Harvard Forest

Data Archive

HF312

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

Related Publications

Data

• hf312-01: high noon times (preview)
• hf312-02: astronomical sunrise times (preview)
• hf312-03: official sunrise times (preview)
• hf312-04: astronomical sunset (preview)
• hf312-05: official sunset (preview)
• hf312-06: 2010 nest 1 red wood ant activity (preview)
• hf312-07: 2011 nest 1 ant activity (preview)
• hf312-08: 2010 nest 2 ant activity (preview)
• hf312-09: 2012 nest 3 ant activity (preview)
• hf312-10: 2016 nest 4 ant activity (preview)
• hf312-11: magnetic field variations (preview)
• hf312-12: new moon (preview)
• hf312-13: first quarter moon (preview)
• hf312-14: full moon (preview)
• hf312-15: last quarter moon (preview)
• hf312-16: 2016 local weather (preview)

Overview

• Lead: Gabriele Berberich, Aaron Ellison, Christian Wöhler
• Investigators: Martin Berberich, Arne Grumpe
• Contact: Information Manager
• Start date: 2010
• End date: 2016
• Status: complete
• Location: Germany
• Latitude: +50.33976 degrees
• Longitude: +7.43955 degrees
• Elevation: 318 meter
• Datum: WGS84
• Taxa: Formica polyctena (red wood ant), Formica pratensis (red wood ant), Formica rufa (red wood ant)
• Release date: 2023
• Language: English
• EML file: knb-lter-hfr.312.3
• DOI: digital object identifier
• EDI: data package
• DataONE: data package
• Related links:
• Geogenic Gases in a Red Wood-Ant Nest and Soil in the Neuwied Basin, Germany 2016
• Study type: long-term measurement
• Research topic: international research projects
• LTER core area: population studies, primary production
• Keywords: ants, humidity, light, temperature
• Abstract:

  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).

• Methods:

  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.

• Organization: Harvard Forest. 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366, USA. Phone (978) 724-3302. Fax (978) 724-3595.

• Project: 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. (ROR).

• Funding: National Science Foundation LTER grants: DEB-8811764, DEB-9411975, DEB-0080592, DEB-0620443, DEB-1237491, DEB-1832210.

• Use: 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.

• License: Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal (CC0-1.0)

• Citation: Berberich G, Ellison A, Wöhler C. 2023. Rhythms and Nocturnal Activities of Wood Ants in the Neuwied Basin, Germany 2010-2016. Harvard Forest Data Archive: HF312 (v.3). Environmental Data Initiative: https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/e7b4601f0dc499d72b9881cdbb0c58be.

Detailed Metadata

hf312-01: high noon times

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-02: astronomical sunrise times

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-03: official sunrise times

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-04: astronomical sunset

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-05: official sunset

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-06: 2010 nest 1 red wood ant activity

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
7. second: second (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
8. 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) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-07: 2011 nest 1 ant activity

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
7. second: second (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
8. 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) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-08: 2010 nest 2 ant activity

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
7. second: second (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
8. 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) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-09: 2012 nest 3 ant activity

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
7. second: second (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
8. 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) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-10: 2016 nest 4 ant activity

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
7. second: second (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
8. 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) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-11: magnetic field variations

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
7. ngkd: averaged five-minute values of declination recorded by the Adolf-Schmidt-Observatory for Geomagnetism of the GFZ, Niemegk (unit: number / missing value: NA)
8. ngkh: averaged five-minute values of horizontal intensity recorded by the Adolf-Schmidt-Observatory for Geomagnetism of the GFZ, Niemegk (unit: number / missing value: NA)
9. ngkz: averaged five-minute values of vertical intensity recorded by the Adolf-Schmidt-Observatory for Geomagnetism of the GFZ, Niemegk (unit: number / missing value: NA)
10. ngkf: independent scalar measurements of total intensity recorded by the Adolf-Schmidt-Observatory for Geomagnetism of the GFZ, Niemegk (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-12: new moon

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-13: first quarter moon

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-14: full moon

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-15: last quarter moon

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf312-16: 2016 local weather

1. datetime: date and time
2. year: year
3. month: month
4. day: day
5. hour: hour (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
6. minute: minute (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
7. second: second (UTC) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
8. temp: temperature (unit: celsius / missing value: NA)
9. humidity: humidity (%) (unit: dimensionless / missing value: NA)
10. abspress.hpa: absolute pressure (hPa) (unit: millibar / missing value: NA)
11. rain: rainfall (unit: millimeter / missing value: NA)