Spatial Distribution of Acromyrmex balzani (Emery) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini) Nests Using Two Sampling Methods

Authors

  • Leandro Sousa-Souto Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Brazil
  • Arleu Barbosa Viana Junior Universidade Federal de Sergipe
  • Eduardo Silva Nascimento Universidade Federal de Sergipe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v60i2.162-168

Keywords:

population ecology, leaf-cutting ants, nest density, nearest neighbor

Abstract

The spatial distribution (SD) of organisms is a key parameter in studies of population ecology. Among the methods to describe the SD of sessile organisms, sampling by way of plots and transects are widely used. The measurement of the distance between individuals (“nearest neighbor”) is a simple method that has not been employed in population studies with ants.  This study aimed to evaluate the SD of ant mounds of Acromyrmex balzani (Emery, 1890), using both plot sampling and nearest neighbor methods in order to evaluate which method is more appropriate for determining SD of this species. In January 2013 we established 359 plots of 10 m2 on a fragment of grassland in Sergipe, Brazil. In the same study area 25 colonies were randomly selected and the distance of the closest neighbor colony was determined. In total, 153 ant mounds were sampled (plots) and the density was estimated in 975 × colonies ha-1. Colonies were clumped in the environment either by plot sampling (χ2 = 453.93; p < 0.05) as well as by the method of nearest neighbor (Ax= 0.67, t = -1.72, p < 0.05). The aggregation of A. balzani colonies found in this study may be due to habitat heterogeneity or relate to the strategy of colony foundation. We conclude that the use of the nearest neighbor method was as accurate as the plot sampling method, providing the same results with much lower sampling effort.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Leandro Sousa-Souto, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Brazil

Depto. Ecologia

References

Albuquerque, E. Z., Diehl-Fleig, E. & Diehl, E. (2005). Density and distribution of nests of Mycetophylax simplex (Emery) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in areas with mobile dunes on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Rev. Bras. Entomol., 49, 123-126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0085-56262005000100013

Almeida, F. S., Queiroz, J. M. & Mayhé-Nunez, A. J. (2007). Distribuição e abundância de ninhos de Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em um agroecossistema diversificado sob manejo orgânico. Floresta e Ambiente, 14 (1), 33 – 43.

Begon, M., J.L. Harper and C.R. Towsend. (1996). Ecology: Individuals,Populations and Communities . 3rd ed. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, 1068 pp.

Beissinger, S.R. & Westphal, M.I. (1998). On the use of demographic models of population viability in endangered species management. J. Wild. Manag., 62(3): 821–841. doi:10.2307/3802534 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3802534

Belchior, C., Del-Claro, K., Oliveira, P. S. (2012). Seasonal patterns in the foraging ecology of the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex naegelii (Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in a Neotropical savanna: daily rhythms, shifts in granivory and carnivory, and home range. Arthrop.-Plant Inter., 6(4): 571-582. doi: 10.1007/s11829-012-9208-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-012-9208-1

Bernstein, R. A. & Gobbel, M. (1979). Partitioning of space in communities of ants. J. Anim. Ecol., 48: 931–942. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/4205

Brower, J. E., Zar, J. H. & Von Ende, C. N. (1997). Field and Laboratory Methods for General Ecology. New York: WCB DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0294-3506(97)87589-8

Bucher, E.H., Montenegro, R. (1974). Hábitos forrajeros de cuatro hormigas simpátridas del gênero Acromyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ecología, 2: 47-53.

Caldato, N. (2010). Biologia de Acromyrmex balzani Emery, 1890 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Master Degree Dissertation. Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, UNESP, Botucatu, 92 p.

Caldeira M.C., Zanetti R., Morais, J.C. & Zanuncio, J.C. (2005). Distribuição espacial de sauveiros (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em eucaliptais. Cerne, 11: 34-39.

Cantarelli, E. B., Costa, E. C., Zanetti, R. & Pezzutti, R. V. (2006). Plano de amostragem de Acromyrmex spp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em áreas de pré plantio de Pinus spp. Cienc Rural, 36: 385-390. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-84782006000200005

Clark, P.J. & Evans, F.C. (1954). Distance to nearest neighbor as a measure of spatial relationships in populations. Ecology, 35: 445-453. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1931034

Corrêa, M. M., Silva, P. S. D., Wirth, R., Tabarelli, M., Leal, I. R. (2010). How leaf-cutting ants impact forests: drastic nest effects on light environment and plant assemblages. Oecologia, 162: 103-115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-009-1436-4

Debout, B., Schatz, G., Elias, M., Mckey, D. (2007). Polydomy in ants: what we know, what we think we know, and what remains to be done. Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 90: 319–348. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2007.00728.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2007.00728.x

Della Lucia, T. M. C. (2011). Formigas cortadeiras: da bioecologia ao manejo. Viçosa, MG: Ed da UFV.

Dias, N. P., Medeiros, L. R., Pazini, J. B. & Silva, F. F. (2012). Distribuição espacial de Procornitermes sp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) em função das propriedades físicas do solo em área de pastagem no município de São Borja, Rio Grande do Sul. Rev. Bras. Agroecol., 7(2): 104-111.

Elisei, T.,Ribeiro Junior, C., Fernandez, A. J., NUNES, J. V., Souza, A. R., Prezoto, F. (2012). Management of social wasp colonies in eucalyptus plantations (Hymenoptera:Vespidae). Sociobiology, 59(3): 1167-1174.

Ferguson, A.W., Klukowski, Z., Walczak, B., Clark, S.J., Mugglestone, M.A., Perry, J.N. &

Williams, I.H. (2003). Spatial distribution of pest insects in oilseed rape: implications for integrated pest management. Agric. Ecos. Environ., 95: 509–521. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8809(02)00200-1

Filho, O. P., Souza, J. C., Souza, M. D. & Dorval, A. (2012). Distribuição espacial de cupinzeiros de Cornitermes snyderi (Isoptera: Termitidae) e sua associação com teca. Pesq. Flor. Bras. 32(70): 59-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4336/2012.pfb.32.70.59

Fowler, H. G. (1977). Field response of Acromyrmex crassispinus (Forel) to aggression by Atta sexdens (Linn.) and predation by Labidus predator (Fr. Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Aggress. Behav., 3: 385-391. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/1098-2337(1977)3:4<385::AID-AB2480030407>3.0.CO;2-7

Fowler, H. G. (1983). Distribution patterns of Paraguayan leaf-cutting ants (Atta and Acromyrmex) (Formicidae: Attini). Stud. Neotrop. Fauna Environ., 18: 121-138. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01650528309360626

Fowler, H.G., Forti, L. C., Pereira-da-Silva, V., Saes. N. B. (1986). Economics of grass-cutting ants. In: C.S. Lofgren & R.K. Vander Meer (Eds.), Fire ants and leaf-cutting ants – biology and management (p. 18-35). Boulder: Westview Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429038266-3

Gao, M. (2013). Detecting spatial aggregation from distance sampling: a probability distribution model of nearest neighbor distance. Ecol. Res., 28: 397–405. doi: 10.1007/s11284-013-1029-x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-013-1029-x

Garrettson, M., Stetzel, J. F., Halpern, B. S., Hearn, D. J., Lucey, B. T. & Mckone, M. J. (1998). Diversity and abundance of understorey plants on active and abandoned nests of leaf-cutting ants (Atta cephalotes) in a Costa Rican rain forest. J. Trop. Ecol., 14(1): 17-26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467498000029

Krebs, C.J. (1989). Ecological Methodology. Harper and Row, New York, 654 pp.

Leal, I. R., Oliveira, P. S. (1998). Interactions between fungus-growing ants (Attini), fruits and seeds in cerrado vegetation in Southeast Brazil. Biotropica, 30: 170-178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.1998.tb00052.x

A. N. (2012) Effects of habitat fragmentation on ant richness and functional composition in Brazilian Atlantic forest. Biodiv. Conserv., 21: 1687–1701. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-012-0271-9

Mendes, W. B. A., Freire, J. A. H., Loureiro, M. C., Nogueira, S. B., Vilela, E. F. & Della Lucia, T. M. C. (1992). Aspectos ecológicos de Acromyrmex (Moellerius) balzani (EMERY, 1890) (Formicidae: Attini) no município de São Geraldo, Minas Gerais. An. Soc. Entomol. Bras. 21, 155–168. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37486/0301-8059.v21i2.778

Mollet, N., Trumble, J. T. & Sevacherian, V. (1984). Comparison of dispersion and regression indices for Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval) (Acari: Tetranychidae) populations in cotton. Environ. Entomol., 13: 1511-1514. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/13.6.1511

Moutinho, P., Nepstad, D. C., Davidson, E. A. (2003). Influence of leaf-cutting ant nests on secondary forest growth and soil properties in Amazônia. Ecology, 84: 1265-1276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2003)084[1265:IOLANO]2.0.CO;2

Nicholas, J. T. & Vilela, E. F. (1996). Territorial mechanisms in postnuptial flight gynes of the leaf-cutting ant Atta laevigata (F.Smith). An. Soc. Entomol. Bras., 24: 389-400. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37486/0301-8059.v24i2.1041

Nickele, M. A., Pie, M. R., Filho, W. R. & Penteado, S. R. C. (2013). Formigas cultivadoras de fungos: estado da arte e direcionamento para pesquisas futuras. Braz. J. For. Res., 33 (73): 53-72. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4336/2013.pfb.33.73.403

Nickele, M.A., Reis, W.F., Oliveira, E.B. & Iede, E.T. (2009) Densidade e tamanho de formigueiros de Acromyrmex crassispinus em plantios de Pinus taeda. Pesq. Agropec. Bras., 44(4): 347-353. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2009000400003

Poderoso, J.C.M., Ribeiro, G.T., Gonçalves, G.B., Mendonça, P.D., Polanczyk, R.A., Zanetti, R., Serrão, J.E. & Zanuncio, J.C. (2009). Nest and foraging characteristics of Acromyrmex landolti balzani (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Northeast Brazil. Sociobiology, 54: 361-372.

Rissing, S. W., Johnson, R. A. & Pollock, G. B. (1986). Natal nest distribution and pleometrosis in the desert leaf-cutter ant Acromyrmex versicolor (Pergande) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche, 93: 177-186. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/1986/36205

Schatz, B. & Lachaud, J-P. (2008). Effect of high nest density on spatial relationships in two dominant Ectatommine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology, 58: 623-643.

Silva Júnior, M.R., Castellani, M.A., Moreira, A.A., D’esquivel, M.S., Forti, L.C. & Lacau, S. (2013). Spatial Distribution and architecture of Acromyrmex landolti Forel (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) nests in pastures of southwestern Bahia, Brazil. Sociobiology, 60: 20-29. doi: 10.13102/sociobiology.v60i1.20-29 DOI: https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v60i1.20-29

Soares, S. M. & Schoereder, J. H. (2001) Ant-nest distribution in a remnant of tropical rainforest in southeastern Brazil. Insectes Soc., 48: 280-286. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00001778

Sousa-Souto, L., Guerra, M. B. B., Ambrogi, B. G. & Pereira-Filho, E.R. (2012a). Nest refuse of leaf-cutting ants mineralize faster than leaf fragments: Results from a field experiment in Northeast Brazil. Appl. Soil Ecol., 61: 131-136. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2012.05.005

Sousa-Souto, L., Santos, D. C. J., Ambrogi, B. G., Santos, M. J. C., Guerra, M. B. B. & Pereira-Filho, E. R. (2012b). Increased CO2 emission and organic matter decomposition by leaf-cutting ant nests in a coastal environment. Soil Biol. Biochem., 44: 21–25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.09.008

Sousa-Souto, L., Schoereder, J. H., Schaefer, C. E. G. R. & Silva, W. L. (2008) Ant nests and soil nutrient availability: the negative impact of fire. J. Trop. Ecol., 24: 639-646. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467408005464

Taylor, L. R. (1984). Assessing and interpreting the spatial distributions of insect populations. Annu. Rev. Entomol., 29: 321-357. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.29.010184.001541

Van Gils, H. A. J. A. & Vanderwoude, C. (2012). Leafcutter ant (Atta sexdens) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nest distribution responds to canopy removal and changes in micro-climate in the southern colombian Amazon. Fla. Entomol., 95: 914-921. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1653/024.095.0414

Wetterer, J. K. (1991). Foraging ecology of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex octospinosus in a Costa Rican rain forest. Psyche, 98: 361-372. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/1991/46737

Zanuncio, J. C., Lopes, E. T., Zanetti, R., Pratissoli, D. & Couto, L. (2002). Spatial distribuition of nests of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in plantations of Eucalyptus urophylla in Brasil. Sociobiology, 39: 231-242.

Zhu, L., Sun, O. J., Sang, W., Li, Z., Ma, K. (2007). Predicting the spatial distribution of an invasive plant species (Eupatorium adenophorum) in China. Landsc. Ecol., 22(8): 1143-1154. doi: 10.1007/s10980-007-9096-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-007-9096-4

Downloads

Published

2013-06-29

How to Cite

Sousa-Souto, L., Viana Junior, A. B., & Nascimento, E. S. (2013). Spatial Distribution of Acromyrmex balzani (Emery) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini) Nests Using Two Sampling Methods. Sociobiology, 60(2), 162–168. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v60i2.162-168

Issue

Vol. 60 No. 2 (2013)

Section

Research Article - Ants

License

Sociobiology is a diamond open access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

 

    1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

 

    1. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

 

  1. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

Most read articles by the same author(s)