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Germeroth L, Sumnicht T, Verble R. Scale-Dependent Spatial Ecology of Paleotropical Leaf Litter Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15040494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The grain for which an observer conducts a study is an important determinant of its outcome. Studies of ants have considered spatial grains spanning from single meters to entire forest ecosystems and found patterns related to nutrient availability, leaf litter depth, disturbance, and forest composition. Here, we examine a Bornean leaf litter ant community at small (1–4 m) and large (50–250 m) spatial scales and consider the differences in community structure using structured 1 m2 quadrats sampled via leaf litter sifting and Berlese extraction. We found that small-scale patterns in ant abundance and richness did not spatially autocorrelate within a plot until >1.5 m. Leaf litter characteristics, forest stand characteristics and sampling season were homogenous among our sites, suggesting that macro-scale stand variables are not largely regulating the small spatial scale ant communities: These may be driven by microclimate, competition, niche space, nutrient available, microclimatic conditions, or other localized effects. Further experimental work is needed to elicit causal mechanisms.
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Gilbert KJ, Bittleston LS, Naive MAK, Kiszewski AE, Buenavente PAC, Lohman DJ, Pierce NE. Investigation of an Elevational Gradient Reveals Strong Differences Between Bacterial and Eukaryotic Communities Coinhabiting Nepenthes Phytotelmata. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2020; 80:334-349. [PMID: 32291478 PMCID: PMC7371667 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01503-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Elevation is an important determinant of ecological community composition. It integrates several abiotic features and leads to strong, repeatable patterns of community structure, including changes in the abundance and richness of numerous taxa. However, the influence of elevational gradients on microbes is understudied relative to plants and animals. To compare the influence of elevation on multiple taxa simultaneously, we sampled phytotelm communities within a tropical pitcher plant (Nepenthes mindanaoensis) along a gradient from 400 to 1200 m a.s.l. We use a combination of metabarcoding and physical counts to assess diversity and richness of bacteria, micro-eukaryotes, and arthropods, and compare the effect of elevation on community structure to that of regulation by a number of plant factors. Patterns of community structure differed between bacteria and eukaryotes, despite their living together in the same aquatic microhabitats. Elevation influences community composition of eukaryotes to a significantly greater degree than it does bacteria. When examining pitcher characteristics, pitcher dimorphism has an effect on eukaryotes but not bacteria, while variation in pH levels strongly influences both taxa. Consistent with previous ecological studies, arthropod abundance in phytotelmata decreases with elevation, but some patterns of abundance differ between living inquilines and prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kadeem J Gilbert
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, 501 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Leonora S Bittleston
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 1-290, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, 1910 W University Dr, Boise, ID, 83725, USA
| | - Mark Arcebal K Naive
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Andres Bonifacio Ave, 9200, Iligan, Lanao del Norte, Philippines
| | - Anthony E Kiszewski
- Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA, 02452, USA
| | | | - David J Lohman
- Entomology Section, National Museum of Natural History, Manila, Philippines
- Biology Department, City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Biology, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Naomi E Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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Bharti H, Guénard B, Bharti M, Economo EP. An updated checklist of the ants of India with their specific distributions in Indian states (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Zookeys 2016:1-83. [PMID: 26877665 PMCID: PMC4741291 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.551.6767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As one of the 17 megadiverse countries of the world and with four biodiversity hotspots
represented in its borders, India is home to an impressive diversity of life forms.
However, much work remains to document and catalogue the species of India and their
geographic distributions, especially for diverse invertebrate groups. In the present
study, a comprehensive and critical list of Indian ant species is provided with up-to-date
state-wise distribution. A total of 828 valid species and subspecies names belonging to
100 genera are listed from India. Potential erroneous data, misidentifications and dubious
distributional records that may exist in the literature are also identified. The present
exhaustive listing of Indian ants will provide a holistic view about diversity and
distribution and will also help to identify major undersampled areas where future sampling
and taxonomic efforts should be directed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himender Bharti
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India
| | - Benoit Guénard
- School of Biological Sciences, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Meenakshi Bharti
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India
| | - Evan P Economo
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan 904-0495
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