Spatial Variation in Rates of Seed Removal by Harvester Ants (Pogonomyrmex occidentalis) in a Shrub-steppe Ecosystem

Mull, John F.; MacMahon, James A.

doi:10.2307/2426649

Cited by 32 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Such variability in patterns of seed removal by foragers is common, changing in relationship to seed identity, seed distribution and burial, time of day and season, habitat, and the animals involved in dispersal/predation associations (e.g., Fig. 2 Frequency of encounters (±SE) in which ants reacted to seeds of a Cirsium arvense and b Carduus nutans by ignoring, antennating (i.e., investigating or ''smelling'' seeds with the antennae), manipulating (grasping the seed in their mandibles), attempting to carry, or removing seeds from the trial location Plant Ecol (2010) 210:291-301 297 Hulme 1994;Mull and MacMahon 1997;Fedriani et al 2004). In this study, seed identity did not appear to strongly affect disperser and predator foraging choices, as seeds from neither species were consistently preferred or avoided by either guild (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential for ants and vertebrate predators to shape seed-dispersal dynamics of the invasive thistles Cirsium arvense and Carduus nutans in their introduced range (North America)

Alba-Lynn

Henk

2010

Plant Ecol

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The population dynamics of invasive plants are influenced by positive and negative associations formed with members of the fauna present in the introduced range. For example, mutualistic associations formed with pollinators or seed dispersers may facilitate invasion, but reduced fitness from attack by native herbivores can also suppress it. Since population expansion depends on effective seed dispersal, interactions with seed dispersers and predators in a plant species introduced range may be of particular importance. We explored the relative contributions of potential seed dispersers (ants) and vertebrate predators (rodents and birds) to seed removal of two diplochorous (i.e., wind-and antdispersed), invasive thistles, Cirsium arvense and Carduus nutans, in Colorado, USA. We also conducted behavior trials to explore the potential of different ant species to disperse seeds, and we quantified which potential ant dispersers were prevalent at our study locations. Both ants and vertebrate predators removed significant amounts of C. arvense and C. nutans seed, with the relative proportion of seed removed by each guild varying by location. The behavior trials revealed clear seed preferences among three ant species as well as differences in the foragers' abilities to move seeds. In addition, two ant species that acted as potential dispersal agents were dominant at the study locations. Since local conditions in part determined whether dispersers or predators removed more seed, it is possible that some thistle populations benefit from a net dispersal effect, while others suffer proportionally more predation. Additionally, because the effectiveness of potential ant dispersers is taxonspecific, changes in ant community composition could affect the seed-dispersal dynamics of these thistles. Until now, most studies describing dispersal dynamics in C. arvense and C. nutans have focused on primary dispersal by wind or pre-dispersal seed predation by insects. Our findings suggest that animal-mediated dispersal and post-dispersal seed predation deserve further consideration.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential for ants and vertebrate predators to shape seed-dispersal dynamics of the invasive thistles Cirsium arvense and Carduus nutans in their introduced range (North America)

Alba-Lynn

Henk

2010

Plant Ecol

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“…This can have important implications where aerial broadcast seeding is used. Some species of Pogonomyrmex are reported to remove 10% of annual seed production, although they may remove 100% of more-preferred seed types (Crist and MacMahon 1992, Mull and MacMahon 1997, MacMahon et al 2000. Pogonomyrmex occidentalis is the most conspicuous ant in both habitats, but it is especially abundant in cheatgrass-dominated plots.…”

Section: Restoration Conservation and Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant Assemblages in Intact Big Sagebrush and Converted Cheatgrass-Dominated Habitats in Tooele County, Utah

Ostoja

Schupp

Sivy

2009

Western North American Naturalist

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“…En otros estudios se ha encontrado que las hormigas del género Pogonomyrmex pueden remover hasta 30 semillas en un día (Mull & MacMahon 1997), por lo que las tasas encontradas en este estudio indican una remoción sumamente elevada.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Remoción de Semillas en Hábitats Transformados: Pogonomyrmex barbatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) y Cinco Especies de Cactáceas del Centro de México

2014

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RESUMENUna de las consecuencias de la realización de actividades humanas en las zonas semiáridas es la transformación del hábitat. En este trabajo se estudió el efecto de dicha transformación sobre la tasa de remoción de semillas, de cinco especies de catcáceas, por la hormiga Pogonomyrmex barbatus. El estudio se realizó en el Valle de Zapotitlán Salinas, una zona semiárida del centro de México. Se estudiaron tres sitios que han estado bajo diferentes actividades humanas: un campo de cultivo abandonado (CCA), una terraza con evidencia de actividades humanas actuales y una zona con pocas actividades dentro de un jardín botánico ( JB). La hipótesis fue que el sitio que ha sido más transformado (CCA) tendría las tasas de remoción de semillas más bajas por presentar condiciones más adversas para la actividad de forrajeo de las hormigas. Los resultados mostraron que la transformación del hábitat afecta las tasas de remoción de las cinco especies de cactáceas estudiadas. Las tasas más bajas de remoción de semillas se encontraron en CCA y las más altas en TAH. Este resultado podría deberse a que TAH es un sitio muy heterogéneo que aún tiene algunas características que permiten una actividad de forrajeo alta por parte de las hormigas. También se encontró que la tasa de remoción de semillas varió ente las diferentes especies de cactáceas. Las semillas de Escontria chiotilla tuvieron la remoción más alta y las de Opuntia decumbens la más baja. Las diferencias en la remoción de semillas podrían estar asociadas con los cambios que las actividades humanas han ocasionado en la vegetación y en la superficie del suelo. Sin embargo la morfología externa de las semillas también debe ser considerada ya que en este estudio se encontró que las semillas más pequeñas fueron las más removidas.

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Spatial Variation in Rates of Seed Removal by Harvester Ants (Pogonomyrmex occidentalis) in a Shrub-steppe Ecosystem

Cited by 32 publications

References 45 publications

Potential for ants and vertebrate predators to shape seed-dispersal dynamics of the invasive thistles Cirsium arvense and Carduus nutans in their introduced range (North America)

Potential for ants and vertebrate predators to shape seed-dispersal dynamics of the invasive thistles Cirsium arvense and Carduus nutans in their introduced range (North America)

Ant Assemblages in Intact Big Sagebrush and Converted Cheatgrass-Dominated Habitats in Tooele County, Utah

Remoción de Semillas en Hábitats Transformados: Pogonomyrmex barbatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) y Cinco Especies de Cactáceas del Centro de México

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