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Sivault E, Kollross J, Jorge LR, Finnie S, Diez-Méndez D, Fernandez Garzon S, Maraia H, Lenc J, Libra M, Murakami M, Nakaji T, Nakamura M, Sreekar R, Sam L, Abe T, Weiss M, Sam K. Insectivorous birds and bats outperform ants in the top-down regulation of arthropods across strata of a Japanese temperate forest. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 39045801 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Birds, bats and ants are recognised as significant arthropod predators. However, empirical studies reveal inconsistent trends in their relative roles in top-down control across strata. Here, we describe the differences between forest strata in the separate effects of birds, bats and ants on arthropod densities and their cascading effects on plant damage. We implemented a factorial design to exclude vertebrates and ants in both the canopy and understorey. Additionally, we separately excluded birds and bats from the understorey using diurnal and nocturnal exclosures. At the end of the experiments, we collected all arthropods and assessed herbivory damage. Arthropods responded similarly to predator exclusion across forest strata, with a density increase of 81% on trees without vertebrates and 53% without both vertebrates and ants. Additionally, bird exclusion alone led to an 89% increase in arthropod density, while bat exclusion resulted in a 63% increase. Herbivory increased by 42% when vertebrates were excluded and by 35% when both vertebrates and ants were excluded. Bird exclusion alone increased herbivory damage by 28%, while the exclusion of bats showed a detectable but non-significant increase (by 22%). In contrast, ant exclusion had no significant effect on arthropod density or herbivory damage across strata. Our results reveal that the effects of birds and bats on arthropod density and herbivory damage are similar between the forest canopy and understorey in this temperate forest. In addition, ants were not found to be significant predators in our system. Furthermore, birds, bats and ants appeared to exhibit antagonistic relationships in influencing arthropod density. These findings highlight, unprecedentedly, the equal importance of birds and bats in maintaining ecological balance across different strata of a temperate forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Sivault
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kollross
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Leonardo Re Jorge
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sam Finnie
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - David Diez-Méndez
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sara Fernandez Garzon
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Heveakore Maraia
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Lenc
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Libra
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Tatsuro Nakaji
- Sapporo Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Nakamura
- Tomakomai Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rachakonda Sreekar
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Environment, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Legi Sam
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomokazu Abe
- Faculty of Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Matthias Weiss
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Sam
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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2
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Dominguez JS, Hauber ME, Tarwater CE, Williams E, MacDonald S, Strejc B, Pollock HS. Following the feeder: A global synthesis of disturbance-based foraging associations of birds. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:2263-2279. [PMID: 37916462 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Species interactions link animal behaviour to community structure and macroecological patterns of biodiversity. One common type of trophic species interaction is disturbance foraging-the act of obtaining food at a disturbance created by another organism. Disturbance foraging is widespread across the animal kingdom, especially among birds, yet previous research has been largely anecdotal and we still lack a synthetic understanding of how this behaviour varies geographically, phylogenetically and ecologically. To address these gaps, we conducted a comprehensive literature review to test focal hypotheses about disturbance foraging behaviour in birds. We found that avian disturbance foraging was geographically ubiquitous, occurring in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats across six continents and four oceans. Consistent with predictions based on established species diversity gradients in different habitat types, the majority of terrestrial observations occurred at tropical latitudes, whereas aquatic observations took place most frequently in temperate marine waters. Although disturbance foraging was widespread across the avian phylogeny, contrary to our prediction, the behaviour was also conserved phylogenetically (Pagel's λ = 0.7) and clustered within suboscine landbirds in terrestrial environments and seabirds in aquatic environments. Similarly, although disturbers were taxonomically diverse as we predicted, interactions were unexpectedly dominated by swarm-raiding ants in terrestrial environments and cetaceans in aquatic environments. Diet and body mass were also important predictors of disturbance foraging associations: Responders followed disturbers with similar diets and larger body sizes. Overall, our hypothesis-testing framework provides insight into the importance of geography, phylogeny and ecology as predictors of disturbance foraging behaviour. We anticipate that this comprehensive assessment of disturbance foraging will serve to generate additional hypotheses and spark future research and management considerations about this fascinating but poorly studied suite of species interactions, especially as biotic interactions face unprecedented risks in our rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonah S Dominguez
- Department of Evolution, Ecology & Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark E Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology & Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Advanced Science Research Center and Program in Psychology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Corey E Tarwater
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Emily Williams
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Bridget Strejc
- Department of Evolution, Ecology & Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Henry S Pollock
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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3
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Rodríguez de León IR, Venegas Barrera CS, Gaona García G, Azuara Domínguez A, Rosas Mejía M. Ants of Mexico: Distribution and species richness in environments with varying levels of human impact. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e109794. [PMID: 38318522 PMCID: PMC10840408 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e109794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Anthropogenic disturbance, primarily driven by land-use changes, has caused alterations in ecosystems and biodiversity, including the ant community. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the current landscape of ant species richness and distribution in environments with varying degrees of disturbance in Mexico. Additionally, we sought to identify ant species of ecological, economic and health significance within the country. New information The present study shows that Mexico has a total of 33,286 records of 1,104 ant species belonging to 10 subfamilies. These species were recorded in a wide variety of environments with different levels of human impact. It was observed that both highly-disturbed environments and undisturbed environments had the highest number of ant records. In undisturbed environments, greater species richness was recorded, with a total of 704 species. Furthermore, the most representative ant species for the country were identified in ecological, economic and human health contexts. Within these species, a group composed of four exotic species (Tapinomamelanocephalum, Paratrechinalongicornis, Wasmanniaauropunctata and Linepithemahumile) deserves special attention, as they have achieved extensive dispersion throughout the country and have been associated with negative impacts in ecological, economic and human health realms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itzel Rubí Rodríguez de León
- Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Instituto de Ecología Aplicada, Cd. Victoria, MexicoUniversidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Instituto de Ecología AplicadaCd. VictoriaMexico
| | - Crystian S. Venegas Barrera
- División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Cd. Victoria, MexicoDivisión de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Tecnológico Nacional de MéxicoCd. VictoriaMexico
| | - Griselda Gaona García
- Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, “Dr. Norberto Treviño Zapata”, Cd. Victoria, MexicoUniversidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, “Dr. Norberto Treviño Zapata”Cd. VictoriaMexico
| | - Ausencio Azuara Domínguez
- División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Cd. Victoria, MexicoDivisión de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Tecnológico Nacional de MéxicoCd. VictoriaMexico
| | - Madai Rosas Mejía
- Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, “Dr. Norberto Treviño Zapata”, Cd. Victoria, MexicoUniversidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, “Dr. Norberto Treviño Zapata”Cd. VictoriaMexico
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von Beeren C, Pohl S, Fikáček M, Kleinfelder S, Tishechkin AK, Yamamoto S, Chani‐Posse M, Żyła D, Tokareva A, Maruyama M, Hall WE, Sandoval LP, Kronauer DJC. Army ant middens - Home and nursery of a diverse beetle fauna. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10451. [PMID: 37736273 PMCID: PMC10509147 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Army ants provide nourishment to a large variety of animals. This includes birds that feed on animals flushed out by army ant raids, symbiotic arthropods that consume the ants' prey or their brood, and other arthropods that scavenge on army ant refuse deposits. The latter have not received much attention, and the few published studies lack detailed species identifications. Here we provide a first systematic inventory of the beetle fauna associated with refuse deposits of Eciton army ants, with a focus on Eciton burchellii. We collected 8364 adult beetles, 511 larvae, and 24 eggs from 34 deposits at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. We used a combination of DNA barcoding and morphology to identify a subset of 436 specimens to species level. The samples included several new species, and we here formally describe two water scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae). Refuse deposits harbored a diverse beetle fauna. The identified subset consisted of 91 beetle species from 12 families, with rove beetles being the most abundant and diverse visitors. Of the 85 species found with E. burchellii, 50 species were collected from only one or two refuse deposits. Conversely, seven species were found in 10 or more refuse deposits, indicating a certain level of habitat specialization. We matched adults and immatures for 22 beetle species via DNA barcodes, demonstrating that army ant middens also serve as a beetle nursery. The present survey highlights the significant ecological function of army ants as promoters of biodiversity and their status as keystone species in tropical rainforests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph von Beeren
- Department of BiologyTechnical University of DarmstadtDarmstadtGermany
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and BehaviorThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Sebastian Pohl
- NUS CollegeNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Division of ScienceYale‐NUS CollegeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Martin Fikáček
- Department of Biological SciencesNational Sun Yat‐sen UniversityKaohsiungTaiwan
- Department of EntomologyNational MuseumPragueCzech Republic
| | | | - Alexey K. Tishechkin
- California State Collection of ArthropodsCalifornia Department of Food and AgricultureSacramentoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Shûhei Yamamoto
- The Hokkaido University MuseumHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | | | - Dagmara Żyła
- Museum of Nature HamburgLeibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity ChangeHamburgGermany
| | - Alexandra Tokareva
- Museum and Institute of Zoology of the Polish Academy of SciencesWarsawPoland
| | | | | | - Liliana P. Sandoval
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental SciencesCzech University of Life Sciences PraguePraha — SuchdolCzech Republic
| | - Daniel J. C. Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and BehaviorThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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Duffus NE, Echeverri A, Dempewolf L, Noriega JA, Furumo PR, Morimoto J. The Present and Future of Insect Biodiversity Conservation in the Neotropics: Policy Gaps and Recommendations. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 52:407-421. [PMID: 36918492 PMCID: PMC10181979 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-023-01031-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that insect populations may be declining at local and global scales, threatening the sustainability of the ecosystem services that insects provide. Insect declines are of particular concern in the Neotropics, which holds several of the world's hotspots of insect endemism and diversity. Conservation policies are one way to prevent and mitigate insect declines, yet these policies are usually biased toward vertebrate species. Here, we outline some key policy instruments for biodiversity conservation in the Neotropics and discuss their potential contribution and shortcomings for insect biodiversity conservation. These include species-specific action policies, protected areas and Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), sectoral policies, biodiversity offsetting, market-based mechanisms, and the international policy instruments that underpin these efforts. We highlight that although these policies can potentially benefit insect biodiversity indirectly, there are avenues in which we could better incorporate the specific needs of insects into policy to mitigate the declines mentioned above. We propose several areas of improvement. Firstly, evaluating the extinction risk of more Neotropical insects to better target at-risk species with species-specific policies and conserve their habitats within area-based interventions. Secondly, alternative pest control methods and enhanced monitoring of insects in a range of land-based production sectors. Thirdly, incorporating measurable and achievable insect conservation targets into international policies and conventions. Finally, we emphasise the important roles of community engagement and enhanced public awareness in achieving these improvements to insect conservation policies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alejandra Echeverri
- Centre for Conservation Biology, Dept of Biology, Stanford Univ, CA, Stanford, USA
- The Natural Capital Project, Stanford Univ, CA, Stanford, USA
| | - Lena Dempewolf
- Ministry of Planning and Development, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Jorge Ari Noriega
- Grupo Agua, Salud y Ambiente, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paul R Furumo
- Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford Univ, Stanford, USA
| | - Juliano Morimoto
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia E Conservação, Univ Federal Do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- Institute of Mathematics, Univ of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen, Scotland
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6
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Mora-Aguilar EF, Arriaga-Jiménez A, Correa CMA, da Silva PG, Korasaki V, López-Bedoya PA, Hernández MIM, Pablo-Cea JD, Salomão RP, Valencia G, Vulinec K, Edwards FA, Edwards DP, Halffter G, Noriega JA. Toward a standardized methodology for sampling dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in the Neotropics: A critical review. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1096208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionThe standardization of sampling protocols is imperative for robustly studying any taxonomic group. Replicable methods allow the comparison of data between different spatial and temporal studies. In the case of dung beetles, one of the best-studied indicator groups in analyses of environmental disturbance, a wide range of collection methodologies are used, from basic pitfall traps to more complex or complementary methods such as mini-Winkler extractor. Also, different types of attractive baits, sampling effort, durations, and designs are used in dung beetle studies. Variations in methodological approaches are particularly noted in the Neotropics, which may be related to the vast number of biological strategies and behavior of dung beetles that inhabit this region. A lack of methodological unification for the Neotropical region makes a cross-sectional analysis of the information impossible.MethodsWe performed a compilation and analytical review of the existing literature for dung beetle sampling in the Neotropics, discussing the most used methodologies, their advantages and disadvantages, and specific cases in which particular models are more efficient.ResultsPitfall traps baited with human excrement are the most common sampling method, but there is a wide range of models and variations in the structure of this trap. The complementary effect generated by flight interception traps, light traps, and direct collections, particularly within microhabitats, is exciting for the potential of finding new species. Some methodologies, such as mini-Winkler extractor, fogging, or very specific baits, are infrequently used.DiscussionThere was a lack of inclusion of spatial and temporal variation among studies. Therefore, it is necessary to consider broader sampling windows, which include different spatial scales, seasons, and years. Finally, we propose a standard protocol for sampling dung beetles in the Neotropics, depending on each objective, and including a basic methodology for obtaining complete local inventories.
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Tozetto L, Forrister DL, Duval M, Hays T, Garwood N, Castro RV, Lattke JE, Sendoya S, Longino JT. Army ant males lose seasonality at a site on the equator. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Tozetto
- Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Brazil
| | - Dale L. Forrister
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah USA
| | - Megan Duval
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah USA
| | - Tobias Hays
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah USA
| | - Nancy C. Garwood
- School of Biological Sciences Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois USA
| | - Ronald Vargas Castro
- Texas A&M University Soltis Center San Juan de Peñas Blancas, San Ramón Costa Rica
| | - John E. Lattke
- Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Brazil
| | - Sebastian Sendoya
- Departamento de Ecologia, Zoologia e Genética Universidade Federal de Pelotas Pelotas Brazil
| | - John T. Longino
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah USA
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8
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Pierce NE, Dankowicz E. Behavioral, ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying caterpillar-ant symbioses. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 52:100898. [PMID: 35257969 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
At least 30 different groups in seventeen butterfly and moth families (Lepidoptera) include ant-associated caterpillars. The life histories of more than 900 ant-associated species have been documented from the butterfly families Lycaenidae and Riodinidae, with relationships ranging from parasitism to mutualism. Caterpillars that appear to secrete food rewards for ants are not necessarily mutualists, and a number of species are known to manipulate ants with deceptive chemical and vibratory signals. The functional variability of different exocrine glands deployed as 'ant organs' makes them prone to convergence, and it remains unclear whether ant association originated more than once in lycaenids and riodinids. The relative costs and benefits of caterpillar integration with ants is context dependent: both top-down and bottom-up effects influence the evolution of ant associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi E Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Even Dankowicz
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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von Beeren C, Blüthgen N, Hoenle PO, Pohl S, Brückner A, Tishechkin AK, Maruyama M, Brown BV, Hash JM, Hall WE, Kronauer DJC. A remarkable legion of guests: Diversity and host specificity of army ant symbionts. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:5229-5246. [PMID: 34406688 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Tropical rainforests are among the most diverse biomes on Earth. While species inventories are far from complete for any tropical rainforest, even less is known about the intricate species interactions that form the basis of these ecological communities. One fascinating but poorly studied example are the symbiotic associations between army ants and their rich assemblages of parasitic arthropod guests. Hundreds of these guests, or myrmecophiles, have been taxonomically described. However, because previous work has mainly been based on haphazard collections from disjunct populations, it remains challenging to define species boundaries. We therefore know little about the species richness, abundance and host specificity of most guests in any given population, which is crucial to understand co-evolutionary and ecological dynamics. Here, we report a quantitative community survey of myrmecophiles parasitizing the six sympatric Eciton army ant species in a Costa Rican rainforest. Combining DNA barcoding with morphological identification of over 2,000 specimens, we discovered 62 species, including 49 beetles, 11 flies, one millipede and one silverfish. At least 14 of these species were new to science. Ecological network analysis revealed a clear signal of host partitioning, and each Eciton species was host to both specialists and generalists. These varying degrees in host specificities translated into a moderate level of network specificity, highlighting the system's level of biotic pluralism in terms of biodiversity and interaction diversity. By providing vouchered DNA barcodes for army ant guest species, this study provides a baseline for future work on co-evolutionary and ecological dynamics in these species-rich host-symbiont networks across the Neotropical realm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph von Beeren
- Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Nico Blüthgen
- Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Philipp O Hoenle
- Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sebastian Pohl
- Division of Science, Yale-NUS College, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Adrian Brückner
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Alexey K Tishechkin
- California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Pest Diagnostics Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | | | - Brian V Brown
- Entomology Section, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John M Hash
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - W E Hall
- University of Arizona Insect Collection, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Daniel J C Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, USA
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