Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Associated With Strip-Clearcut and Dense Spruce-Fir Forests of Maine

Abstract

Four genera and 9 species of ants were collected by pitfall traps in a spruce budworm-infested forest of northern Maine. Myrmica detritinodis and Camponotus herculeanus were most abundant. In 1977, significantly more individuals and species were trapped in dense spruce-fir stands than in either uncut residual or clearcut strips. In 1978, clearcut-strip and dense-stand means were nonsignificant for individuals and species, but significantly more individuals and species were trapped in clearcut than in uncut residual strips. Ants were active during the spruce budworm’s developmental stages. Diversity of ant species was generally greater in dense stands than in strip-clearcut areas. Individuals were distributed unevenly among species but more evenly in dense stands than in strip-clearcut areas (residual + clearcut strips). Coefficients of community (CC) and percentage similarity (PS) values indicated ant species and individuals shared forest conditions in common; however, the most dissimilar neighboring habitats (uncut residual and clearcut strips) had few species in common. Neither age of strip clearcut (1–6 years) nor litter depth had much influence on mean catches and mean number of species of ants/trap/week.

The effect of femel- and small scale clear-cutting on ground dwelling spider communities in a Norway spruce forest in Southern Germany

“…This guild is more mobile than web builders and therefore has a greater flexibility (Pearce et al 2004). The increase of Lycosidae and the decrease of Linyphiidae in our study following clear-cutting have also been reported by other studies in different regions of the world (Huhta 1971;Coyle 1981;Curry et al 1985;Jennings et al 1988;McIver et al 1992;Pajunen et al 1995;Atlegrim and Sjo¨berg 1995;Pearce et al 2004).…”

“…Linyphiidae also dominated in Scots and Lodgepole pine stands in Scotland (Docherty et al 1997), in coniferous stands in southern Finland (Pajunen et al 1995), with Agelenidae in an 'old growth' coniferous forest in Oregon, USA. (McIver et al 1992), and with Amaurobiidae and Agelenidae in a dense spruce fir forest of Maine, USA (Jennings et al 1988). Lycosidae were absent or scarce in our spruce stand and in other mature forests (Bultman et al 1982;Jennings et al 1988;Brand et al 1994).…”

“…(McIver et al 1992), and with Amaurobiidae and Agelenidae in a dense spruce fir forest of Maine, USA (Jennings et al 1988). Lycosidae were absent or scarce in our spruce stand and in other mature forests (Bultman et al 1982;Jennings et al 1988;Brand et al 1994). In contrast to these results, Lycosidae were the dominant family in a study of mature boreal forests (aspen, mixed wood, and spruce) in Canada (Pearce et al 2004).…”

Ant communities and livestock grazing in the Great Basin, U.S.A.

“…A number of studies have examined the effects of different habitat disturbances on ant communities, including changes after fire (Andersen & McKaige, 1987;Andersen, 1991), mining (Majer, 1984(Majer, , 1985Majer et al, 1984, Majer & Nichols, 1998, forest clear-cutting ( Jennings et al, 1986;Whitford & Gentry;1981), soilvegetation changes resulting from over-grazing and drought (Wisdom & Whitford, 1981;James et al, 1999), clearing for agriculture (Lobry de Bruyn, 1993), and agricultural tillage practices, soil conditions, and insecticide use (Peck et al, 1998). Ant communities are likely to be affected by a widespread land use practice such as livestock grazing.…”

Dél-alföldi pókközösségek szerkezete

“…Az NMDS eredménye szerint a két vizsgált erdő és a gyepek pókközössége is eltérő, az erdők esetén ennek oka lehet, a talajszint eltérő árnyékolása mellett, hogy a lágyszárú vegetáció a borókásban rendkívül ritka és az avar struktúrája is eltérő, mely paraméterek befolyásolják a pókközösségeket (Gallé et al 2007, Gallé és Torma 2009, Pearce et al 2005, Finch 2005, Entling et al 2007 (Pearce et al 2004, Entling et al 2007, Ziesche és Roth, 2007. Több korábbi vizsgált során kimutattak különálló ízeltlábú szegélyközösségeket, melyek az erdőtől és a gyeptől is jelentősen különböznek (Magura és Tóthmérész 1997, Jennings et al 1988, Horváth et al 2002, Pearce et al 2005, és Larrivée et al 2008), a jelenség oka az erdőszegélyen található sűrű bokorsáv, mely hiányzott a vizsgált két szegélyen. Általában az ízeltlábúak esetén a növényzeti szegélynél szélesebb átmeneti sávot találunk, mely a bokorsávok jelenléte miatt akár több tíz méter is lehet (Larrivée et al 2008).…”