management; Federal University of Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Fernanda V. Costa
- Graduate School in Ecology of Tropical Biomes; Federal University of Ouro Preto; Ouro Preto Brazil
| | - Frederico S. Neves
- Graduate School in Ecology, Conservation and Wildlife Management; Federal University of Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Department of Biological Sciences; George Washington University; Washington District of Columbia
| | - Judith Bronstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona
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14
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Koch EBA, Dáttilo W, Camarota F, Vasconcelos HL. From species to individuals: does the variation in ant–plant networks scale result in structural and functional changes? POPUL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10144-018-0634-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elmo B. A. Koch
- Instituto de Biologia, Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ecologia e BiomonitoramentoUniversidade Federal da BahiaSalvadorBahiaBrazil
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Instituto de Ecología A.C., Red de EcoetologíaXalapaVeracruzMexico
| | - Flávio Camarota
- Department of Biological SciencesThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Heraldo L. Vasconcelos
- Instituto de BiologiaUniversidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU)UberlândiaMinas GeraisBrazil
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15
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Camarota F, Vasconcelos HL, Koch EBA, Powell S. Discovery and defense define the social foraging strategy of Neotropical arboreal ants. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2519-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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16
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Ribeiro LF, Solar RRC, Muscardi DC, Schoereder JH, Andersen AN. Extrafloral nectar as a driver of arboreal ant communities at the site-scale in Brazilian savanna. AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laila Fieto Ribeiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia; Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Avenida P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário CEP 36570-000 Viçosa MG Brazil
| | - Ricardo R. C. Solar
- Departamento de Biologia Geral; Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Belo Horizonte MG Brazil
| | - Dalana C. Muscardi
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas; Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; São Mateus ES Brazil
| | - José H. Schoereder
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Entomologia; Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Avenida P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário CEP 36570-000 Viçosa MG Brazil
| | - Alan N. Andersen
- Research School for the Environment and Livelihoods; Charles Darwin University; Darwin Northern Territory Australia
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17
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Camarota F, Powell S, S Melo A, Priest G, J Marquis R, L Vasconcelos H. Co-occurrence patterns in a diverse arboreal ant community are explained more by competition than habitat requirements. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8907-8918. [PMID: 28035279 PMCID: PMC5192950 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A major goal of community ecology is to identify the patterns of species associations and the processes that shape them. Arboreal ants are extremely diverse and abundant, making them an interesting and valuable group for tackling this issue. Numerous studies have used observational data of species co‐occurrence patterns to infer underlying assembly processes, but the complexity of these communities has resulted in few solid conclusions. This study takes advantage of an observational dataset that is unusually well‐structured with respect to habitat attributes (tree species, tree sizes, and vegetation structure), to disentangle different factors influencing community organization. In particular, this study assesses the potential role of interspecific competition and habitat selection on the distribution patterns of an arboreal ant community by incorporating habitat attributes into the co‐occurrence analyses. These findings are then contrasted against species traits, to explore functional explanations for the identified community patterns. We ran a suite of null models, first accounting only for the species incidence in the community and later incorporating habitat attributes in the null models. We performed analyses with all the species in the community and then with only the most common species using both a matrix‐level approach and a pairwise‐level approach. The co‐occurrence patterns did not differ from randomness in the matrix‐level approach accounting for all ant species in the community. However, a segregated pattern was detected for the most common ant species. Moreover, with the pairwise approach, we found a significant number of negative and positive pairs of species associations. Most of the segregated associations appear to be explained by competitive interactions between species, not habitat affiliations. This was supported by comparisons of species traits for significantly associated pairs. These results suggest that competition is the most important influence on the distribution patterns of arboreal ants within the focal community. Habitat attributes, in contrast, showed no significant influence on the matrix‐wide results and affected only a few associations. In addition, the segregated pairs shared more biological characteristic in common than the aggregated and random ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávio Camarota
- Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal de Uberlândia Uberlândia Brazil; Department of Biological Sciences The George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Scott Powell
- Department of Biological Sciences The George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Adriano S Melo
- Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal de Goiás Goiânia Brazil
| | - Galen Priest
- Department of Biology and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center University of Missouri - St. Louis St. Louis MO USA
| | - Robert J Marquis
- Department of Biology and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center University of Missouri - St. Louis St. Louis MO USA
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Báez S, Donoso DA, Queenborough SA, Jaramillo L, Valencia R, Dangles O. Ant Mutualism Increases Long-Term Growth and Survival of a Common Amazonian Tree. Am Nat 2016; 188:567-575. [DOI: 10.1086/688401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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