Composition and functional groups of epiedaphic ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in irrigated agroecosystem and in nonagricultural areas

Abstract

-The objective of this work was to evaluate the species composition and functional groups of ants in nonagricultural (NA) and in irrigated areas (S, seasonal irrigation; P, irrigation with well water; W, irrigation with wastewater) in an arid agricultural region in central Mexico, throughout 2005 and2006. A total of 52,358 ants belonging to 6 subfamilies, 21 genera and 39 species was collected using pitfall traps. The species best represented in all plots were: Forelius pruinosus, Pheidole obtusospinosa, Monomorium minimum and Dorymyrmex spp. NA plots recorded the highest density of ants. The highest values for diversity (H') and equitativity (J') were recorded in NA and P plots, while the lowest were recorded in W plots. Cluster analysis showed two different groups regarding species composition: NA-S and W-P. Functional groups recorded were: dominant Dolichoderinae, three species; subordinate Camponotini, fi ve species; hot climate specialists, three species; tropical climate specialists, seven species; cold climate specialists, fi ve species; cryptic species, one species; opportunists, six species; generalized Myrmicinae, nine species. Agricultural activity affects the structure of the ant community with epiedaphic forage, and the constant use of irrigation wastewater in conjunction with intense agricultural practices has negative effect upon species richness of epiedaphic ants.Index terms: biodiversity, irrigated area, semiarid zone, wastewater. Composição e grupos funcionais de formigas epiedáfi cas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em agroecossistema irrigado e em áreas não agrícolasResumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a composição de espécies e os grupos funcionais de formigas em áreas não agrícolas (NA) e em áreas irrigadas (S, irrigação sazonal; P, irrigação com águas de poço; W, irrigação com água residuária) em uma região agrícola de clima árido da região Central do México durante 2005 e 2006. Um total de 52.358 formigas pertencentes a 6 subfamílias, 21 gêneros e 39 espécies foi coletado por meio de armadilhas Pitfall. As espécies mais bem representadas em todas as parcelas foram: Forelius pruinosus, Pheidole obtusospinosa, Monomorium minimum e Dorymyrmex spp. As parcelas NA registraram a maior densidade de formigas. Os maiores valores de diversidade (H') e equitatividade (J') foram observados nas parcelas NA e P, e os menores, nas parcelas W. A análise de cluster mostrou grupos diferentes quanto à composição de espécies: NA-S e W-P. Os grupos funcionais registrados foram: Dolichoderinae dominantes, três espécies; Camponotini subordinadas, cinco espécies; especialistas de clima quente, três espécies; especialistas de clima tropical, sete espécies; especialistas de clima frio, cinco espécies; espécies crípticas, uma espécie; oportunistas, seis espécies; Myrmicinae generalizados, nove espécies. A atividade de agricultura afeta a estrutura das comunidades das formigas epiedáfi cas e a utilização constante de irrigação com água residuária, em conjunto com práticas agrícolas intensas tem um efeito...

Soil-litter ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) community response to reforested lands of Gishwati tropical montane forest, northern-western part of Rwanda

“…However, the occurrence of ant species under the genus Myrmicaria in all forest types can be associated with their mode of life as it was found in other studies. The species Myrmicaria congolensis and Myrmicaria opaciventris are predators (Andersen & Majer 2004), tropical climate specialist (Hernández-Ruiz et al 2009) and generalized Myrmicinae (Kenne & Dejean 1999), that have the ability to adapt to all environmental conditions (Kenne & Dejean 1999). The occurrence of these species as well as Myrmicaria SP03 in all forest types might be related to their adaptations to different environmental conditions imposed by forest types (Yusuf et al 2013).…”

New-World Spread of the Old-World Robust Crazy Ant, Nylanderia bourbonica (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

“…bourbonica specimen records from 446 sites (including 396 sites in Florida; Fig 1), documenting the earliest known records for 24 geographic areas (countries, island groups, major islands, and US states), including nine for which I found no previously published records: Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos Islands, Missouri, and Washington (Table 1). I compiled N. bourbonica from 32 sites on 16 West Indian islands, including published records from Barbados (Wetterer et al, 2016), New Providence (Deyrup et al, 1998), South Bimini (Smith, 1954), North Andros (Deyrup et al, 1998), San Salvador (Deyrup et al, 1998), Cuba (Trager, 1984;LoddoVega et al, 2001), and St Croix (Wetterer & Lombard, 2010) Outside of Florida, I found only 18 North American site records of N. bourbonica, including three from Mexico (Trager, 1984;Hernández-Ruiz et al, 2009;Coronado-Blanco et al, 2013) South Carolina, Summerville (33.0°N; Smith, 1934) South Carolina, Charleston (32.8°N;Smith, 1934) Alabama, Mobile (30.7°N;Trager, 1984) Texas, Harris Co.;Houston, (29.8°N, 30-Jun-1973 In addition to the above records from Jacksonville and Gainesville, I recorded only seven site records of N. bourbonica north of 29.5°N in Florida, all Kallal and LaPolla (2012) presented a map (Figure 205) that purported to show the distribution in North America of N. bourbonica and five other Nylanderia species. Oddly, this map included just three site records for N. bourbonica: one in the Florida Keys, one in Palm Beach County, Florida, and one in eastern Massachusetts.…”