Ant Assemblage Structure in a Secondary Tropical Dry Forest: The Role of Ecological Succession and Seasonality

Abstract

This study identified the main biological mechanisms governing the diversity of ants on different ecological time scales. Ants were sampled in 15 plots distributed in early, intermediate and late stages of succession (five plots per stage) at the Parque Estadual da Mata Seca, Brazil. At each sample point, unbaited pitfall traps were installed in hypogaeic, epigaeic and arboreal strata. We collected 95 ant species from 26 genera and nine subfamilies. Our results indicated that there was an increase in species richness in advanced stages of succession. We also observed that ant assemblages were different among successional stages. For the arboreal and epigaeic strata, species richness did not change with succession progression, but species composition of these two strata differed among successional stages. Unlike to arboreal and epigaeic ants, hypogaiec ant species richness was higher in the intermediate and late stages of succession and the composition of hypogaeic ants differed among successional stages. Similarity between ant species foraging in arboreal and epigaeic strata decreases with succession progression and β-diversity was higher in advanced successional stages. Additionally, species richness was higher in the dry season, whereas the composition of ant assemblages did not change between seasons. A considerable fraction of the ant assemblage was found only in advanced stages of succession, demonstrating the importance of secondary habitats in maintaining biodiversity in dry forests.

Soil Health and Arthropods: From Complex System to Worthwhile Investigation

“…Blinova and Dobrydina [73] found that anthropogenic impact on a given area can be measured on the basis of species richness, taxonomic structure, linear dimensions and ratio of nests types; indeed, the proportion of underground nests is used as bioindicator, since the fact of ants going into the soil is one of the adaptations to urban conditions. In terms of successional stages, habitats at the initial stage of succession harbour a myrmecofauna with a low number of species and dominance of only a few of them capable of tolerating extreme conditions; throughout the succession process, other species colonize the plots, thereby increasing diversity, while richness response depends on their being epigaeic or hypogaeic ants, since epigaeic species richness does not change with succession progression, unlike hypogaeic ants, whose richness can be higher in the intermediate and late stages of succession [74]. Stephens and Wagner [60] found that traditional biodiversity measures, such as species richness, diversity and dominance are a less effective measure of bioindication than functional group analysis, which allows considering the ecosystem role of each species.…”

Efeito da regeneração florestal de uma Floresta Tropical Sazonalmente Seca sobre a diversidade de artrópodes de serapilheira

“…Na estação chuvosa as formigas apresentam sua riqueza e diversidade sendo favorecidas pela sucessão ecológica, semelhante a comunidade de artrópodes como um todo, enquanto na estação seca o estádio inicial obteve os maiores números de espécies e índices de diversidade. Marques et al (2017) estudando o papel da sazonalidade e estágio de sucessão em assembleias de formigas em floresta seca de Minas Gerais, observaram maior riqueza de espécies de formigas na estação seca, quando comparado a estação chuvosa. Isso vai de encontro a evidências que indicam que a comunidade de formigas é desfavorecida pelo aquecimento excessivo do solo (Diamond et al, 2016) que é mais intenso nos ambientes iniciais de sucessão.…”

“…Isso vai de encontro a evidências que indicam que a comunidade de formigas é desfavorecida pelo aquecimento excessivo do solo (Diamond et al, 2016) que é mais intenso nos ambientes iniciais de sucessão. Em contrapartida alguns estudos constatem que formigas tem uma alta resiliência ao uso intensivo de solo mantendo comunidades com riqueza e diversidade semelhante em áreas preservadas e florestas secundárias (Schimidt e Diehl, 2008;Solar et al, 2016;Marques et al, 2017). Desse modo o ambiente inicial do presente estudo pode representar uma escala temporal suficiente para o reestabelecimento das comunidades de formigas, que agora são controladas por outros fatores, como por exemplo a predação, uma vez que há mais predadores (e demais níveis tróficos) no estádio tardio.…”

Do lianas shape ant communities in an early successional tropical forest?

“…Ants represent a significant portion of total animal biomass and insect abundance in forest canopies (Blüthgen & Stork, 2007;Davidson, Cook, Snelling, & Chua, 2003;Floren, Wetzel, & Staab, 2014), and are a good model taxon for studying arboreal communities across forest successional stages (Floren, Freking, Biehl, & Linsenmair, 2001;Klimes et al, 2012;Silva, Feitosa, & Eberhardt, 2007). Arboreal ant species richness and functional diversity typically increase during forest succession (Bihn et al, 2008;Dunn, 2004;Marques, Espírito-Santo, Neves, & Schoereder, 2017;Silva et al, 2007), in part due to overall increases in tree size and diversity, and nest site availability (Campos et al, 2006;Klimes et al, 2012;Ribas et al, 2003). As individual trees age and grow taller, the resident ant community also changes to include fewer groundnesting species (Dejean, Djiéto-Lordon, Céréghino, & Leponce, 2008;Tschinkel & Hess, 1999).…”