Diversity and distribution of ant communities in Puerto Rico

Abstract

I studied ants in upland tropical forest, grassland and agricultural land in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, to uncover factors responsible for the distribution and number of species in these communities. Observations, laboratory studies and field experiments were used. Microclimate influenced the distributions of Pheidole fallax, Solenopsis geminata and Monomorium ebeninum; forest ants had lower tolerance to high temperatures than ants from non-forest areas. In addition, Ponerinae ants did not tolerate high temperatures as well as ants in the Formicinae, Myrmicinae and Dolichoderinae. The larger number of species in non-forest areas is correlated with larger food overlaps, tighter guilds, a more variable microclimate, and higher levels of aggressiveness.

Citation

Torres, J.A. 1984. Diversity and distribution of ant communities in Puerto Rico. Biotropica. 16(4): 296-303.