Testing the energetic equivalence rule for litter ants: effects of different methods for abundance estimates in tropical rainforest

The Energetic Equivalence Rule (EER) states that species tend to consume energy independent of their body size. Here, the EER was tested for litter ants using body size and abundance data. Rainforest ants were obtained using pitfall traps and Winkler extractor. The abundance data from the Winkler ex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neotropical entomology 2009-11, Vol.38 (6), p.867
Main Authors: Vargas, André B, Queiroz, Jarbas M, Mayhé-Nunes, Antônio J, Souza, Guilherme O, Ramos, Elaine F
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Subjects:
Animals
Ants - physiology
Brazil
Entomology - methods
Trees
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The Energetic Equivalence Rule (EER) states that species tend to consume energy independent of their body size. Here, the EER was tested for litter ants using body size and abundance data. Rainforest ants were obtained using pitfall traps and Winkler extractor. The abundance data from the Winkler extractions confirmed the EER, while the pitfall traps rejected it. Combination of abundance from pitfall catches and Winkler extractions either confirmed or rejected the EER. Further studies should focus on the interaction between sampling techniques and habitat types in the test of EER for ant communities.
ISSN:1519-566X
DOI:10.1590/S1519-566X2009000600023