Ant Resource Detection Distance at the Caxiuana National Forest in Brazil 2017-2018

<para>Environmental change scenarios of low precipitation forecast species loss in tropical regions. These losses can affect generalist species that provide important ecosystem services, such as controlling the rate at which nutrients become available for uptake by other organisms in tropical forests. Here, we use a long-term rainwater exclusion experiment in primary Amazonian rainforest to test whether induced water stress affects the detection distance of food resources (baits) in a generalist ant guild (number of colonies, richness, and composition) that remove resources on the ground. We found that (i) overall the distance of resource removal by generalist ants did not change with drought; (ii) however, comparing ant species that occurred in drought-induced and control environments, workers walked shorter distances in the drought habitat; (iii) the number of resources detected by ant colonies in the drought-induced habitat decreased by 50%. Although generalist ants are considered resilient to habitat disturbance, the effect of reduced rainfall can negatively affect the services mediated by them. The rate of removal and consumption of resources in tropical forests may be related to abundance of generalist ants; losses in both nest density and walking distances may cause cascading effects on ecosystem processes and the services they mediate.</para> </section> </abstract> <keywordSet> <keyword>ants</keyword> <keyword>climate change</keyword> <keyword>droughts</keyword> <keyword>models</keyword> <keyword>rain</keyword> <keyword>species richness</keyword> <keywordThesaurus>LTER controlled vocabulary</keywordThesaurus> </keywordSet> <keywordSet> <keyword>primary production</keyword> <keyword>disturbance</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=hf351</url> </online> </distribution> <coverage> <geographicCoverage> <geographicDescription>Brazil. Coordinates based on WGS84 datum.</geographicDescription> <boundingCoordinates> <westBoundingCoordinate>-51.46</westBoundingCoordinate> <eastBoundingCoordinate>-51.46</eastBoundingCoordinate> <northBoundingCoordinate>-1.718</northBoundingCoordinate> <southBoundingCoordinate>-1.718</southBoundingCoordinate> <boundingAltitudes> <altitudeMinimum>38</altitudeMinimum> <altitudeMaximum>38</altitudeMaximum> <altitudeUnits>meter</altitudeUnits> </boundingAltitudes> </boundingCoordinates> </geographicCoverage> <temporalCoverage> <rangeOfDates> <beginDate> <calendarDate>2017</calendarDate> </beginDate> <endDate> <calendarDate>2018</calendarDate> </endDate> </rangeOfDates> </temporalCoverage> <taxonomicCoverage> <taxonomicClassification> <taxonRankName>order</taxonRankName> <taxonRankValue>Hymenoptera</taxonRankValue> </taxonomicClassification> <taxonomicClassification> <taxonRankName>family</taxonRankName> <taxonRankValue>Formicidae</taxonRankValue> <commonName>ants</commonName> </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>Ants were sampled in two campaigns (September 2017 and February 2018), always between 09–11 h and 14–17 h and at least 2 h after rain to avoid short effects of rains in ant activity. The baits, ≈ 3g of a mixture of canned sardines and manioc flour in equal proportions, were placed along linear transects of 20 m each, randomly arranged within each plot. The bait was made available on a piece of paper (10 × 10 cm) placed on the litter every 2 m along each transect, resulting in 11 sampling points per transect. In total, 10 transects were observed in the control plot and 10 transects in the experiment plot, totaling 20 transects (2 plots × 2 seasons × 5 transects). After 10 minutes, all ants that used the resource were followed back to their nest entrance, which was flagged and marked with a unique identifier. The search effort for the colonies was standardized to 60 minutes and three people per transect, where each observer monitored three to four baits. After the search time, the detection distance (defined as the linear distance between the bait and nest) was measured. We evaluated the detection distance (defined as the bait distance to nest) between the plots (Control and Experiment) in three scales: (i) transect, (ii) among-species, and (iii) within-species using the generalized liner model (GLM). We also evaluated the ant assembly among the plots. For species richness and abundance of colonies we also use GLM, for the composition we use a Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA).</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. hf351-01-community_transect.txt community transect hf351-01-community_transect.txt 3555 801c78591c015f2f5ddf45af7770fe5d 1 \r\n column ; https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p35/hf351/hf351-01-community_transect.txt num number number 1 natural NA missing value Plot ESECAFLOR plots Control control Experiment experiment NA missing value Transect transect code transect code NA missing value Distance median of the detection distance of all colonies recorded in transect centimeter 0.01 real NA missing value Colony observed ant colony number in each transect number 1 whole NA missing value Richness observed ant species richness in each transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ap.pil Apterostigma gr. pilosum - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Az.s01 Azteca sp. 01 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Bl.bra Blepharidatta brasiliensis - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Br.M02 Brachymyrmex MPEG 02 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Br.M03 Brachymyrmex MPEG 03 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ce.opa Cephalotes opacus - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Cr.bra Crematogaster brasiliensis - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Cr.fla Crematogaster flavosensitiva - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Cr.lev Crematogaster levior - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Cr.lim Crematogaster limata - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Cr.sot Crematogaster sotobosque - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Do.bis Dolichoderus bispinosus - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ec.ede Ectatomma edentatum - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ec.tub Ectatomma tuberculatum - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Gn.hor Gnamptogenys horni - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ma.con Mayaponera constricta - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ne.api Neoponera apicalis - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ne.cre Neoponera crenata - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ne.ver Neoponera verenae - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ny.M01 Nylanderia MPEG 01 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ny.M02 Nylanderia MPEG 02 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ny.M03 Nylanderia MPEG 03 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Oc.neo Ochetomyrmex neopolitus - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Oc.sem Ochetomyrmex semipolitus - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Od.cae Odontomachus caelatus - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Od.hem Odontomachus hematodus - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Pa.bug Paratrachymyrmex nr. bugnioni - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Pa.str Pachycondyla striata - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.a_l Pheidole aff. laidlowi - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.ade Pheidole ademonia - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.ast Pheidole astur - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.bic Pheidole biconstricta - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.car Pheidole aff. caribbaea - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.cur Pheidole cursor - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.dis Pheidole distorta - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.fow Pheidole fowleri - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.fra Pheidole fracticeps - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.gau Pheidole aff. gauthieri - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.hua Pheidole huacana - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.jea Pheidole jeannei - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.leo Pheidole nr. leonina - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.lon Pheidole longiseta - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.mei Pheidole meinerti - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.moo Pheidole nr. mooreorum - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.p_l Pheidole nr. longiseta - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.par Pheidole paraensis - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.ped Pheidole nr. pedana - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.pyg Pheidole pygmaea - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.s03 Pheidole sp. 03 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.s14 Pheidole sp. 14 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.s16 Pheidole sp. 16 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.sch Pheidole schwarzmaieri - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.sco Pheidole scolioceps - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.sen Pheidole sensitiva - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.sub Pheidole subarmata - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ph.tri Pheidole triconstricta - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Ps.ten Pseudomyrmex tenuis - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value So.M01 Solenopsis MPEG 01 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value So.M02 Solenopsis MPEG 02 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value So.M03 Solenopsis MPEG 03 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value So.M07 Solenopsis MPEG 07 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value So.M08 Solenopsis MPEG 08 - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value Wa.aur Wasmannia auropunctata - number of colonies recorded in transect number 1 whole NA missing value 20 hf351-02-species_colony.txt colonies hf351-02-species_colony.txt 3795 7f519e0faeb071e9f4ee572073619dee 1 \r\n column ; https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p35/hf351/hf351-02-species_colony.txt num number number 1 natural NA missing value Plot ESECAFLOR plots Control control Experiment experiment NA missing value Colony_code colony code colony code NA missing value Distance detection distance defined as the bait distance to ant colony centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value Specie specie code (See hf351-01-community_transect.csv for ant species names) specie code NA missing value 102 hf351-03-species_plot_CLAM.txt plots hf351-03-species_plot_CLAM.txt 826 1cf7743fabf0a636810bf7ea2fb84cb1 1 \r\n column ; https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p35/hf351/hf351-03-species_plot_CLAM.txt num number number 1 natural NA missing value Specie Specie code (See hf351-01-community_transect.csv for ant species names) specie code NA missing value Plot ESECAFLOR plots Control control Experiment experiment NA missing value Group species selected after a Multinomial Species Classification Method (CLAM) to classify species of the community into three ecological groups Control_Specialist undisturbed forest specialists Experiment_Specialist drought forest specialists Generalist distribution independent of habitat (i.e., occurs in both habitats NA missing value Distance median of the detection distance of all ant colonies recorded for a given species centimeter 0.01 real NA missing value 25 hf351-04-bait_experiment_ESECAFLOR_15-12-2020.txt R code for detection distance in the ESECAFLOR plots hf351-04-bait_experiment_ESECAFLOR_15-12-2020.txt 26186 54de3fd862a117f8e9df6d473d85d7ac none R script https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p35/hf351/hf351-04-bait_experiment_ESECAFLOR_15-12-2020.txt script biodiversity plot short-term measurement https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/exist/apps/datasets/showData.html?id=hf346 https://www.esecaflor.ufpa.br/