Abstract
We examined the feasibility of using changes in spatial patterns of ants-distribution on experimental plots as an indicator of response to environmental stress. We produced contour maps based on relative abundances of the three most common genera of ants based on pit-fall trap captures. Relative abundance of Conomyrma spp. decreased, relative abundance of Solenopsis spp. increased, and relative abundance of Pogonomyrmex spp. remained relatively unchanged. The contour maps showed long-term changes in foraging activity and/or distribution of colonies of ants in response to grazing by domestic livestock. This study demonstrated that analysis of spatial patterns of ant activity derived from relative abundances of ants in pit-fall traps provided interpretable data for developing an indicator of exposure to ecosystem stress.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Burbidge, A. H., K. Leicester, S. McDavitt, and I. D. Majer: 1992. Ants as indicators of disturbance of Yanchep National Park, Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society. West Australia. 75, 89–95.
Carlson S. R., W. G. Whitford (1991) Ants mound influence on vegetation and soils in a semiarid mountain ecosystem. American Midland Naturalist 126:125–139.
Greenslade, P. J. M. and P. Greenslade.: 1971, The use of baits and preservatives in pitfall traps. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 10, 253–260.
Herrick, J. E., W. G. Whitford, A. G. deSoyza, J. Van Zee: 1995. Soil and vegetation indicators for assessment of rangeland condition (pp. 157–166) In: Celedonio AB, ed. North American workshop on Monitoring of Ecological Assessment of Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystem. US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ft. Collins, Co.
Holldobler, B. and E. O. Wilson: 1990, The Ants, Bellnap Press, Cambridge, MA
Perfecto, I. and R. Snelling.: 1995, Biodiversity and the transformation of a tropical agroecosystem: ants in coffee plantation. Ecological Application 5, 1084–1097.
Roth, D. S., I. Perfecto, and B. Rathcke.: 1994, The effects of management systems on ground-foraging ant diversity in Costa Rica. Ecological Application 4, 423–426.
Whitford, W. G.: 1978, Foraging in seed-harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex spp Ecology 59:185–189.
Whitford, W. G. and R. DiMacro (1995). Variability in soils and vegetation associated with harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex rugosus) nests on a Chihuahuan Desert watershed. Biological and Fertility of Soils 20:169–173.
Whitford W. G. and G. S. Forbes, G. I. Kerley (1994). Diversity, spatial variability and functional roles of invertebrates in desert grassland ecosystems. Pp. 152–195. In McClaran MP, Van Devender TR (eds.) The Desert Grassland. University of Arizona Press, Tueson.
Whitford, W. G., J. Van Zee, M. S. Nash, W. E. Smith, and J. E. Herrick.: In press, Ants as indicators of exposure to environmental stressors. Environmental Monitoring Assessment.
Whitford, W. G. and G. Ettershank.: 1975, Factors affecting foraging activity in Chihuahuan Desert harvester ants. Environmental Entomology 4: 689–696.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nash, M.S., Whitford, W.G., Van Zee, J. et al. Monitoring Changes in Stressed Ecosystems Using Spatial Patterns of Ant Communities. Environ Monit Assess 51, 201–210 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005939303426
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005939303426