Ants as bioindicators of habitat disturbance: validation of the functional group model for Australia's humid tropics

King, Joshua R.; Andersen, Alan N.; Cutter, Asher D.

doi:10.1023/a:1008857214743

Cited by 128 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…On the other hand, species that are associated with dense vegetation may have been excluded from our study area because they are more sensitive to the severe environmental conditions of these areas (King et al, 1998). Although most candeial species are able to tolerate high temperatures and low water and organic matter availability, they cannot colonize sites with high canopy cover (Lassau and Hochuli, 2004), whereas specific ants from dense vegetation are probably better adapted to environments with high humidity and low temperature (Schmidt et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This might be explained by a decrease in the number of species sensitive to warmer microclimate conditions in open vegetation habitats (Pino et al, 2000;Desrochers et al, 2011). Open-area species can replace shade-adapted species in disturbed forests (King et al, 1998;Madureira et al, 2012) and these species do not perform the same functions (Barbosa et al, 2015). Furthermore, there is a correlation between the thermal tolerance of ants and the environment in which they occur, as there are differences in temperatures of optimal foraging among species in the same community (Dunn et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Canopy cover negatively affects arboreal ant species richness in a tropical open habitat

Queiroz

Ribas

2016

Braz. J. Biol.

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We tested the hypothesis of a negative relationship between vegetation characteristics and ant species richness in a Brazilian open vegetation habitat, called candeial. We set up arboreal pitfalls to sample arboreal ants and measured the following environmental variables, which were used as surrogate of environmental heterogeneity: tree richness, tree density, tree height, circumference at the base of the plants, and canopy cover. Only canopy cover had a negative effect on the arboreal ant species richness. Vegetation characteristics and plant species composition are probably homogeneous in candeial, which explains the lack of relationship between other environmental variables and ant richness. Open vegetation habitats harbor a large number of opportunistic and generalist species, besides specialist ants from habitats with high temperatures. An increase in canopy cover decreases sunlight incidence and may cause local microclimatic differences, which negatively affect the species richness of specialist ants from open areas. Canopy cover regulates the richness of arboreal ants in open areas, since only few ant species are able to colonize sites with dense vegetation; most species are present in sites with high temperature and luminosity. Within open vegetation habitats the relationship between vegetation characteristics and species richness seems to be the opposite from closed vegetation areas, like forests.Keywords: environmental heterogeneity, microclimate, vegetation characteristics, hierarchical partitioning, candeia.A cobertura de dossel afeta negativamente a riqueza de formigas arborícolas em um hábitat tropical aberto ResumoNós testamos a hipótese de que há uma relação negativa entre as características da vegetação e a riqueza de espécies de formigas em habitats abertos como o candeial. Para isto, nós instalamos pitfalls arborícolas para a captura de formigas e mensuramos as seguintes variáveis ambientais: riqueza de árvores, densidade de árvores, altura de árvores, circunferência basal das plantas e cobertura de dossel. Somente a cobertura de dossel apresentou efeito negativo na riqueza de formigas arborícolas. Provavelmente, as características da vegetação e a composição de espécies de plantas são mais homogêneas no candeial, o que explica a ausência de relação entre a riqueza de formigas e as outras variáveis ambientais. Formações abertas abrigam um grande número de espécies oportunistas e generalistas, além de formigas especialistas de climas quentes. O aumento na cobertura de dossel diminui a incidência solar o que pode causar diferenças microclimáticas que afetam negativamente as espécies de formigas especialistas de hábitats abertos. A cobertura de dossel regula a riqueza de espécies de formigas arborícolas em áreas abertas e poucas espécies nestes locais estão aptas a colonizar locais com a vegetação densa. Assim, a maioria das espécies estão presentes em locais com alta temperatura e luminosidade. Em outras palavras, em hábitats de vegetação aberta a relação entre características da vegetaç...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Canopy cover negatively affects arboreal ant species richness in a tropical open habitat

Queiroz

Ribas

2016

Braz. J. Biol.

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“…Fatores como produtividade primária , complexidade e heterogeneidade do ambiente expressa pela riqueza e composição das comunidades de plantas (Ribas et al 2003, Lassau & Hochuli 2004, temperatura e umidade (King et al 1998, Sabu et al 2008) e topografia (Vasconcelos et al 2003) podem ser responsáveis pela variação da riqueza observada nas diferentes localidades. Entretanto, em nenhuma área de Floresta Ombrófila Densa foi registrado um número tão baixo de espécie como é o caso da Fazenda Santo Alberto, localizada na Serra do Itapeti.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Diversidade e riqueza de formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em remanescentes de Mata Atlântica na Bacia Hidrográfica do Alto Tietê, SP

et al. 2013

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Abstract:The objective of this study was to describe the diversity, composition and similarity of the ant fauna in seven remnants of Atlantic Forest of Upper Tietê River Basin. Two of these remnants belong to Conservation Units, four are under the protection and a fragment belongs to a private property. In each area, 50 m 2 litter samples were collected, which underwent mini-Winkler extractors, where they remained for 48 h. All collections occurred during the rainy season. In total were recorded 11 subfamilies, 44 genera and 158 morphospecies/species of ants. The most frequent species in all areas were Pheidole sp.7, Solenopsis sp.1, Hypoponera sp.1 and Strumigenys denticulata. The highest α diversity value was recorded in the conservation unit with characteristic Atlantic Forest floristic composition, the lowest value in forests with anthropogenic influence. The variation in species composition between areas indicates the replacement of species among remnants of dense rain forest of the Alto Tietê River Basin, which suggests the importance of preserving these areas for the conservation of the regional ant fauna.

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“…KING et al 1998, HASSALL et al 2006, MOSS & HASSALL 2006, VILISICS et al 2007. The data presented in this work show that the exotic species S. spinosus might benefit from the vegetation mosaic produced by slashing and burning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of four types of anthropogenic disturbances on composition and abundance of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea)

Magrini

Freitas

Uehara‐Prado³

2011

Zoologia (Curitiba, Impr.)

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ABSTRACT. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is currently reduced to about 12% of its original range. Among the components that make up its great diversity, there are species with the potential to be bioindicators, which can be very important for conservation-oriented studies. This study compares the species composition, abundance and sex ratio of terrestrial isopods in sites that show different anthropogenic disturbance histories and are located within four reserves in the Atlantic Forest of southwestern Brazil. Our study explores these crustaceans as indicators of anthropogenic disturbance.The influence of one of the following factors was explored in each protected area: 1) history of vegetation harvesting, 2) trail management, 3) Eucalyptus planting, and 4) edge effect. A total of 2,217 individuals of six species (Atlantoscia sp., Benthana werneri Lemos de Castro, 1958, Pseudodiploexochus tabularis (Barnard, 1932, Pudeoniscus obscures Lemos de Castro, 1973, Styloniscus spinosus (Patience, 1907, and Trichorhina sp.) were captured in pitfall traps. The composition of isopod species was different between most of the contrasting sites within reserves, and was similar among the less disturbed sites of different reserves. The total number of isopod individuals and the sex ratio were not different between the contrasting sites within most of the reserves and only the sex ratio of Atlantoscia sp. differed between contrasting sites of one protected area. Upon an individual analysis of each species, S. spinosus (an exotic species) was most abundant in more disturbed sites. The distributions of B. werneri and Atlantoscia sp. over time were relatively synchronous, except where S. spinosus was abundant. Our results also indicate that the exotic species S. spinosus may benefit from the vegetation mosaic produced by disturbance, so differences in abundance of this species may be useful for bioindication.A change in the spatial and temporal structure of Oniscidea communities caused by anthropogenic disturbance may have a cascade effect on ecological cycles because terrestrial isopods play a fundamental role in nutrient cycling.

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Ants as bioindicators of habitat disturbance: validation of the functional group model for Australia's humid tropics

Cited by 128 publications

References 26 publications

Canopy cover negatively affects arboreal ant species richness in a tropical open habitat

Canopy cover negatively affects arboreal ant species richness in a tropical open habitat

Diversidade e riqueza de formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em remanescentes de Mata Atlântica na Bacia Hidrográfica do Alto Tietê, SP

The effects of four types of anthropogenic disturbances on composition and abundance of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea)

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