The arboreal ants of a Neotropical rain forest show high species density and comprise one third of the ant fauna

Longino, John T.; Colwell, Robert K.

doi:10.1111/btp.12772

Cited by 15 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…1C and Fig. 3), in accordance with Ryder Wilkie et al ( 2010) and Longino and Colwell (2020). This stratification results from the following distinct environmental conditions in the three strata.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…In this Panamanian lowland rainforest, the estimated species richness was between 459 and 564 species (CI 95%). This figure is lower than in Costa Rica and Amazonian Ecuador with 584-636 and 647-736 ant species, respectively (Longino & Colwell, 2020;Ryder Wilkie et al, 2010). We sampled slightly more ant species in the canopy than on the ground (261 vs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

“…Ryder Wilkie, Mertl, and Traniello (2010) obtained 489 ant species in Ecuador with six methods (i.e., subterranean probes, pitfall traps, hand collecting, Winkler devices, baiting and canopy fogging). Longino and Colwell (2020) noted 539 species with seven methods (i.e., Malaise, light traps, Berlese, Winkler, baiting, hand collecting and fogging). Finally, Antoniazzi et al (2021) using baits and hand collection in the canopy and at ground level found 43 species on 10 trees.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial and functional structure of an entire ant assemblage in a lowland Panamanian rainforest

Leponce

Corbara

Delabie

et al. 2021

Basic and Applied Ecology

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial and functional structure of an entire ant assemblage in a lowland Panamanian rainforest

Leponce

Corbara

Delabie

et al. 2021

Basic and Applied Ecology

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“…Vegetation stratification in lowland tropical rainforests (i.e., emergent, canopy, sub‐canopy, and understorey strata) is the major factor affecting arthropod species distribution and abundance with a greater impact than seasonality or geographical distance (Basset et al ., 2015). This stratification affects the distribution of ants that are one of the most abundant arthropod groups in these forests both in terms of biomass and number of individuals, so that their ecological impact is particularly high in tropical rainforests (Ryder Wilkie et al ., 2010; Floren et al ., 2014; Longino & Colwell, 2020; Leponce et al ., 2021). This high abundance of arboreal ants is possible because most species are partly herbivorous feeding on extrafloral nectar, food bodies, pollen, sap and, particularly, on hemipteran honeydew (otherwise referred to as ‘cryptic herbivores’) (Davidson et al ., 2003; Hunt, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid assessment of the three‐dimensional distribution of dominant arboreal ants in tropical forests

Leponce

Déjean

Mottl

et al. 2021

Insect Conserv Diversity

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Ants are omnipresent in tropical forests, especially territorially dominant arboreal ants whose territories are spatially segregated forming ‘ant mosaics’. These ecologically important species are rarely used in conservation monitoring because of the difficulty in collecting them. We developed a standardised baitline protocol to study the distribution of dominant ants on canopy trees and also a procedure to objectively define species dominance, even in unknown ant assemblages. Besides eliminating the need to climb trees, this protocol allows live arboreal ant specimens to be sampled at different heights. Behavioural aggressiveness assays between the collected workers provide data on the three‐dimensional distribution of colonies and on interactions between species. We compared the results of the behavioural tests to those from null models. In the New Guinean lowland forest studied, we show that the canopy was either shared by multiple territorial species or inhabited by a single species with a large territory. The baitline protocol collected up to half of the arboreal ant species found in a felling census. However, the proportion of species collected at baits decreased with the increasing spatial dominance of single territorial species. Behavioural observations used in the protocol allowed a more efficient detection of ant mosaics than null models. Territorially dominant ants were active on both understorey and canopy trees. The protocol is fast and easy to replicate. It is a potential tool for understanding and monitoring the spatiotemporal dynamics of arboreal ant assemblages and can detect populous colonies, including those of invasive species.

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“…Arboreal ants comprise a signi cant part of overall ant diversity in tropical ecosystems (Floren et al 2014;Longino and Colwell 2020) and are often involved in many interactions, mostly with other arthropods and their host trees (Rico-Gray and Oliveira 2007; Blüthgen and Feldhaar 2010). Additionally, distinct ant species forage in distinct periods of the day, with a shift in community composition between day and night (e.g., Cros et al 1997;Cerdá et al 1998b;Dáttilo et al 2014a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scattered Trees as Crucial Elements in Maintaining Urban Diversity: A Case Study with Canopy ants in a Biodiversity Hotspot

Mendonça-Santos¹,

Antoniazzi²,

Camarota³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Urban environments are under a high degree of human disturbance, which profoundly changes their abiotic characteristics, affecting the biotic communities. A conspicuous element in cities are scattered trees, often included in urban planning around the world. These trees are key elements for urban ecological processes and services and act as islands of resources (i.e., food and shelter) for a considerable arthropod’s diversity, such as ants. Studies involving ants in urban environments often focus on ground-dwelling ants, and few studies seek to glimpse the ants that occupy scattered trees and, even less, how these ants and trees interact within cities. This study aimed to investigate the ant communities foraging day and night on trees in an urban area inside a biodiversity hotspot, the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Specifically, we investigated how tree characteristics (tree size, tree isolation, presence of extrafloral nectaries, and the tree origin, i.e., native and exotic) modulate ant diversity and ant-plant interactions. We found that the species composition is different between day and night, as well as the central core of generalist ant species of day and night interaction networks. The tree size increases beta-diversity among trees only of the nocturnal ant community, while none of the tree characteristics shaped the ant community. This study is the first to address the role of scattered trees in maintaining the diversity of arboreal ants in urban landscapes, focusing on species diversity and their interaction networks. Overall, we provide insights supporting the conservation value of scattered trees in maintaining urban biodiversity.

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The arboreal ants of a Neotropical rain forest show high species density and comprise one third of the ant fauna

Abstract: This is the author manuscript accepted for publication and has undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as

Cited by 15 publications

References 44 publications

Spatial and functional structure of an entire ant assemblage in a lowland Panamanian rainforest

Spatial and functional structure of an entire ant assemblage in a lowland Panamanian rainforest

Rapid assessment of the three‐dimensional distribution of dominant arboreal ants in tropical forests

Scattered Trees as Crucial Elements in Maintaining Urban Diversity: A Case Study with Canopy ants in a Biodiversity Hotspot

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