Nut Properties and Abundance Shape the Structure of an Acorn-Nesting Ant Community

There are many environmental factors that shape the extent to which species that share resources can coexist. Competition for shared resources, and resource properties have a potentially large influence on how communities are structured. The purpose of this study was to show how nut resources in the leaflitter structure the assembly of the nut-dwelling ant community on Plummer’s Island and the larger oak forests of the Mid-Atlantic region. We found that nut and nest densities, as well as ant species richness decrease as distance from the source tree increases. We also discovered a large diversity of nut-nesting ant species, including two that have not been previously identified in the area. Furthermore, the results build upon previous studies in showing that ants have a preference for specific resource properties, including fungus presence and entrance hole size. Overall, this study concludes that the ant community is structured differently at different distances from the tree, primarily due to changes in resource density, and preference for specific nest properties.

Author

• Fiore, Jacqueline

Language

• en

Keyword

• Plummer's Island
• community ecology
• Janzen-Connell
• temnothorax

Date created

• 2023

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Biological Sciences

Degree

• M.S.

Advisor

• Powell, Scott

Committee Member(s)

• Lill, John

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/td96k3352