Local and landscape environmental heterogeneity drive ant community structure in temperate seminatural upland grasslands

Abstract

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Microhabitats shape ant community structure in a spatially heterogeneous grassy woodland

“…Habitat structure is a key driver of animal diversity (Tews et al, 2004) because it enhances resource and niche availability and promotes species coexistence (Costanza et al, 2011; Pérez‐Sánchez et al, 2023). The effect of habitat structure on species diversity, however, can vary across spatial scales (Cushman & McGarigal, 2002; Ross et al, 2017; Stoner & Joern, 2004), and comparing habitat–diversity relationships at local or landscape scales is key to improving our understanding of what features of ecosystems are important in promoting diversity in different regions and for different taxa (Barton et al, 2009; Campos et al, 2011; Cushman & McGarigal, 2002).…”

“…One way to close this knowledge gap is by examining ant diversity in different habitat types and assessing the role of different habitat attributes in shaping ant community structure (Campos et al, 2011; Spiesman & Cumming, 2008). Vegetation cover created by trees and shrubs is a major component of habitat structure and a key driver of local ant diversity (Barton et al, 2016; Oliver et al, 2016; Pérez‐Sánchez et al, 2023). It affects, among other factors, light penetration, microclimate, and litter or plant cover at ground level (Cerda et al, 1997; Dattilo & Izzo, 2012) and exerts an influence on ants through their tolerance to temperature and humidity, preferences for litter depth and composition, or availability of food resources such as honeydew, prey insects, and seeds (Gibb & Cunningham, 2013; Holldobler & Wilson, 1990; Lach et al, 2010).…”

“…Studies on animal communities, including ant communities (Cushman & McGarigal, 2002; Whittaker et al, 2001), have identified a hierarchical suite of factors affecting diversity and community composition, including large‐scale biogeographic factors like primary productivity down to small‐scale environmental heterogeneity and soil characteristics (Maravalhas & Vasconcelos, 2020; Pérez‐Sánchez et al, 2023; Spiesman & Cumming, 2008). Within this range of scales, vegetation or land use type can vary across landscapes, whereas vegetation cover or complexity can vary at much smaller, local scales (Oliver et al, 2016; Spiesman & Cumming, 2008).…”

“…That is, species richness would increase as habitats increased in cover provided by trees and shrubs, driven by the concomitant moderated microclimate and plant resource attributes. This prediction stems, in part, from the well‐documented habitat complexity–species diversity theory (Pérez‐Sánchez et al, 2023; Tews et al, 2004), whereby greater vegetation cover adds vertical complexity and additional niche space that supports higher numbers of coexisting species. Although some thermophilic species may avoid habitats with higher cover, we expected more cryptic and litter‐dwelling species as well as nectar‐feeding species to occur under trees. Ant community composition would differ most clearly among microhabitat types but may be less clear among macrohabitat types.…”

Corrigendum

“…In the recent article by Pérez‐Sánchez et al ( 2023 ), the authors would like to add the ORCID IDs for the following authors:…”