Undecomposed Twigs in the Leaf Litter as Nest-Building Resources for Ants (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) in Areas of the Atlantic Forest in the Southeastern Region of Brazil

In tropical forests, the leaf-litter stratum exhibits one of the greatest abundances of ant species. This diversity is associated with the variety of available locations for nest building. Ant nests can be found in various microhabitats, including tree trunks and fallen twigs in different stages of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psyche (Cambridge, Mass.) Mass.), 2012, Vol.2012 (2012), p.1-8
Main Authors: Fernandes, Tae Tanaami, Silva, Rogério Rosa da, Souza, Débora Rodrigues de, Araújo, Natália, Morini, Maria Santina de Castro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
Camponotus
Canopies
Colonies
Data processing
Decomposition
Demography
Flooded areas
Formicidae
Hymenoptera
Leaf litter
Life cycle
Microenvironments
Nest building
Nests
Pheidole
Physical characteristics
Species richness
Trees
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Summary:In tropical forests, the leaf-litter stratum exhibits one of the greatest abundances of ant species. This diversity is associated with the variety of available locations for nest building. Ant nests can be found in various microhabitats, including tree trunks and fallen twigs in different stages of decomposition. In this study, we aimed to investigate undecomposed twigs as nest-building resources in the leaf litter of dense ombrophilous forest areas in the southeastern region of Brazil. Demographic data concerning the ant colonies, the physical characteristics of the nests, and the population and structural of the forest were observed. Collections were performed manually over four months in closed canopy locations that did not have trails or flooded areas. A total of 294 nests were collected, and 34 ant species were recorded. Pheidole, Camponotus, and Hypoponera were the richest genera observed; these genera were also among the most populous and exhibited the greatest abundance of nests. We found no association between population size and nest diameter. Only tree cover influenced the nest abundance and species richness. Our data indicate that undecomposed twigs may be part of the life cycle of many species and are important for maintaining ant diversity in the leaf litter.
ISSN:0033-2615
1687-7438
DOI:10.1155/2012/896473