Ant brightness and size determine seasonal vegetation occupation by ground-dwelling ants in an Amazon-Cerrado ecotone community

Ant brightness and size determine seasonal vegetation occupation by ground-dwelling ants in an Amazon-Cerrado ecotone community | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 14 January 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Ant brightness and size determine seasonal vegetation occupation by ground-dwelling ants in an Amazon-Cerrado ecotone community Authors : Willian Bochenski , Ricardo Vicente , Tom Bishop , and Thiago Izzo 0000-0002-4613-3787 [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.173688319.94963301/v1 270 views 142 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Ecological filters play a significant role in shaping communities by excluding species based on their morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations. Ants are excellent models for studying the effects of these filters, as their traits enable them to occupy a wide range of microhabitats. Individual characteristics, such as color and size, allow some species to overcome environmental filtering. In this study, we investigated how microhabitat and seasonality influence the distribution patterns of ants and how these patterns are shaped by the ants' size and color. The study was conducted in the highly diverse Amazon-Cerrado transition zone, where the regional species pool includes a mix of species from both phytophysiognomies as well as endemic species. We collected ants using pitfall traps placed in the soil and vegetation, and we measured the color and size of individuals from each species. In total, we recorded 2,659 ant occurrences, distributed across 236 species, 53 genera, and 8 subfamilies. Our results showed that ant species richness is higher during the dry season, particularly in the soil. Differences between strata and seasons were primarily driven by species turnover. However, this turnover was not consistent, as some soil-dwelling ants, particularly the large and light-colored ones, migrated to the vegetation during the rainy season, contributing to a nestedness pattern across seasons and strata. Furthermore, larger ants were consistently found in the vegetation, whereas smaller ants were more commonly observed in the soil. This indicates an interaction between biological and environmental filters in determining local communities, as the relaxation of environmental filters can allow ground-dwelling ants to forage on lower vegetation. These findings provide valuable insights into community assembly across different seasons and emphasize that a snapshot approach to community assessment may lead to incomplete conclusions about species richness and community dynamics. Supplementary Material File (oik-11357-file001.docx) Download 1.39 MB File (oik-11357-file004.pdf) Download 15.29 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 14 January 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords adaptations ants color morphology seasonality stratification Authors Affiliations Willian Bochenski Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso View all articles by this author Ricardo Vicente Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas do Pantanal View all articles by this author Tom Bishop Cardiff University View all articles by this author Thiago Izzo 0000-0002-4613-3787 [email protected] Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 270 views 142 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Willian Bochenski, Ricardo Vicente, Tom Bishop, et al. Ant brightness and size determine seasonal vegetation occupation by ground-dwelling ants in an Amazon-Cerrado ecotone community. Authorea . 14 January 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.173688319.94963301/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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