Body size as a determinant of small-scale distributions of ants in evergreen woodland southeastern Arizona

TitleBody size as a determinant of small-scale distributions of ants in evergreen woodland southeastern Arizona
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1980
AuthorsChew AEastlake, Chew RM
JournalInsectes Sociaux
Volume27
Pagination189-202
Date Published1980
Call Number00637
Keywordsant, distribution, article, articles, community, ant distribution, journal, journals
AbstractDistributions and abundances of ants were determined on the N, E, W and S upper slopes of a conical hill that had a gradient of conditons from moist-cool oak-juniper-pine woodland to warm-dry open shrub woodland. Species distributions varied remakably with slope, even in terms of subfamilies and unique common species. A formicine was the most abundant species on the north slope. A different species of dolichoderine was most abundant on the other slopes. The assemblages of ant species were much more distinct for these small sites on each slope than are the known groups of species associated with vegetation types on a broad geographical basis. Interpretation of the causes of such specific assemblages awaits detailed information on species ecologies. However, there is considerable circumstantial evidence that body size of pairs of species in the same site was least for common species of the same feeding quild; similarity was greater when one or both members of a pair were uncommon; similarites were highesst for species on different guilds. Combinations of species that would have had very high size overlaps did not occur together. Some combinations that occurred were those that had the least overlap possible for the species known to occur on the entire hill.