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Sabattini J, Bollazzi M. Herbivory by Atta vollenweideri: Reviewing the significance of grass-cutting ants as a pest of livestock. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1101445. [PMID: 38469484 PMCID: PMC10926485 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1101445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The grass-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri is well suited for studies examining the negative effect leaf-cutting ants have on livestock production in South American grasslands because they forage on the same plants as cattle. This study investigated the impact of A. vollenweideri on livestock production in Argentinean rangelands. First, we assessed A. vollenweideri herbivory rates and its economic injury level (EIL). Second, using satellite imagery in a region covering 15,000 ha, we estimated the percentage of this area that surpassed the calculated EIL. Results showed that A. vollenweideri consumed approximately 276 kg of dry plant weight/ha/year, foraging mostly on grasses (70%). Additionally, ants cut 25% of herbs and 5% of trees. In summer and autumn, ants consumed more grasses, while in winter and spring, herbs and trees were also significantly cut. Ants consumed 7% of the forage demand needed to raise a calf according to the management regime applied by farmers. Our calculated EIL (5.85 nests/ha) falls in the range of previous studies. Colonies were absent in 93.6% of the surveyed area, while their density was below the EIL in 6.2% of the area. A. vollenweideri populations surpassed the EIL in only 0.2% of the area, which corresponds to 2.6% of the locations holding colonies. These results question the perception that Atta leaf-cutting ants are a pest of livestock production. Although ants consume a small percentage of cattle's forage demand, evidence that ants and cattle are competing in the few cases in which density surpasses the EIL is arguable. First, grass-cutting ants are capable of consuming herbs and trees in addition to the grasses on which cattle mostly feed. Second, there is no evidence indicating that both are cutting the same plant portions when preferences overlap. Third, evidence suggests that ants are not displaced under high-pressure grazing regimes by cattle. In the countries where A. vollenweideri is present, decision makers have promulgated several acts making its control mandatory. It is time to revisit the pest status of A. vollenweideri and include the use of EIL as a control criterion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Sabattini
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Cátedra de Ecología de los Sistemas Agropecuarios, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, Oro Verde, Argentina
| | - Martin Bollazzi
- Entomología, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Oliveira FMP, Knoechelmann CM, Wirth R, Tabarelli M, Leal IR. Leaf‐cutting ant nests support less dense and impoverished seed assemblages in a human‐modified Caatinga dry forest. Biotropica 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda M. P. Oliveira
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Vegetal Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
| | - Clarissa M. Knoechelmann
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Vegetal Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
- Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará ‐ Folha 31 Marabá Brazil
| | - Rainer Wirth
- Molecular Botany (Plant Ecology Group) University of Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern Germany
| | - Marcelo Tabarelli
- Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
| | - Inara R. Leal
- Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
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Pareja M, Rezende L. Direct and indirect plant defenses reduce damage by a generalist but not by a specialist pod borer. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martín Pareja
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas –UNICAMP Campinas Brazil
| | - Luiz Rezende
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas –UNICAMP Campinas Brazil
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Renison D, Jaacks G, Pollice J, Herrero ML. Forest restoration under leaf‐cutting ant pressure: Improved sapling survival in non‐foraged sites away from ant nests or within plastic tree shelters. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Renison
- Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables, Dr. Ricardo Luti, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611 X5016GCA Córdoba Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba ‐ CONICET. Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611 X5016GCA Córdoba Argentina
| | - Germán Jaacks
- Intendencia del Parque Nacional Quebrada del Condorito, Av. J.S. Bach N°504, B° Costa Azul, 5152 Villa Carlos Paz Córdoba Argentina
| | - Julieta Pollice
- Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables, Dr. Ricardo Luti, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611 X5016GCA Córdoba Argentina
| | - María Lucrecia Herrero
- Centro de Ecología y Recursos Naturales Renovables, Dr. Ricardo Luti, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611 X5016GCA Córdoba Argentina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba ‐ CONICET. Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611 X5016GCA Córdoba Argentina
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Vanderlei RS, Barros MF, Leal IR, Tabarelli M. Impoverished woody seedling assemblages and the regeneration of Caatinga dry forest in a human‐modified landscape. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Renato Soares Vanderlei
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Vegetal Federal University of Pernambuco Recife Brasil
| | - Maria Fabíola Barros
- Programa de Capacitação Institucional (PCI) Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi Belém Brasil
| | - Inara R. Leal
- Botany Department Federal University of Pernambuco Recife Brasil
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Nascimento G, Câmara T, Arnan X. Critical thermal limits in ants and their implications under climate change. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1287-1305. [PMID: 35174946 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Critical thermal limits (CTLs) constrain the performance of organisms, shaping their abundance, current distributions, and future distributions. Consequently, CTLs may also determine the quality of ecosystem services as well as organismal and ecosystem vulnerability to climate change. As some of the most ubiquitous animals in terrestrial ecosystems, ants are important members of ecological communities. In recent years, an increasing body of research has explored ant physiological thermal limits. However, these CTL data tend to centre on a few species and biogeographical regions. To encourage an expansion of perspectives, we herein review the factors that determine ant CTLs and examine their effects on present and future species distributions and ecosystem processes. Special emphasis is placed on the implications of CTLs for safeguarding ant diversity and ant-mediated ecosystem services in the future. First, we compile, quantify, and categorise studies on ant CTLs based on study taxon, biogeographical region, methodology, and study question. Second, we use this comprehensive database to analyse the abiotic and biotic factors shaping ant CTLs. Our results highlight how CTLs may affect future distribution patterns and ecological performance in ants. Additionally, we identify the greatest remaining gaps in knowledge and create a research roadmap to promote rapid advances in this field of study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldo Nascimento
- Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Garanhuns, Rua Capitão Pedro Rodrigues, 105 - São José, Garanhuns, 55294-902, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia Ambiental, Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Petrolina, BR 203, KM 2 - Vila Eduardo, Petrolina, 56328-900, Brazil
| | - Talita Câmara
- Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Garanhuns, Rua Capitão Pedro Rodrigues, 105 - São José, Garanhuns, 55294-902, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia Ambiental, Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Petrolina, BR 203, KM 2 - Vila Eduardo, Petrolina, 56328-900, Brazil
| | - Xavier Arnan
- Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Garanhuns, Rua Capitão Pedro Rodrigues, 105 - São José, Garanhuns, 55294-902, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia Ambiental, Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Petrolina, BR 203, KM 2 - Vila Eduardo, Petrolina, 56328-900, Brazil.,CREAF, Campus de Bellaterra (UAB) Edifici C, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Spain
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Nascimento FDS, Toledo AMO, Pimenta MDP, Resende CFD, Peixoto PHP, Zimerer A, Lopes JFS. Does mining waste concentration in the soil interfere with leaf selection by
Acromyrmex subterraneus
(Formicidae)? Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Felipe dos Santos Nascimento
- MirmecoLab Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora Brazil
| | - Antônio Marcos Oliveira Toledo
- MirmecoLab Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora Brazil
| | - Maria de Paula Pimenta
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Vegetal Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Cristiano Ferrara de Resende
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Vegetal Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Paulo Henrique Pereira Peixoto
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Vegetal Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Arthur Zimerer
- Graduação em Física Universidade Federal de Viçosa Viçosa Brazil
| | - Juliane Floriano Santos Lopes
- MirmecoLab Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora Brazil
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Knoechelmann CM, Oliveira FMP, Siqueira FFS, Wirth R, Tabarelli M, Leal IR. Leaf‐cutting ants negatively impact the regeneration of the Caatinga dry forest across abandoned pastures. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa M. Knoechelmann
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Vegetal Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
- Faculdade de Biologia Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará Marabá Brazil
| | - Fernanda M. P. Oliveira
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Vegetal Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
| | - Felipe F. S. Siqueira
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Vegetal Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
- Faculdade de Biologia Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará Marabá Brazil
| | - Rainer Wirth
- Plant Ecology and Systematics University of Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern Germany
| | - Marcelo Tabarelli
- Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
| | - Inara R. Leal
- Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
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Calheiros AC, Ronque MUV, Soares H, Oliveira PS. Foraging Ecology of the Leaf-Cutter Ant, Acromyrmex subterraneus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in a Neotropical Cerrado Savanna. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 48:1434-1441. [PMID: 31605614 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvz120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Fungus-farming ants cultivate a fungal symbiont inside the nest that serves as a food source. Leaf-cutter ants are distinctive among fungus-farmers because they forage for fresh plant material to nurture the fungus. Here we investigate the foraging ecology of Acromyrmex subterraneus (Forel) in the Brazilian cerrado savanna. We examined the species activity pattern, forage material collected, and the relationship between load mass and forager size. Ant activity peaked at night and was negatively related to temperature but positively related to relative air humidity. The majority of the items collected by ants was plant material: dry and fresh leaves, flowers, and fruits. Trunk trails ranged from 0.7 to 13 m and colony home ranged from 2 to 28 m2, indicating that ants collect material nearby the nest. Total load mass was positively associated with forager size, especially in the case of leaves. The negative relationship between ant size and burden suggests that ants might optimize their delivery rate by collecting lighter substrates more frequently. Given their pest status, most studies on leaf-cutters are undertaken in human-altered environments. Information on A. subterraneus in native cerrado is imperative given the threatened status of this vegetation. Leaf-cutters thrive in disturbed cerrado and severe seedling herbivory may hinder vegetation recovery. Our fieldwork may provide insights for management techniques of Acromyrmex colonies in agroecosystems, as well as for restoration programs of degraded cerrado areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Calheiros
- Progama de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas SP, Brazil
| | - Mariane U V Ronque
- Progama de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas SP, Brazil
| | - Hélio Soares
- Progama de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, 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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Zorger BB, Tabarelli M, Queiroz RT, Rosado BHP, Pinho BX. Functional organization of woody plant assemblages along precipitation and human disturbance gradients in a seasonally dry tropical forest. Biotropica 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bianca B. Zorger
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Marcelo Tabarelli
- Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
| | - Rubens T. Queiroz
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia Universidade Federal da Paraíba João Pessoa Brazil
| | - Bruno H. P. Rosado
- Departamento de Ecologia Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Bruno X. Pinho
- Departamento de Botânica Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Recife Brazil
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Phylogenetic signal in leaf-cutting ant diet in the fragmented Atlantic rain forest. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467419000063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractLeaf-cutting ants are dominant herbivores in Neotropical rain forests, and their colony densities increase in disturbed habitats such as forest edges. However, while it is well-established that leaf-cutting ants profit from changes to the food-plant community, the phylogenetic dimension of this ant–plant interaction remains poorly understood in fragmented forests. We studied diet composition of Atta cephalotes in the edge and interior of Atlantic forest in north-east Brazil (8°30′S, 35°50′W). We applied phylogenetic signal analysis to investigate the diet across plant lineages and performed phylogenetic generalized linear models to analyse the diet in both habitats. We found a phylogenetic signal in diet and in leaf mechanical resistance, which means that A. cephalotes selects closely related food plants with less resistant leaves. Most preferred species belong to Malpighiales, Rubiaceae and Melastomataceae. We also found that irrespective of phylogeny, ants select food plants with less resistant leaves, both in edge and interior. However, ants choose more abundant plants only in edges. High abundance of optimal diet facilitates foraging in forest edges and explains why colony densities increase in disturbed habitats. Finally, by favouring or disfavouring specific clades, leaf-cutting ants contribute to changes in the phylogenetic structure of tropical rain forests, e.g. phylogenetic impoverishment.
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