Abstract
Many studies have investigated the mechanisms behind the structure of arboreal ant assemblages. In this study, the objective was to evaluate the effect of availability of honeydew-producing colonies ofCalloconophora pugionata(Membracidae) on the structure of ant assemblages associated with the host plantMyrcia obovata(Myrtaceae) in an Atlantic forest of Minas Gerais (Brazil). Our experiment consisted in a gradual exclusion of hemipteran colonies out of the host plant crown and further record of the ant assemblage response (species richness, composition, and occurrence) to the presence and density of treehopper colonies. The hypothesis was that an increase in the number of trophobiont herbivores results in an increase in tending ant occurrence but a reduction in ant species diversity. Results corroborated our main hypothesis: membracids had a positive effect on the occurrence of ants but negative on species richness. Overall insect occurrence was also reduced with increasing inC. pugionatacolonies, probably due to strengthening dominant ant species territory sizes and intensification of patrolling.
Highlights
The outstanding occurrences of large arboreal ant colonies result in the most remarkable animal biomass found in any tropical canopy [1]
The objective was to evaluate the effect of availability of honeydew-producing colonies of Calloconophora pugionata (Membracidae) on the structure of ant assemblages associated with the host plant Myrcia obovata (Myrtaceae) in an Atlantic forest of Minas Gerais (Brazil)
In the present study we evaluated the effect of variation in the presence and density of hemipterans exudates producers among tree crowns on the arboreal ant species richness and occurrence, in a secondary montane forest ecosystem
Summary
The outstanding occurrences of large arboreal ant colonies result in the most remarkable animal biomass found in any tropical canopy [1]. It is a mutualistic interaction that involves consumption of honeydew by ants in return for protection of the hemipterans against natural enemies [10] This kind of resource characterizes its consumers as indirect herbivores and provides energy necessary to achieve higher population sizes [3, 10]. Trophobiosis has been largely studied in lowland, close tropical rainforests; and in the Brazilian Cerrado, among a few other ecosystems [17, 18, 21, 23, 24] It is a well-described mutualistic system, likely to result in similar ecological output wherever it happens, it is necessary to investigate such interactions in other habitats [23]. We expected that a high density of ants around the hemipteran colonies would affect other arthropods, from plant natural enemies, such as herbivore beetles, to membracid predators, such as spiders
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