scholarly journals Characterization of Ant Communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Twigs in the Leaf Litter of the Atlantic Rainforest and Eucalyptus Trees in the Southeast Region of Brazil

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debora R. de Souza ◽  
Tae T. Fernandes ◽  
José R. de Oliveira Nascimento ◽  
Silvia S. Suguituru ◽  
M. Santina de C. Morini
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Atlantic Rainforest ◽  
Ant Communities ◽  
Eucalyptus Plantation ◽  
Southeast Region ◽  
Nesting Sites ◽  
Ombrophilous Forest ◽  
Ant Diversity

Fragments of Atlantic Rainforest and extensive eucalyptus plantations are part of the landscape in the southeast region of Brazil. Many studies have been conducted on litter ant diversity in these forests, but there are few reports on the nesting sites. In the present study, we characterized the ant communities that nest in twigs in the leaf litter of dense ombrophilous forests and eucalyptus trees. The colony demographics associated with the physical structure of the nest were recorded. In the eucalyptus forests, the study examined both managed and unmanaged plantations. During five months, all undecomposed twigs between 10 and 30 cm in length containing ants found within a 16-m2area on the surface of the leaf litter were collected. A total of 307 nests and 44 species were recorded.Pheidole,Solenopsis,andCamponotuswere the most represented genera.Pheidolesp.13,Pheidolesp.43 andLinepithema neotropicumwere the most populous species. The dense ombrophilous forest and a eucalyptus plantation unmanaged contained the highest number of colonized twigs; these communities were the most similar and the most species rich. Our results indicate that the twigs are important resources as they help to maintain the litter diversity of dense rain forest and abandoned eucalypt crops.

scholarly journals Undecomposed Twigs in the Leaf Litter as Nest-Building Resources for Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Areas of the Atlantic Forest in the Southeastern Region of Brazil

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae Tanaami Fernandes ◽  
Rogério Rosa da Silva ◽  
Débora Rodrigues de Souza ◽  
Natália Araújo ◽  
Maria Santina de Castro Morini
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Nest Building ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
Ant Colonies ◽  
Closed Canopy ◽  
Ombrophilous Forest ◽  
Ant Diversity ◽  
Southeastern Region ◽  
Nest Abundance

In tropical forests, the leaf-litter stratum exhibits one of the greatest abundances of ant species. This diversity is associated with the variety of available locations for nest building. Ant nests can be found in various microhabitats, including tree trunks and fallen twigs in different stages of decomposition. In this study, we aimed to investigate undecomposed twigs as nest-building resources in the leaf litter of dense ombrophilous forest areas in the southeastern region of Brazil. Demographic data concerning the ant colonies, the physical characteristics of the nests, and the population and structural of the forest were observed. Collections were performed manually over four months in closed canopy locations that did not have trails or flooded areas. A total of 294 nests were collected, and 34 ant species were recorded.Pheidole,Camponotus, andHypoponerawere the richest genera observed; these genera were also among the most populous and exhibited the greatest abundance of nests. We found no association between population size and nest diameter. Only tree cover influenced the nest abundance and species richness. Our data indicate that undecomposed twigs may be part of the life cycle of many species and are important for maintaining ant diversity in the leaf litter.

scholarly journals High Diversity in Urban Areas: How Comprehensive Sampling Reveals High Ant Species Richness within One of the Most Urbanized Regions of the World

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 358
Author(s):  
François Brassard ◽  
Chi-Man Leong ◽  
Hoi-Hou Chan ◽  
Benoit Guénard
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Dual Roles ◽  
Ant Communities ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
The World ◽  
Ant Diversity ◽  
The Vertical Distribution

The continuous increase in urbanization has been perceived as a major threat for biodiversity, particularly within tropical regions. Urban areas, however, may still provide opportunities for conservation. In this study focused on Macao (China), one of the most densely populated regions on Earth, we used a comprehensive approach, targeting all the vertical strata inhabited by ants, to document the diversity of both native and exotic species, and to produce an updated checklist. We then compared these results with 112 studies on urban ants to illustrate the dual roles of cities in sustaining ant diversity and supporting the spread of exotic species. Our study provides the first assessment on the vertical distribution of urban ant communities, allowing the detection of 55 new records in Macao, for a total of 155 ant species (11.5% being exotic); one of the highest species counts reported for a city globally. Overall, our results contrast with the dominant paradigm that urban landscapes have limited conservation value but supports the hypothesis that cities act as gateways for exotic species. Ultimately, we argue for a more comprehensive understanding of ants within cities around the world to understand native and exotic patterns of diversity.

Mutations at the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SUP4 tRNA Tyr Locus: Isolation, Genetic Fine-Structure Mapping, and Correlation with Physical Structure

1982 ◽  
Vol 2 (12) ◽  
pp. 1501-1513
Author(s):  
Janet Kurjan ◽  
Benjamin D. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Fine Structure ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Mapping Technique ◽  
Structure Mapping ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Qualitative Estimate ◽  
Genetic Fine Structure ◽  
Entire Gene

The SUP4 tRNA Tyr locus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied by the isolation and characterization of mutations at the SUP4 gene which result in the loss of suppressor function. Most of the mutations act as single-site mutations, whereas about a third of the mutations are deletions of the entire gene. Two meiotic fine-structure maps of the gene were made. The first mapping technique placed 10 mutations plus the sup4 + anticodon on a map by a measurement of levels of recombination between pairs of mutations. The second map utilized a more qualitative estimate of recombination frequency, allowing 69 mutations and the sup4 + anticodon to be mapped. The maps were compared with the physical structure of the gene for the 34 mutations whose nucleotide alteration has been determined by DNA sequencing (Koski et al., Cell 22 :415-425, 1980; Kurjan et al., Cell 20 :701-709, 1980). Both maps show a good correlation with the physical structure of the gene, even though certain properties of genetic fine-structure maps, such as marker effects and “map expansion,” were seen.

scholarly journals The conservation value of South East Asia's highly degraded forests: evidence from leaf-litter ants

2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1582) ◽  
pp. 3256-3264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Woodcock ◽  
David P. Edwards ◽  
Tom M. Fayle ◽  
Rob J. Newton ◽  
Chey Vun Khen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Forest Conversion ◽  
Conservation Value ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Ant Communities ◽  
Logged Forest

South East Asia is widely regarded as a centre of threatened biodiversity owing to extensive logging and forest conversion to agriculture. In particular, forests degraded by repeated rounds of intensive logging are viewed as having little conservation value and are afforded meagre protection from conversion to oil palm. Here, we determine the biological value of such heavily degraded forests by comparing leaf-litter ant communities in unlogged (natural) and twice-logged forests in Sabah, Borneo. We accounted for impacts of logging on habitat heterogeneity by comparing species richness and composition at four nested spatial scales, and examining how species richness was partitioned across the landscape in each habitat. We found that twice-logged forest had fewer species occurrences, lower species richness at small spatial scales and altered species composition compared with natural forests. However, over 80 per cent of species found in unlogged forest were detected within twice-logged forest. Moreover, greater species turnover among sites in twice-logged forest resulted in identical species richness between habitats at the largest spatial scale. While two intensive logging cycles have negative impacts on ant communities, these degraded forests clearly provide important habitat for numerous species and preventing their conversion to oil palm and other crops should be a conservation priority.

scholarly journals Availability of food and nesting-sites as regulatory mechanisms for the recovery of ant diversity after fire disturbance

Sociobiology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberth Fagundes Souza ◽  
Diego V Anjos ◽  
Raquel Carvalho ◽  
Kleber Del-Claro
Keyword(s):  
Fire Disturbance ◽  
Regulatory Mechanisms ◽  
Nesting Sites ◽  
Ant Diversity

scholarly journals Diet and nematode infection in Proceratoprhys boiei (Anura: Cycloramphidae) from two Atlantic rainforest remnants in Southeastern Brazil

2011 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 1303-1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thaís Klaion ◽  
Mauricio Almeida-gomes ◽  
Luiz E. R. Tavares ◽  
Carlos F. D. Rocha ◽  
Monique Van Sluys
Keyword(s):  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Larval Stage ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Infection Intensity ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Helminth Fauna ◽  
Atlantic Rainforest ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Food Items

Proceratophrys boiei is an endemic cycloramphid anuran inhabiting the leaf litter of Atlantic rainforests in Southeastern Brazil. We analyzed the whole digestive tract of 38 individuals of Proceratophrys boiei collected in two Atlantic Rainforest areas in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to study the diet composition and the helminth fauna associated with this species. The main food items in P. boiei's diet were Coleoptera, Orthoptera and Blattaria. Five nematode species were found: Aplectana delirae, Cosmocerca parva, Oxyascaris oxyascaris, Physaloptera sp. (larval stage only) and an unidentified nematode. Overall prevalence was 71% and mean infection intensity was 7.3 ± 5.8 neatodes per individual.

A new species and a new combination for the subfamily Cunaxinae (Acari: Cunaxidae)

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley Borges Wurlitzer ◽  
Anderson De Azevedo Meira ◽  
Naiara Antonia Nunes Vinhas ◽  
Noeli Juarez Ferla
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Atlantic Rainforest ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Rural Forest ◽  
Atlantic Rainforest Biome ◽  
A New Species

A new species of Cunaxidae, namely Cunaxa bagualensis Wurlitzer & Ferla sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on females and males collected in soil and leaf litter in the Atlantic rainforest biome in a rural forest fragment in Mormaço county, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Additionally, Armascirus livingstoni Laniecka & Kazmierski, 2021 is transferred to Dactyloscirus based on some observations.  

scholarly journals A tale of scale: Plot but not neighbourhood tree diversity increases leaf litter ant diversity

2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl J. Skarbek ◽  
Merle Noack ◽  
Helge Bruelheide ◽  
Werner Härdtle ◽  
Goddert von Oheimb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Tree Diversity ◽  
Ant Diversity

Characterization of cellulase producingBacillussp. for effective degradation of leaf litter biomass

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 1195-1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadeem Akhtar ◽  
Ashish Sharma ◽  
Deepmoni Deka ◽  
M. Jawed ◽  
Dinesh Goyal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Biomass
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