Abstract
Messor nests in Iranian steppe rangelands can be so large that they are visible from space. When compared with reference soils, nest soil is higher in nutrients and lower in pH. Ant nests also homogenise the nutrients throughout the upper soil profile, although this effect diminished when nests are abandoned. The denuded circles around nests are surrounded by rings of vegetation that differ in species composition from that of the surrounding vegetation, while abandoned nests are colonized by a different range of plant species. Data on the density and abundance of Messor cf. intermedius nests indicate that the soil in less than 1% of the area is impacted, although the cumulative effect of so many nests influences the plant species and vegetation structure of the region. The data indicate the importance of these ants in altering soil chemical composition and plant diversity, which could have flow-on effects to the diversity of animals.
Highlights
Information concerning Iranian ant’s effects on environment has tended to be sparse or is often published in Iran.This situation is likely to change due to the opening up of the country and removal of sanctions, a further stimulus is the recent translation into Persian and online availability of the book Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity (Agosti et al, 2000) by Mahsa Ghobadi and Mohammad Mahdavi
A recent series of researches published in Iran by Ghobadi (2013) and Ghobadi et al(2015; 2016) have quantified the influence of one of the most prominent Messor spp. on soil properties and vegetation in steppe rangelands of Iran
Unlike the control areas, which were dominated by plants Stipa hohenackeriana, Brassica deflexa, and Artemisia sieberi, the active nest areas were dominated by Campanula stricta, Lepidium vesicarium, Achillea tenuifolia, Brassica deflexa, Papaver tenuifolium and Scabiosa oliveri (Table 3), the major part of which were concentrated in 1m wide rings
Summary
The studyInformation concerning Iranian ant’s effects on environment has tended to be sparse or is often published in Iran.This situation is likely to change due to the opening up of the country and removal of sanctions, a further stimulus is the recent translation into Persian (farsi) and online availability of the book Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity (Agosti et al, 2000) by Mahsa Ghobadi and Mohammad Mahdavi The study measured soil physical and chemical properties on 18 live and seven abandoned ant nests and in un-nested control areas 3 m away from the live nests of Messor cf intermedius. Percentage sand was higher on active ant nests than on controls but percentage clay was lower.
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