Eur. J. Entomol. 90 (2): 149-158, 1993

Belowground space occupation and partitioning in an ant community during succession

SERRANO J.M., ACOSTA F.J., LOPEZ F.
N/A

In this study we analyze the successional strategies for belowground space occupation and partitioning in Mediterranean ant communities on fallow land. Three successional sequences were established, by means of a number of plots representing disturbance patches with different surrounding matrices (forests, uncultivated and cultivated land). The belowground extension of the colonies was mapped on a grid of squares. The amount of space occupied by the ant colonies increased during the three successional sequences. The colonies increased significantly in number but not in size in areas surrounded by uncultivated or cultivated land. The contrary occurred when the surrounding matrix was composed of forest (significant increase in size but not in number). Finally, those study areas with an expectedly higher propagule flux (founding queens) from the surrounding matrix (mosaic of uncultivated fields and forest) showed a significant increase in overlapping on the space of neighbouring colonies. The analysis of the colony size of the most abundant species showed that each maintains a certain colony size, which did not vary among the areas studied. The proportion of mature species (characteristic of later successional stages) is greater in areas with a more mature surrounding matrix. Species composition is suggested to be a key factor in explaining the different strategies developed by ant communities in their colonization of disturbance patches.

Keywords: Ecology, ant communities, succession, colony size, belowground competition

Accepted: February 17, 1993; Published: June 25, 1993  Show citation

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SERRANO, J.M., ACOSTA, F.J., & LOPEZ, F. (1993). Belowground space occupation and partitioning in an ant community during succession. EJE, 90(2), 149-158
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