Unpaved roads alter foraging patterns of the leafcutter antAtta colombica

Abstract

Leaf cutting ants are dominant herbivores and influential ecosystem engineers in the Neotropics. It has been suggested that habitat disturbances alter the architecture of foraging trail systems for colonies in their vicinity; however, the evidence remains scarce. In this study we investigated the effect of unpaved roads dissecting tropical lowland forest habitat on the structure of leafcutter foraging trail systems and foraging effort. We mapped trail systems for 16 mature Atta colombica colonies located at different distances from unpaved roads. Our results suggest exploitation of unpaved roads by leafcutters provides favorable foraging conditions, causing significant differences in foraging trail structure.