Elevation and forest clearing effects on foraging differ between surface--and subterranean--foraging army ants (Formicidae: Ecitoninae)

The Journal of Animal Ecology
Anjali Kumar, Sean O'Donnell

Abstract

1. Forest fragmentation often results in a matrix of open areas mixed with patches of forest. Both biotic and abiotic factors can affect consumer species' ability to utilize the altered habitat, especially for species that range over large areas searching for prey. 2. Army ants (Formicidae: Ecitoninae) are highly mobile top predators in terrestrial Neotropical ecosystems. Army ant foraging behaviour is influenced by forest clearing at lowland sites, and clearing can reduce army ant population persistence. 3. Because high temperatures are implicated in hindering above-ground army ant foraging, we predicted that forest clearing effects on army ant foraging would be reduced at higher (cooler) elevations in montane forest. We also predicted that subterranean foraging, employed by some army ant species, would buffer them from the negative effects of forest clearing. 4. We quantified the foraging rates of above-ground and underground foraging army ants at eight sites along an elevational gradient from 1090 to 1540 m a.s.l. We asked whether these two foraging strategies cause a difference in the ability of army ants to forage in open matrix areas relative to elevationally matched forested habitats, and whether elevation predicts open ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 1, 2012·Molecular Ecology·S Pérez-EsponaN R Franks
Jan 1, 2014·Molecular Ecology·Thomas W SoareSean O'Donnell
Aug 9, 2020·Scientific Reports·Opeyemi AdedojaMichael J Samways

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