Can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? A test across the Amazon Basin
Environmental gradients may influence species distributions by filtering their functional traits, resulting in a correspondence between community functional composition and local environmental conditions. We used a vegetation gradient as an indicator for environmental complexity to test whether it p...
| Autor principal: | Guilherme, Diego Rodrigues |
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| Outros Autores: | Souza, Jorge Luiz Pereira, Franklin, E., Pequeno, Pedro Aurélio Costa Lima, Chagas, Andreia Conceição Das, Baccaro, Fabricio Beggiato |
| Grau: | Artigo |
| Idioma: | English |
| Publicado em: |
Acta Oecologica
2020
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| Acesso em linha: |
https://repositorio.inpa.gov.br/handle/1/16639 |
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oai:repositorio:1-16639 |
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oai:repositorio:1-16639 Can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? A test across the Amazon Basin Guilherme, Diego Rodrigues Souza, Jorge Luiz Pereira Franklin, E. Pequeno, Pedro Aurélio Costa Lima Chagas, Andreia Conceição Das Baccaro, Fabricio Beggiato Ant Community Composition Complexity Environmental Conditions Environmental Gradient Morphology Pitfall Trap Testing Method Tropical Forest Amazon Basin Formicidae Environmental gradients may influence species distributions by filtering their functional traits, resulting in a correspondence between community functional composition and local environmental conditions. We used a vegetation gradient as an indicator for environmental complexity to test whether it predicted the morphological composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages across geographic extents. The sampling design covered 126 plots distributed across eight sampling sites along a broad environmental gradient in the Amazon Basin. Plots covered different phytophysiognomies that have a strong relation with forest biomass and, consequently, litter production. We selected six morphological traits related to ant foraging strategies and behavior. Generalized linear mixed models were used to predict how environmental complexity affects trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages. Structurally less complex environments (eg. Amazonian savannah) harboured more species of smaller ants, with relatively smaller mandibles and relatively larger eyes. In more complex environments (eg. dense ombrophylous forest), there were more ant species of larger size, with relatively larger mandibles and relatively smaller eyes. No relationship was detected between relative femur length and the environmental gradient investigated. The functional approach focused on individual traits may illuminate which ant foraging strategies are best adapted to a particular habitat. Our data reveal that the morphological composition of ground-dewelling ant assemblages responds clearly to environmental complexity suggesting that certain ant characteristics offer ecological advantages to particular species in particular habitats. © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS 2020-06-15T21:35:32Z 2020-06-15T21:35:32Z 2019 Artigo https://repositorio.inpa.gov.br/handle/1/16639 10.1016/j.actao.2019.05.004 en Volume 99 Restrito Acta Oecologica |
| institution |
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - Repositório Institucional |
| collection |
INPA-RI |
| language |
English |
| topic |
Ant Community Composition Complexity Environmental Conditions Environmental Gradient Morphology Pitfall Trap Testing Method Tropical Forest Amazon Basin Formicidae |
| spellingShingle |
Ant Community Composition Complexity Environmental Conditions Environmental Gradient Morphology Pitfall Trap Testing Method Tropical Forest Amazon Basin Formicidae Guilherme, Diego Rodrigues Can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? A test across the Amazon Basin |
| topic_facet |
Ant Community Composition Complexity Environmental Conditions Environmental Gradient Morphology Pitfall Trap Testing Method Tropical Forest Amazon Basin Formicidae |
| description |
Environmental gradients may influence species distributions by filtering their functional traits, resulting in a correspondence between community functional composition and local environmental conditions. We used a vegetation gradient as an indicator for environmental complexity to test whether it predicted the morphological composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages across geographic extents. The sampling design covered 126 plots distributed across eight sampling sites along a broad environmental gradient in the Amazon Basin. Plots covered different phytophysiognomies that have a strong relation with forest biomass and, consequently, litter production. We selected six morphological traits related to ant foraging strategies and behavior. Generalized linear mixed models were used to predict how environmental complexity affects trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages. Structurally less complex environments (eg. Amazonian savannah) harboured more species of smaller ants, with relatively smaller mandibles and relatively larger eyes. In more complex environments (eg. dense ombrophylous forest), there were more ant species of larger size, with relatively larger mandibles and relatively smaller eyes. No relationship was detected between relative femur length and the environmental gradient investigated. The functional approach focused on individual traits may illuminate which ant foraging strategies are best adapted to a particular habitat. Our data reveal that the morphological composition of ground-dewelling ant assemblages responds clearly to environmental complexity suggesting that certain ant characteristics offer ecological advantages to particular species in particular habitats. © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS |
| format |
Artigo |
| author |
Guilherme, Diego Rodrigues |
| author2 |
Souza, Jorge Luiz Pereira Franklin, E. Pequeno, Pedro Aurélio Costa Lima Chagas, Andreia Conceição Das Baccaro, Fabricio Beggiato |
| author2Str |
Souza, Jorge Luiz Pereira Franklin, E. Pequeno, Pedro Aurélio Costa Lima Chagas, Andreia Conceição Das Baccaro, Fabricio Beggiato |
| title |
Can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? A test across the Amazon Basin |
| title_short |
Can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? A test across the Amazon Basin |
| title_full |
Can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? A test across the Amazon Basin |
| title_fullStr |
Can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? A test across the Amazon Basin |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? A test across the Amazon Basin |
| title_sort |
can environmental complexity predict functional trait composition of ground-dwelling ant assemblages? a test across the amazon basin |
| publisher |
Acta Oecologica |
| publishDate |
2020 |
| url |
https://repositorio.inpa.gov.br/handle/1/16639 |
| _version_ |
1787145075323568128 |
| score |
11.755432 |