Biodiversity of ants (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) in restored grasslands of different ages

Phipps, Sarah

doi:10.32469/10355/4538

Cited by 2 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…The effect of age is consistent with other chronosequence studies of ant community development Phipps, 2006). Ant species richness and community composition was determined by two patch-level variables: age of the site and soil texture.…”

Section: Relative Roles Of Patch and Landscape-level Predictorssupporting

confidence: 85%

“…Therefore, ants slowly colonise constructed grasslands on formerly cultivated fields from the surrounding landscape over several years. For example, a study of 12 CRP grasslands showed ant species richness and abundance to be positively associated with the age of the grasslands, peaking in 7-8-year-old fields (Phipps, 2006). Ant community assembly in constructed grasslands has been studied primarily through the use of chronosequences, or sites that vary in age.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ant community assembly in constructed grasslands has been studied primarily through the use of chronosequences, or sites that vary in age. For example, a study of 12 CRP grasslands showed ant species richness and abundance to be positively associated with the age of the grasslands, peaking in 7-8-year-old fields (Phipps, 2006). Menke et al (2015) also found increasing species richness and incidence as restorations age.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ant species assembly in constructed grasslands is structured at patch and landscape levels

Campbell

Crist

2017

Insect Conserv Diversity

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Agri‐environmental incentive programmes encourage conversion of marginal agricultural land to grasslands to reduce soil erosion and support biodiversity of native flora and fauna. Most grassland animals colonise these constructed habitats as propagules from the surrounding landscape. Ants are slow to colonise and rely on resources within the patch, making them valuable as indicators of disturbance and recovery. We studied how ant species diversity and composition are structured by patch and landscape variation of grasslands in Ohio, USA. Ant communities were collected from 23 constructed grasslands differing in area, age, vegetation, soils, management and surrounding land cover. We analysed trap frequency for 14 species that varied in habitat specialisation to identify species responses to patch‐ and landscape‐level predictors. Grassland age and soil texture determined ant species richness and community composition. Trap frequency analysis showed contrasting species responses to patch and landscape characteristics: habitat specialists were more abundant in older, larger patches with more surrounding grassland, while disturbance‐tolerant species were more frequent in younger patches surrounded by intensive agriculture. Habitat generalists and open habitat species included a variety of patch‐ and landscape‐level factors in best models. Ant community assembly in constructed grasslands is shaped by time and physical characteristics at the patch‐level, but the surrounding landscape acts as a filter for the colonising community. Our findings support the use of ants as ecosystem recovery indicators following disturbance in agricultural landscapes, but show that shifts in species composition are better indicators of grassland habitat variation than ant richness.

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Section: Relative Roles Of Patch and Landscape-level Predictorssupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ant species assembly in constructed grasslands is structured at patch and landscape levels

Campbell

Crist

2017

Insect Conserv Diversity

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“…). Our findings provide support for successional turnover in grassland mite communities as was previously found in grassland ants (Campbell and Crist, in review, Dauber and Wolters ; Phipps ) and Collembola communities (Brand and Dunn ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Belowground resources and soil characteristics change as constructed grasslands mature: bulk density decreases and aggregate stability, carbon, nitrogen, SOM, microbial biomass, and fungal hyphae increase (Karlen et al 1999;Baer et al 2000Baer et al , 2002McLauchlan et al 2006). Our findings provide support for successional turnover in grassland mite communities as was previously found in grassland ants (Campbell and Crist, in review, Dauber and Wolters 2005;Phipps 2006) and Collembola communities (Brand and Dunn 1998).…”

Section: Disturbance Soil and Habitat Characteristicssupporting

confidence: 89%

Species traits and environmental characteristics together regulate ant‐associated biodiversity

Campbell

Crist

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Host‐associated organisms (e.g., parasites, commensals, and mutualists) may rely on their hosts for only a portion of their life cycle. The life‐history traits and physiology of hosts are well‐known determinants of the biodiversity of their associated organisms. The environmental context may strongly influence this interaction, but the relative roles of host traits and the environment are poorly known for host‐associated communities. We studied the roles of host traits and environmental characteristics affecting ant‐associated mites in semi‐natural constructed grasslands in agricultural landscapes of the Midwest USA. Mites are frequently found in ant nests and also riding on ants in a commensal dispersal relationship known as phoresy. During nonphoretic stages of their development, ant‐associated mites rely on soil or nest resources, which may vary depending on host traits and the environmental context of the colony. We hypothesized that mite diversity is determined by availability of suitable host ant species, soil detrital resources and texture, and habitat disturbance. Results showed that that large‐bodied and widely distributed ant species within grasslands support the most diverse mite assemblages. Mite richness and abundance were predicted by overall ant richness and grassland area, but host traits and environmental predictors varied among ant hosts: mites associated with Aphaenogaster rudis depended on litter depth, while Myrmica americana associates were predicted by host frequency and grassland age. Multivariate ordinations of mite community composition constructed with host ant species as predictors demonstrated host specialization at both the ant species and genus levels, while ordinations with environmental variables showed that ant richness, soil texture, and grassland age also contributed to mite community structure. Our results demonstrate that large‐bodied, locally abundant, and cosmopolitan ant species are especially important regulators of phoretic mite diversity and that their role as hosts is also dependent on the context of the interaction, especially soil resources, texture, site age, and area.

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Biodiversity of ants (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) in restored grasslands of different ages

Cited by 2 publications

References 53 publications

Ant species assembly in constructed grasslands is structured at patch and landscape levels

Ant species assembly in constructed grasslands is structured at patch and landscape levels

Species traits and environmental characteristics together regulate ant‐associated biodiversity

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