Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Nests and Influence of Ant ( Formica cunicularia Lat.) Activity on Soil Property and Seed Bank after Revegetation in the Tengger Desert

Abstract

In Shapotou, northeast of the Tengger Desert in China, Formica cunicularia Lat. proliferated after mobile sand dune stabilization by artificial revegetation. In the present paper, the anthill properties of F. cunicularia after sand stabilization were systematically investigated along a chronosequence. The soil properties and soil seed banks in the anthill and adjacent soils without anthills were also examined. The results showed that the revegetation age, landform, and their interactions significantly affected the anthill density, anthill coverage, and soil turnover capacity of F. cunicularia. The longer the dunes were stabilized, the more ant nests proliferated in the dunes. More nests were located in the hollow and windward slopes than in the dune top and leeward slopes. Soil organic matter, total and available N, P, and K, electrical conductivity, as well as soil water content were all significantly higher in the nests than in the adjacent soils without anthills. The soil seed bank in the anthill was much greater than in the adjacent soil for both moss-and algal-crusted soils. The current research suggested that the occurrence of F. cunicularia after mobile sand dune stabilization greatly influenced both soil properties and soil seed bank.

Arthropods as the Engine of Nutrient Cycling in Arid Ecosystems

“…In such ecosystems, burrowing activity tends to concentrate primarily within macrophytic patches where plant roots stabilize the otherwise loose substrate [73,74]. This may result in arthropods adding nutrients to the macrophytic patches, amplifying even further the differences in nutrient concentrations between the two patch types [75]. Shrub-dwelling sit-and-wait predators such as web-spiders may also amplify the contrast in nutrient concentration between macrophytic and microphytic patches.…”

Soil surface complexity has a larger effect on food exploitation by ants than a change from grassland to shrubland

“…Ants have relatively low dispersal capabilities compared with mammals and birds, and are known to be sensitive to disturbances (Hoffmann & Andersen, 2003;Andersen et al, 2004). Additionally, ants provide a number of key ecosystem services such as water infiltration, nutrient cycling (Lobry de Bruyn, 1999;Chen & Li, 2012), and seed dispersal (Servigne & Detrain, 2008). For these reasons, they have been used as bioindicator species to monitor the impacts of disturbances such as grazing, fire, mining, and logging (Read & Andersen, 2000;Andersen et al, 2004;Hoffmann, 2010).…”

“…For these reasons, they have been used as bioindicator species to monitor the impacts of disturbances such as grazing, fire, mining, and logging (Read & Andersen, 2000;Andersen et al, 2004;Hoffmann, 2010). Additionally, ants provide a number of key ecosystem services such as water infiltration, nutrient cycling (Lobry de Bruyn, 1999;Chen & Li, 2012), and seed dispersal (Servigne & Detrain, 2008). It is important, therefore, to understand how ant activity and foraging behaviour change within the different strata between shrub-encroached environments and grasslands, as substantial changes in ant activity within these strata may affect ecosystem functionality.…”

Microfauna Within Biological Soil Crusts

“…Larger invertebrates, including mollusks such as snails and macro-arthropods such as ants and pseudoscorpions, can also be significant components of some biocrusts . Unlike microfauna, which are thought to have minimal impact on the physical structure of soil and biocrusts, arthropods like ants have been shown to alter the physical architecture of soil and biocrust hydrology (Chen and Li 2012;Li et al 2014). Predators of microarthropods form the link between the soil microinvertebrate fauna and the aboveground insectivores.…”