Arboreal Ant Assemblages Respond Differently to Food Source and Vegetation Physiognomies: a Study in the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze assemblages of arboreal ants in different vegetation physiognomies within the Tropical Moist Forest (Atlantic Rain Forest) domain. The study was carried out at the Michelin Ecological Reserve, State of Bahia, Northeast of Brazil. We used sardine (protein resource) and honey (carbohydrate resource) baits to collect ants foraging in three vegetation types: (1) preserved native forest, (2) forest in regeneration (capoeira) with many invasive plants and (3) a mixed agroystem of rubber and cocoa tree plantation. We recorded 69 ant species attracted to the baits, 21 of them exclusive to honey bait and 25 exclusive to the sardine baits. The vegetation physiognomies preserved forest and rubber/cacao agrosystem showed higher species richness in relation to the forest in regeneration (capoeira), suggesting that rubber tree plantations can be a good matrix for the maintenance of some ant species typical of the forest matrix. The type of resource used is important for the structuring of the arboreal ant assemblages. The ants that were attracted to protein resources showed a guild composition that is more differentiated between vegetation types that of ants attracted to glucose resources.

Composition and Richness of Arboreal ants in Fragments of Brazilian Caatinga: Effects of Secondary Succession

“…The species richness of arboreal ants sampled in this study (n = 37) can be considered low compared to other studies done in Cerrado or Atlantic Forest, using a similar sampling method. In fragments of Atlantic Forest, for example, species richness may vary from 69 to 153 (Resende et al, 2013;Vasconcelos et al, 2014), whereas in areas of Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) species richness of arboreal ants ranges from 37 to 95 (Ribas et al, 2003;Frizzo et al, 2012). However, for Tropical Dry Forests areas, such as Caatinga, the number of arboreal ants sampled is generally low, ranging from 24 to a maximum of 43 species (Neves et al, 2010c;Neves et al, 2013;Silva et al, 2014), indicating that Caatinga environments, may naturally harbor a smaller ant richness when compared to other environments, probably due to habitat limitations such as drastic variation in resources and conditions during the season and between years (Quesada et al, 2009).…”

Diversity of the Ant Genus Neoponera Emery, 1901 (Formicidae: Ponerinae) in the north of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, with new Records of Occurrence

“…Neoponera apicalis Bahia 1, 3,9,11,14,19,22,23,25,26,31 3,5,7,8,10,13,15,17,20,25,35 5,7,11,14,15,21,22,23,25…”

“…Alagoas 30 Bahia 1, 4, 9, 11, 14, 21, 25, 28, 30, 5,7,8,9,12,13,14,20,23,25,29,31,34,35 Espírito Santo 1,13,35 Paraíba 1, 13 Rio Grande do Norte 1…”

Do Bottom-up Effects Define The Structuring Of Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Communities In A Restinga Remnant?

“…Environmental heterogeneity can directly influence animal diversity, promoting conditions and resources for a greater coexistence of species (Corrêa et al, 2006, Resende et al, 2011, Silva et al, 2014. In this sense, studies have demonstrated positive relationships between environmental heterogeneity and ant diversity over time, by comparing areas with different phytophysiognomies (Kumar & Mishra, 2008;Resende et al, 2013) or relating vegetation structure to diversity of ants (Santana-Reis & Santos, 2001;Gomes et al, 2010;Vasconcelos et al, 2019).…”