Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records

Ulysséa, Mônica Antunes; Brandão, Carlos Roberto Ferreira

doi:10.1590/s0085-56262013005000002

Cited by 23 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…). Atta opaciceps , the focal species in this study, is considered to be endemic to the Caatinga region (Ulysséa & Brandão ) and is thus tolerant to low humidity and high temperatures. In Catimbau, A. opaciceps achieves a high population density (2.45 colonies/ha) and ranges from open habitats ( e.g ., abandoned field crops) to forest patches (Siqueira et al .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human disturbance promotes herbivory by leaf‐cutting ants in the Caatinga dry forest

et al. 2018

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Anthropogenic disturbances are known to modify plant–animal interactions such as those involving the leaf‐cutting ants, the most voracious and proliferating herbivore across human‐modified landscapes in the Neotropics. Here, we evaluate the effect of chronic anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., firewood collection, livestock grazing) and vegetation seasonality on foraging area, foliage availability in the foraging area, leaf consumption and herbivory rate of the leaf‐cutting ant Atta opaciceps in the semiarid Caatinga, a mosaic of dry forest and scrub vegetation in northeast Brazil. Contrary to our initial expectation, the foraging area was not affected by either disturbance intensity or the interaction between season and disturbance intensity. However, leaf consumption and herbivory rate were higher in more disturbed areas. We also found a strong effect of seasonality, with higher leaf consumption and herbivory rate in the dry season. Our results suggest that the foraging ecology of leaf‐cutting ants is modulated by human disturbance and seasonality as these two drivers affect the spectrum and the amount of resources available for these ants in the Caatinga. Despite the low productivity of Caatinga vegetation, the annual rates of biomass consumption by A. opaciceps are similar to those reported from other leaf‐cutting ants in rain forests and savannas. This is made possible by maintaining high foraging activity even in the peak of the dry season and taking benefit from any resource available, including low‐quality items. Such compensation highlights the adaptive capacity of LCA to persist or even proliferate in human‐modified landscapes from dry to rain forests.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human disturbance promotes herbivory by leaf‐cutting ants in the Caatinga dry forest

et al. 2018

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“…The seven published site records of G. bruchi came from Argentina (one: Santschi, 1922), Brazil (four: Kempf, 1969;Camargo, 2011;Rosado et al, 2012;Ulyssea and Brandao, 2013), and Paraguay (two: Wild, 2007). Cuezzo andGonzalez Campero (2009) andWild (2007) did not include specific locales for some of their records from Argentina and Paraguay, respectively.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographic distribution of Gnamptogenys hartmani (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), an agro-predator that attacks fungus-growing ants

Wetterer

2014

Terr Arthropod Rev

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Gnamptogenys hartmani is a specialist predator that attacks colonies of fungus-growing ants. To examine the biogeography of G. hartmani, I compiled specimen records of G. hartmani from 36 sites, and records of Gnamptogenys bruchi (a possible junior synonym) from seven sites. Records of Gnamptogenys hartmani ranged from Lucky, Louisiana (32.2°N) in the north to Villa Nougués, Argentina (26.9°S) in the south. If G. bruchi proves to be a synonym of G. hartmani, this would extend the known range as far south as Alta Gracia, Argentina (31.7°S). In the US, G. hartmani populations are known only from Texas and Louisiana, yet there is much apparently suitable habitat along the Gulf coast of Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Given the remarkable scarcity of G. hartmani records throughout its known range, it remains possible that G. hartmani populations occur all along the Gulf coast of the US, but have been overlooked.

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“…ribifolia ), we assessed the online SpeciesLink database (available at http://www.splink.org.br/). To access the occurrence points of D. quadriceps , we searched for papers in the Scopus and Web of Science online database in which we could gather georeferenciated information about sites in which this species was collected (Santana‐Reis & Santos ; Vasconcellos et al ; Quinet & Tavares ; Araújo & Rodrigues ; Nunes et al ; Santos et al ,, ; Medeiros et al ; Nascimento et al ; Cologna et al ; Ulysséa & Brandão ; Lenhart ; Torres et al ; Leal et al ,b). For D. quadriceps , we have only selected occurrence points located in Caatinga vegetation because the selected plant species are strictly associated to this ecosystem (Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

When the company does not matter: High‐quality ant seed‐disperser does not drive the spatial distribution of large‐seeded myrmecochorous plants

2019

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Mutualisms are one of the main forces shaping species spatial patterns at all geographic scales. In generalised mutualisms, however, the dependence among partners is highly variable in time and space, and therefore, the effect of diffuse mutualisms on species geographic distributions is unclear. Myrmecochorous seeds in Brazilian semi‐arid vegetation are dispersed by several ant species. However, large‐seeded species are especially dependent on dispersal by the giant ant Dinoponera quadriceps, which is the main disperser of such diaspores and the species that provide the longest dispersal distance among ant species in this system. Hence, we hypothesise that the presence of D. quadriceps shapes the distribution of large‐seeded, but not the distribution of small‐seeded myrmecochorous plant species. To evaluate this hypothesis, we modelled the potential distribution of two large‐seeded (which are predominantly dispersed by D. quadriceps) and two small‐seeded (which are barely dispersed by D. quadriceps) Euphorbiaceae species and the potential distribution of D. quadriceps. We analysed the relationship between the occurrence suitability of D. quadriceps and the occurrence suitability of plant species. We found that the potential distribution of both large‐seeded and small‐seeded myrmecochorous plants was unrelated to D. quadriceps occurrence suitability. It means that the disproportional benefits provided by high‐quality disperser at local scales may not emerge at broader geographical scales. In Caatinga vegetation, diaspores are submitted to strong abiotic filters that constraint seed germination and establishment after the dispersal phase. Such abiotic filters may dilute the initial benefit provided by long‐distance dispersers. Therefore, we suggest that in dry environments like the Caatinga, the benefits of long‐distance removals should be outweighed by the risk of reach new habitats with unfavourable conditions for germination and establishment.

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Ant species (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from the seasonally dry tropical forest of northeastern Brazil: a compilation from field surveys in Bahia and literature records

Cited by 23 publications

References 38 publications

Human disturbance promotes herbivory by leaf‐cutting ants in the Caatinga dry forest

Human disturbance promotes herbivory by leaf‐cutting ants in the Caatinga dry forest

Geographic distribution of Gnamptogenys hartmani (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), an agro-predator that attacks fungus-growing ants

When the company does not matter: High‐quality ant seed‐disperser does not drive the spatial distribution of large‐seeded myrmecochorous plants

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