HARVESTER ANTS AND FIRE IN A DESERT GRASSLAND - ECOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF POGONOMYRMEX RUGOSUS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE) TO EXPERIMENTAL WILDFIRES IN CENTRAL NEW-MEXICO

In this study, we measured rough harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex rugosus E mery, foraging activity, numbers and types of food items collected by foragers, ant foraging efficiency, and maximum foraging distances in a desert grassland site in central New Mexico before and after an exper imental fire. We found that the ants exhibited no significant changes in any variable following the fire, with the exception of an increased number of insects being collected following the burn. Apparently. suf ficient seed reserves remained after the fires to support ant foraging activity,, and other insects killed in the fires were collected oppor tunistically by the ante. One year after the fire,, all experimental a nt colonies were alive and functioning normally. It appears that harve ster ants are well-adapted behaviorally to cope with wildfires in the desert grassland of New Mexico.