Rhythms and Nocturnal Activities of Wood Ants in the Neuwied Basin, Germany 2010-2016

<para>In situ activity patterns of two Formica-rufa group species (F. pratensis; F. polyctena) were continuously studied at four different red wood-ant nests during six months in each of the years 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2016 and related to weather factors and variations of the Earth’s magnetic field. In situ activity patterns of both species are similarly periodic and exhibit ultradian, and short and long infradian rhythms under natural Light:Dark conditions. Crepuscular and nocturnal activities ≤ 4-hr long were observed in both species, especially at the new moon and first quarter after the astronomical twilight in a period of darkness in fall. We hypothesize that local variability in Earth’s magnetic field affects long-term activity patterns, whereas humidity and temperature were more strongly associated with ultradian rhythms (less than 20 hr).</para> </section> </abstract> <keywordSet> <keyword>ants</keyword> <keyword>humidity</keyword> <keyword>light</keyword> <keyword>temperature</keyword> <keywordThesaurus>LTER controlled vocabulary</keywordThesaurus> </keywordSet> <keywordSet> <keyword>populations</keyword> <keyword>primary production</keyword> <keywordThesaurus>LTER core area</keywordThesaurus> </keywordSet> <keywordSet> <keyword>Harvard Forest</keyword> <keyword>HFR</keyword> <keyword>LTER</keyword> <keyword>USA</keyword> <keywordThesaurus>HFR default</keywordThesaurus> </keywordSet> <intellectualRights> <section> <para>This dataset is released to the public under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 (No Rights Reserved). Please keep the dataset creators informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset should include proper acknowledgement.</para> </section> </intellectualRights> <licensed> <licenseName>Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal</licenseName> <url>https://spdx.org/licenses/CC0-1.0.html</url> <identifier>CC0-1.0</identifier> </licensed> <distribution> <online> <url function="information">https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/exist/apps/datasets/showData.html?id=hf312</url> </online> </distribution> <coverage> <geographicCoverage> <geographicDescription>Germany. Coordinates based on WGS84 datum.</geographicDescription> <boundingCoordinates> <westBoundingCoordinate>+7.43955</westBoundingCoordinate> <eastBoundingCoordinate>+7.43955</eastBoundingCoordinate> <northBoundingCoordinate>+50.33976</northBoundingCoordinate> <southBoundingCoordinate>+50.33976</southBoundingCoordinate> <boundingAltitudes> <altitudeMinimum>318</altitudeMinimum> <altitudeMaximum>318</altitudeMaximum> <altitudeUnits>meter</altitudeUnits> </boundingAltitudes> </boundingCoordinates> </geographicCoverage> <temporalCoverage> <rangeOfDates> <beginDate> <calendarDate>2010</calendarDate> </beginDate> <endDate> <calendarDate>2016</calendarDate> </endDate> </rangeOfDates> </temporalCoverage> <taxonomicCoverage> <taxonomicClassification> <taxonRankName>genus</taxonRankName> <taxonRankValue>Formica</taxonRankValue> <taxonomicClassification> <taxonRankName>species</taxonRankName> <taxonRankValue>polyctena</taxonRankValue> <commonName>red wood ant</commonName> </taxonomicClassification> <taxonomicClassification> <taxonRankName>species</taxonRankName> <taxonRankValue>pratensis</taxonRankValue> <commonName>red wood ant</commonName> </taxonomicClassification> <taxonomicClassification> <taxonRankName>species</taxonRankName> <taxonRankValue>rufa</taxonRankValue> <commonName>red wood ant</commonName> </taxonomicClassification> </taxonomicClassification> </taxonomicCoverage> </coverage> <maintenance> <description> <para>complete</para> </description> </maintenance> <contact scope="document"> <positionName>Information Manager</positionName> <organizationName>Harvard Forest</organizationName> <address scope="document"> <deliveryPoint>324 North Main Street</deliveryPoint> <city>Petersham</city> <administrativeArea>MA</administrativeArea> <postalCode>01366</postalCode> <country>USA</country> </address> <phone phonetype="voice">(978) 724-3302</phone> <electronicMailAddress>hf-im@lists.fas.harvard.edu</electronicMailAddress> </contact> <publisher scope="document"> <organizationName>Harvard Forest</organizationName> <address scope="document"> <deliveryPoint>324 North Main Street</deliveryPoint> <city>Petersham</city> <administrativeArea>MA</administrativeArea> <postalCode>01366</postalCode> <country>USA</country> </address> <phone phonetype="voice">(978) 724-3302</phone> <phone phonetype="fax">(978) 724-3595</phone> <onlineUrl>https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu</onlineUrl> </publisher> <methods> <methodStep> <description> <section> <title/> <para>For details of methods, please see: Berberich, G.M., Berberich, M.B., Ellison, A.M., Wöhler, C. 2018. Degassing Rhythms and Fluctuations of Geogenic Gases in A Red Wood-Ant Nest and in Soil in The Neuwied Basin (East Eifel Volcanic Field, Germany). Insects, 9, 135; doi:10.3390/insects9040135 and Berberich, G.M., Ellison, A.M., Berberich, M.B., Grumpe, A., Becker, A., Wöhler, C. 2018. Can a Red Wood-Ant Nest Be Associated with Fault-Related CH4 Micro-Seepage? A Case Study from Continuous Short-Term In-Situ Sampling. Animals 2018, 8, 46; doi:10.3390/ani8040046.</para> </section> </description> </methodStep> </methods> <project> <title>Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 (978) 724-3595 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu https://ror.org/059cpzx98 pointOfContact The Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program examines ecological dynamics in the New England region resulting from natural disturbances, environmental change, and human impacts. National Science Foundation LTER grants: DEB-8811764, DEB-9411975, DEB-0080592, DEB-0620443, DEB-1237491, DEB-1832210. hf312-01-highnoon.csv high noon times hf312-01-highnoon.csv 24709 0ffefd7f58d5de5ef8d369a073e62ead 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-01-highnoon.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 732 hf312-02-sunrise-astro.csv astronomical sunrise times hf312-02-sunrise-astro.csv 23893 625b596c88b000fd099c67274f9c5ed0 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-02-sunrise-astro.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 732 hf312-03-sunrise-official.csv official sunrise times hf312-03-sunrise-official.csv 23887 7fae4fede7abc68708078f55a0576401 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-03-sunrise-official.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 732 hf312-04-sunset-astro.csv astronomical sunset hf312-04-sunset-astro.csv 24605 865cfa6ba6823dac714627188c6b2325 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-04-sunset-astro.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month text NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 732 hf312-05-sunset-official.csv official sunset hf312-05-sunset-official.csv 24623 145c04548842219d82734dfa85703ddf 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-05-sunset-official.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 732 hf312-06-nest1-2010.csv 2010 nest 1 red wood ant activity hf312-06-nest1-2010.csv 2188900 97a6208eb62c3ba69fb6e4dc59f0b091 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-06-nest1-2010.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss 1 second NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value second second (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value ant.activity ant activity calculated by automated image evaluation routine developed by Berberich et al. (2013, Animals), Berberich et al. (2018, Animals) and Berberich et al. (2018, JBR) number 1 whole NA missing value 48959 hf312-07-nest1-2011.csv 2011 nest 1 ant activity hf312-07-nest1-2011.csv 2194242 4448523e5050af0b1186ae9a3817a37c 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-07-nest1-2011.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss 1 second NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value second second (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value ant.activity ant activity calculated by automated image evaluation routine developed by Berberich et al. (2013, Animals), Berberich et al. (2018, Animals) and Berberich et al. (2018, JBR) number 1 whole NA missing value 48959 hf312-08-nest2-2010.csv 2010 nest 2 ant activity hf312-08-nest2-2010.csv 2186060 f18ab22d778b52109abb0d4611578825 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-08-nest2-2010.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss 1 second NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value second second (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value ant.activity ant activity calculated by automated image evaluation routine developed by Berberich et al. (2013, Animals), Berberich et al. (2018, Animals) and Berberich et al. (2018, JBR) number 1 whole NA missing value 48757 hf312-09-nest3-2012.csv 2012 nest 3 ant activity hf312-09-nest3-2012.csv 2190534 a030536c52655d48b619dbf0487390b1 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-09-nest3-2012.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss 1 second NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value second second (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value ant.activity ant activity calculated by automated image evaluation routine developed by Berberich et al. (2013, Animals), Berberich et al. (2018, Animals) and Berberich et al. (2018, JBR) number 1 whole NA missing value 48929 hf312-10-nest4-2016.csv 2016 nest 4 ant activity hf312-10-nest4-2016.csv 2256247 6af5da66eb3ccf625406d678dbfe1858 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-10-nest4-2016.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss 1 second NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value second second (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value ant.activity ant activity calculated by automated image evaluation routine developed by Berberich et al. (2013, Animals), Berberich et al. (2018, Animals) and Berberich et al. (2018, JBR) number 1 whole NA missing value 48960 hf312-11-mag-var.csv magnetic field variations hf312-11-mag-var.csv 13136861 7a4c51906abfeb79fcfec2a2e8246704 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-11-mag-var.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value ngkd averaged five-minute values of declination recorded by the Adolf-Schmidt-Observatory for Geomagnetism of the GFZ, Niemegk number 0.01 real NA missing value ngkh averaged five-minute values of horizontal intensity recorded by the Adolf-Schmidt-Observatory for Geomagnetism of the GFZ, Niemegk number 0.01 real NA missing value ngkz averaged five-minute values of vertical intensity recorded by the Adolf-Schmidt-Observatory for Geomagnetism of the GFZ, Niemegk number 0.01 real NA missing value ngkf independent scalar measurements of total intensity recorded by the Adolf-Schmidt-Observatory for Geomagnetism of the GFZ, Niemegk number 0.01 real NA missing value 210816 hf312-12-newmoon.csv new moon hf312-12-newmoon.csv 857 f8a5cc019053508d7cc6fc68bf52b37f 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-12-newmoon.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 25 hf312-13-1st-q-moon.csv first quarter moon hf312-13-1st-q-moon.csv 835 c566388b8dcffb2a967c56cbd7fb8a73 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-13-1st-q-moon.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 24 hf312-14-fullmoon.csv full moon hf312-14-fullmoon.csv 900 501c2b0bea77957227eff34de860e1cf 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-14-fullmoon.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 26 hf312-15-last-q-moon.csv last quarter moon hf312-15-last-q-moon.csv 834 cb1d263c5cdd961350135ed5b1fbde49 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-15-last-q-moon.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm 1 minute NA missing value year year YYYY year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value 24 hf312-16-local-weather-2016.csv 2016 local weather hf312-16-local-weather-2016.csv 1469612 30797641b3841cef81b727e78fcef4a5 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p31/hf312/hf312-16-local-weather-2016.csv datetime date and time YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss 1 second NA missing value year year YYYY 1 year NA missing value month month month NA missing value day day day NA missing value hour hour (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value minute minute (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value second second (UTC) number 1 whole NA missing value temp temperature celsius 0.01 real NA missing value humidity humidity (%) dimensionless 0.1 real NA missing value abspress.hpa absolute pressure (hPa) millibar 0.01 real NA missing value rain rainfall millimeter 0.01 real NA missing value 26352 international long-term measurement https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/exist/apps/datasets/showData.html?id=hf311