Ant abundance increases with clearing size

Abstract

Ants are an important part of biodiversity and are useful bioindicators. Our aim was to determine whether ant species richness and composition differ among large clear-cuts (ca. 3000 m2), small forest gaps (ca. 400 m2), and areas of mature forest. The research was conducted in a large plantation of Picea abies in the Jizerske Mountains in the Czech Republic at an elevation of ca. 900 m a.s.l. Ants were sampled using pitfall traps in three areas, each of which had a large clear-cut, mature forest, and gaps; a randomized complete block design was used. Species richness and composition of ant assemblages differed significantly among plots in the three treatments. The results showed that ant abundance and diversity were similarly low in small gaps and in closed-canopy mature stands; in comparison, large clear-cuts supported significantly higher species richness, more complex species composition, and a higher abundance of ants. Six species were found in large clear-cuts, but only one and two species were collected in small gaps and mature forests, respectively. Our findings suggest that small-scale forest management is not suitable for maintaining ant diversity.