Patterns of diversity and composition of Mediterranean ground ant communities tracking spatial and temporal variability in the thermal environment

Citation
J. Retana et X. Cerda, Patterns of diversity and composition of Mediterranean ground ant communities tracking spatial and temporal variability in the thermal environment, OECOLOGIA, 123(3), 2000, pp. 436-444
Citations number
42
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology
Journal title
OECOLOGIA
ISSN journal
00298549 → ACNP
Volume
123
Issue
3
Year of publication
2000
Pages
436 - 444
Database
ISI
SICI code
0029-8549(200005)123:3<436:PODACO>2.0.ZU;2-R
Abstract
The present study analyzed ant community structure and the factors affectin g it in the Spanish Mediterranean area. The aim of this study was to test w hether temperature controls the composition and diversity of the ground ant fauna and the spatial and temporal distribution of dominance groups along adjacent communities. The main descriptors of community structure (except p erharps species richness) were found to vary along the gradient of vegetati on cover: increased vegetation cover resulted in an increase in the relativ e abundance of the most common species, which led to a significant decrease in species evenness, together with a reduction in total ant density on the ground. In open habitats, dominant and subordinate species were abundant d uring different periods of the day, and this led to an increase in species evenness. In areas with high vegetation cover, dominants benefited from the lower temperatures by lengthening their periods of activity. This resulted in a decrease in the abundance of subordinate species, and in lower evenne ss. Seasonal patterns in community structure tracked temperature fluctuatio ns and varied between habitat types. Evenness was similar in the two habita t types in spring, but increased in grasslands and decreased in shrublands/ forests in summer. Species richness did not vary between seasons or habitat types. The relative abundance of dominance groups in the two types of habi tats showed a different pattern between seasons. In grasslands, subordinate s increased and dominants decreased their relative abundance from spring to summer, while in shrublands/forests, the opposite pattern was found. The o verall conclusion from this study is that ground ant communities in open ar eas are primarily regulated by temperature variations, while in shrublands and forests, dominant species are more abundant, and competitive interactio ns appear to be the major structuring force.