Invertebrate Feeding Research Articles

Silicon controls microbial decay and nutrient release of grass litter during aquatic decomposition

The decomposition rate of plant litter is important for the carbon cycle. Element stoichiometry and hardly degradable carbon compounds are main factors controlling the decomposition rate of plant litter. Recent research has linked these factors to silicon availability during plant growth, but no research focused on the effect of silicon on litter decomposition. We therefore conducted a batch experiment to assess the effect of silicon availability to plants on litter degradation, nutrient release and multi elemental stoichiometry. Experiments were conducted in the presence or absence of invertebrate shredders (Gammarus pulex). We show that nutrient content (affected by silicon availability during plant growth) has a strong impact on nutrient turnover, while DOC, N, and Mn were mainly controlled by invertebrate feeding. The carbon turnover during microbial litter decay was strongly influenced by the silicon availability during plant growth, with quicker potential C turnover of litter with higher silicon content. In both Si-rich and Si-poor litter, feeding by invertebrate shredders positively impacted turnover rates, but effects were less pronounced in Si-rich litter. It can be concluded that silicon availability in wetlands dominated by reed plays an important role in carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and remobilization during aquatic litter decay.

Body size variation among invertebrates inhabiting different canopy microhabitat: flower visitors are smaller

1. Factors such as reproductive fitness, climatic tolerance, predation pressure, energetic requirements and the quality and quantity of food sources all correlate with invertebrate body sizes.2. This study examines body size variation between an invertebrate community inhabiting five different microhabitats (mature leaves, new leaves, flowers, fruit and suspended dead wood) that differ in quality, quantity, and availability in an Australian tropical rainforest canopy.3. Mean body size varied significantly between invertebrate and beetle feeding guilds across microhabitats. Phylogenetically independent contrasts revealed that invertebrate taxonomic groups were significantly smaller on flowers than on mature and new leaves. Size differences between microhabitats were most pronounced among herbivorous taxa (Hemiptera, Lepidoptera). In particular, the immature stages or those groups that develop on flowers were significantly smaller on flowers and larger on leaves than expected. Taxonomic groups with many strong flying species, especially those that complete larval development on resources other than flowers, typically showed no differences in body size across microhabitats.4. There are a number of potential hypotheses for the smaller body sizes of flower visitors, including: (i) differences in the physical sizes of the microhabitats; (ii) variation in time–dependent mortality risks that influence development times; and (iii) differences in the nutritional quality of the microhabitats, which can influence body size via metabolic pathways.5. The findings of this study do not support hypothesis (i) (with the possible exception of one or two predatory groups). It is suggested that hypotheses (ii (time–dependent mortality factors) and particularly (iii) (nutritional variation) may be the best avenues for future study as the main drivers of body size differences between microhabitats.

Coral reef fish association with macroalgal beds on a tropical reef system in North-eastern Brazil

Macroalgal beds are recognised for their role as nursery and feeding grounds for several marine species. This study was conducted in the Tamandaré reef complex within the limits of the Costa dos Corais Marine Protected Area (MPA), North-eastern Brazil. The macroalgal bed studied is subjected to several disturbances, especially from tourism. The reef fish were assessed with free dives during the day and night using visual censuses within transects (20 × 2 m) and random swims. The percentage algal cover was estimated using quadrats (40 cm2). The behavioural traits of the fish also provided an understanding of their habitat use. In total, 68 fish species were recorded. The most abundant species were representatives of the families Labridae, Pomacentridae, Acanthuridae and Haemulidae. Sargassum polyceratium, Dictyopteris delicatula and Canistrocarpus cervicornis were the most abundant macroalgae. Because the most abundant fish trophic guild included primarily mobile invertebrate feeders (41.8%) and carnivores (28.4%), it is suggested that the high-canopy macroalgae harbour epiphytic invertebrates, which these fish use for food. Thereby, the study area would act as important nursery and feeding grounds. Tourism activity (e.g. laying chairs, trampling and anchoring) may disrupt fish behaviour and life- history traits and result in damage that would require mitigation through environmental awareness and law enforcement in the most affected areas.

Zero prevalence of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria in 300 breeding Collared Flycatchers in Sweden

Wild birds are important indicators and potential spreaders of antibiotic resistance. The order Passerines is scarcely studied apart from Corvus sp. but extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) has been found in Blackbirds. We tested 300 fecal samples from a well-studied population of Collared Flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis) at the Island of Gotland in Sweden and found no ESBL-producing bacteria. These results support the idea of ‘ecological guild’ as Blackbirds are ground-foraging invertebrate feeders, whereas Collared Flycatchers are aerial insectivores not regularly coming into contact with fecal contaminations and therefore less prone to acquire pathogens spread by the fecal–oral route.

Winter bird activity in fields on a split conventional/organic farm in northern England

Winter bird activity on 18 fields of a split conventional/organic farm in northern England was surveyed in six winters between 2002 and 2009. The three winter covers on the 10 conventional fields were grass, cereals (winter wheat and barley) and oilseed rape whilst grass/clover, cereal stubble (wheat) and vegetable stubbles (beans, potatoes, Brassicas) covered the eight organic fields. The fields were also classified by dominant boundary cover (woodland, hedges, tall herbaceous vegetation). The influence of field and boundary covers, and any interactions, on the activity of 40 bird species was investigated. Activity of 30 species was significantly associated with field cover, with most activity in fields with stubble, especially for seed-eaters such as linnet Carduelis cannabina and skylark Alauda arvensis but also for invertebrate feeders such as jackdaw Corvus monedula. Several species were more active on organic grass/clover than on conventional grass. There was more bird activity in oilseed rape fields than in either winter cereals or grass. There were only six significant activity relationships with field boundaries, with four species most active in fields with adjacent woodland. The seven significant field cover/boundary interactions indicated most activity with organic covers in hedged fields. Song thrush Turdus philomelos was the only species with a positive relationship to any conventional crop whilst the results suggest that winter activity of 25 species was positively influenced by organic management.

Animal–plant interactions in a Middle Permian permineralised peat of the Bainmedart Coal Measures, Prince Charles Mountains, Antarctica

Evidence for invertebrate feeding on glossopterid gymnosperms is documented from Middle Permian silicified peats of the Prince Charles Mountains, Antarctica, in the form of coprolites occurring both free in the peat matrix and clustered within excavations in roots, aerial wood and leaves. Observations of coprolites in thin-sections of the peats and from scanning electron microscopy of examples extracted via bulk maceration reveal nine morphotypes distinguished by size, shape, surface texture and contents. These include coprolites with coarse plant debris, spirally ornamented coprolites, coprolites containing spore/pollen remains and fern sporangia, coprolites within Glossopteris leaves, an ellipsoidal morphotype within a fern sporangium, large isolated coprolites between matted leaves, clustered forms filling galleries inside Vertebraria roots and Australoxylon wood, forms with coarse indeterminate constituents and others with fungal contents. Other faunal evidence is limited to indeterminate arthropod exoskeleton fragments. Collectively, the coprolites within the permineralised peat from the Prince Charles Mountains document the presence of diverse feeding behaviours including stem feeding, sporangial feeding, palynivory, root feeding and mycophagy. The first evidence of invertebrate feeding traces in Vertebraria (glossopterid) roots is identified. These findings indicate that herbivory by invertebrates in the high-latitude Permian forest-mire ecosystems of Antarctica was more intense and diverse than previous studies have reported, and affected all parts of the Glossopteris plant, together with components of associated herbaceous taxa.

The Influence of Coral Reef Benthic Condition on Associated Fish Assemblages

Accumulative disturbances can erode a coral reef’s resilience, often leading to replacement of scleractinian corals by macroalgae or other non-coral organisms. These degraded reef systems have been mostly described based on changes in the composition of the reef benthos, and there is little understanding of how such changes are influenced by, and in turn influence, other components of the reef ecosystem. This study investigated the spatial variation in benthic communities on fringing reefs around the inner Seychelles islands. Specifically, relationships between benthic composition and the underlying substrata, as well as the associated fish assemblages were assessed. High variability in benthic composition was found among reefs, with a gradient from high coral cover (up to 58%) and high structural complexity to high macroalgae cover (up to 95%) and low structural complexity at the extremes. This gradient was associated with declining species richness of fishes, reduced diversity of fish functional groups, and lower abundance of corallivorous fishes. There were no reciprocal increases in herbivorous fish abundances, and relationships with other fish functional groups and total fish abundance were weak. Reefs grouping at the extremes of complex coral habitats or low-complexity macroalgal habitats displayed markedly different fish communities, with only two species of benthic invertebrate feeding fishes in greater abundance in the macroalgal habitat. These results have negative implications for the continuation of many coral reef ecosystem processes and services if more reefs shift to extreme degraded conditions dominated by macroalgae.

Checklist of rocky reef fishes from the Currais Archipelago and Itacolomis Island, Paraná state, Brazil

The ichthyofauna of the rocky substrate of Currais Archipelago and Itacolomis Island (Paraná state, Brazil) was surveyed between October 2008 and August 2009 through visual census, using 40 m2 (20x2 m) band transects at an average depth of 6 m. A total of 14,210 individuals (66 species from 33 families) were observed in 336 band transects, covering an area of 13,440 m2. Stegastes fuscus, Abudefduf saxatilis, Haemulon aurolineatum and Malacoctenus delalandii were the most abundant species. “Carnivore” was the most species-rich category, and “Mobile Invertebrate Feeder” the most abundant. Nine species are added to the list of reef fishes of the Paraná state: Acanthurus coeruleus, Dactylopterus volitans, Epinephelus morio, Myrichthys breviceps, Ophioblennius trinitatis, Paraclinus spectator, Scorpaena brasiliensis, and Selene vomer.

Dietary ontogeny and niche shift to piscivory in lacustrine brown trout Salmo trutta revealed by stomach content and stable isotope analyses

The feeding ecology and ontogeny of a large size range of brown trout Salmo trutta in Lake Fyresvatnet, southern Norway, were examined by stomach content and stable isotope analyses. According to the stomach contents, the S. trutta changed their diet at c. 30 cm total length (L(T) ). The smaller size classes fed on benthic invertebrates and surface insects, whereas larger S. trutta (>30 cm) fed mainly on whitefish Coregonus lavaretus. A similar, but more gradual shift to piscivory in the size range 25-30 cm was found when using the stable isotope mixing model SIAR to reveal dietary ontogeny. The δ¹³C isotopic signature confirmed that S. trutta independent of size predominantly relied upon benthic energy sources, suggesting that the littoral zone was the primary foraging habitat for both invertebrate and piscivorous feeders. The δ¹⁵N values and trophic position increased with predator length, ranging from an average of 3·60 for small-sized S. trutta (<15 cm) to 4·15 for large-sized fish (>35 cm). The S. trutta exhibited a relatively slow growth rate during the predominant invertebrate feeding stages up to 7 years of age and 28 cm L(T) , whereas fish above this size and age displayed a rapid growth rate of 9-11 cm year⁻¹, demonstrating the profitability of piscivorous feeding.

Invertebrate feeding and emergence timing vary among streams along a gradient of riparian forest composition. Freshwater Biology, 57, 759–772. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365‐2427.2012.02740.x

Invertebrate feeding and emergence timing vary among streams along a gradient of riparian forest composition. <i>Freshwater Biology</i>, 57, 759–772. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365‐2427.2012.02740.x

Behavioral Responses of Cao Vit Gibbon (Nomascus Nasutus) to Variations in Food Abundance and Temperature in Bangliang, Jingxi, China

The Cao Vit gibbon is a critically endangered species with only about 110 individuals remaining in a degraded karst forest along the China-Vietnam border. Behavioral data from this site are particularly useful in understanding gibbon behavioral adaptations to different sets of ecological conditions and will contribute to the conservation of the species. We studied seasonal variation in the time budget and diet of the Cao Vit gibbon in response to variation in food availability and ambient temperature by observing two groups for 1,379 hr between January and December 2009. We used 5-min scan samples to record the activity of gibbons. Both ambient temperature and food availability varied from month to month. Gibbon groups increased resting time and huddled together in sleeping places in cold months. Gibbons spent more time feeding on fruit when fruit was more abundant suggesting that fruit was their preferred food. Alternatively, leaf eating was negatively correlated with leaf availability which suggested that leaves may be used as a fallback food. Gibbons increased their diet diversity when they ate more leaves. This might be a strategy to cope with toxins or digestion inhibitor accumulation associated with feeding from a limited number of leaf species. Individuals consumed more buds when Broussonetia papyrifera produced buds in March and April. During this period, they decreased traveling time and engaged in less frequent social interactions. Gibbons spent more time searching for and feeding on invertebrates during June and October. However, we did not collect data on invertebrate abundance and therefore cannot determine the relationship between invertebrate feeding and availability. We conclude that flexibility in consuming diverse food types and food species, and in responding to the availability of preferred foods, has enabled the Cao Vit gibbon to survive in a degraded karst forest habitat.

Recreational fish feeding inside Brazilian MPAs: impacts on reef fish community structure

Although the practice of recreational feeding of fish by tourists is widespread within marine protected areas (MPAs), the ecological consequences of this activity have received little attention. This research aimed to investigate the influence of artificial feeding on reef fish communities of two Brazilian MPAs. Visual censuses were performed in areas not visited by tourists, in order to characterize the natural community structure of each reef system. In the Maracajaú reefs, the effect of artificial feeding was assessed below a moored floating dock found in the area. Stationary visual censuses were carried out before, during and after the fish feeding activity. In the Maragogi reefs, areas with presence and absence of tourism visitation were established. Transect methodology was employed in each of these areas. On both MPAs, fish feeding was a formal activity and occurred on a daily basis during the course of this study. Within the MPAs, 88 species belonging to 40 families were recorded. In Maracajaú, fish, shrimps and squids were provided by the tourists on the floating dock, which favoured mobile invertebrate feeders, whereas in Maragogi, animal ration and human food were used, causing aggregations of omnivores. Differences were observed in terms of abundance between before and after feeding in Maracajaú and between the control and impacted areas of Maragogi. The data are consistent with fish feeding leading to attraction of determined species, causing an increase in their abundance, also indicating that both the type of food and the extension of activity area are important factors determining the effects on fish communities.

Trends in estuarine fish assemblages facing different environmental conditions: combining diversity with functional attributes

Changes in the Mondego estuary (Portugal) fish assemblage were documented with a long-term monitoring program between June 2003 and March 2010, during which several extreme environmental events occurred, including severe droughts and heavy precipitation. The structure and composition of the fish assemblage was analyzed based on a set of indicators: dominance, diversity, evenness, and composition in functional groups (ecological and feeding guilds). Higher species number, diversity, and evenness were observed in the dry periods. Variations in the relative abundance of the ecological guilds were also observed: in dry years, estuarine residents were the most abundant group, while in typical and rainy years, the marine estuarine-dependent species increased in abundance. Among the feeding guilds, the most abundant group was the invertebrate and fish feeders. Planktivorous and invertebrate feeders occurred in higher abundance in dry years, while the opposite was verified for omnivorous species. The mean trophic level of the fish assemblage increased during the drought period, constantly decreasing afterward, which could be attributed to an increase in predators in dry years. The cumulative responses of estuarine fish assemblages to ongoing climate changes and discrete extreme weather events confirm their importance as indicators of environmental changes.

Invertebrate feeding and emergence timing vary among streams along a gradient of riparian forest composition

Summary1. The quality of allochthonous organic matter influences the transfer of energy and nutrients through recipient food webs. We investigated the effects of variation in the composition of riparian forests (deciduous, mixed, coniferous) on the elemental imbalance between basal resources and consumers in streams, on consumer feeding and on potential feedbacks to riparian systems via emergent aquatic insects.2. We tested for differences in elemental stoichiometry (carbon/nitrogen/phosphorus; C/N/P) and stable isotopes (∂13C and ∂15N) between deciduous (red alder, Alnus rubra) and coniferous litter (western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla) and among abundant stream invertebrates from streams draining different riparian forests (deciduous, mixed, coniferous). We then assessed shredder feeding preferences (of the trichopteran, Lepidostoma unicolor) for litter incubated in streams with these different forest types and quantified differences in emergence of aquatic and semiaquatic insects among streams.3. Both initial (non‐incubated) and stream‐incubated A. rubra litter had lower C/N and C/P and were more depleted in ∂13C and more enriched in ∂15N, than T. heterophylla litter. The stoichiometry of invertebrate tissue did not vary significantly among taxa or with riparian forest composition. A predator (the plecopteran Chloroperlidae) and a collector‐gatherer (the ephemeropteran Paraleptophlebia gregalis) from mixed and coniferous forest streams were more enriched in ∂13C and ∂15N isotopes than those from deciduous streams, suggesting that low availability of palatable, N‐rich A. rubra litter may constrain energy flow and nutrient fluxes up through the food web in systems with little or no A. rubra.4. Consumption of A. rubra litter by L. unicolor was most rapid when the litter had been incubated in streams draining deciduous forests, whereas consumption of T. heterophylla litter was not influenced by the composition of the riparian forest.5. Peak insect emergence from coniferous forest streams occurred 1 month earlier and at 2–3× higher density than from mixed and deciduous‐forest streams, but total biomass of emerging insects throughout the study period was not different between forest types. Assemblages of emerging insects were different between deciduous and coniferous forest streams, and taxon richness and diversity were nearly 2× greater from deciduous than from coniferous forest streams.6. Forest composition influences stream invertebrate feeding and could have reciprocal feedbacks onto riparian systems via altered insect emergence.

To feed or to breed: morphological constraints of mouthbrooding in coral reef cardinalfishes

Functionally coupled biomechanical systems are widespread in nature and are viewed as major constraints on evolutionary diversification, yet there have been few attempts to explore the implications of performing multiple functions within a single anatomical structure. Paternally mouthbrooding cardinalfishes present an ideal system to investigate the constraints of functional coupling as the oral jaws of male fishes are directly responsible for both feeding and reproductive functions. To test the effects of (i) mouthbrooding on feeding and (ii) feeding on reproductive potential we compared the feeding apparatus between sexes of nine species of cardinalfish and compared brood characteristics among species from different trophic groups, respectively. Mouthbrooding was strongly associated with the morphology of the feeding apparatus in males. Male cardinalfishes possessed longer heads, snouts and jaws than female conspecifics irrespective of body size, trophic group or evolutionary history. Conversely, reproductive potential also appeared to be related to trophic morphology. Piscivorous cardinalfishes produced larger, but fewer eggs, and had smaller brood volumes than species from the two invertebrate feeding groups. These interrelationships suggest that feeding and reproduction in the mouth of cardinalfishes may be tightly coupled. If so this may, in part, have contributed to the limited morphological diversification exhibited by cardinalfishes.

Mechanisms of food partitioning and ecomorphological correlates in ten fish species from a tropical estuarine marine protected area (Bamboung, Senegal, West Africa)

Ecomorphological correlates were sought among 10 fish species of different life history traits in a tropical estuary. Results from gut contents analysis showed that fish species were classified into four trophic groups including detritivores, zooplanktivores, benthivores, piscivores and macrocarnivores. Resource partitioning among fishes was under the influence of their morphological attributes. Detritivores and zooplanktivores were both characterized by the possession of long gill raker and a wide mouth. The suction feeding mode has been hypothesized to explain the morphological convergence. Detritivorores have additionally a long digestive tract, long pectoral and dorsal fins, a short caudal fin, while zooplanktivores have otherwise big eyes. Benthic invertebrate feeders had big eyes, long dorsal fins, a long head prolonged by protrusive jaws. Piscivores and macrocarnivores were both characterized by the possession of a deep caudal peduncle, up-positioned eyes and a wide and deep mouth. However, the mouth size was more pronounced in strict piscivores, while macrocrustacean feeders had a longer head and long pectoral and dorsal fins. This study corroborates the consistency of the relationships between morphology and ecology in fish assemblages of tropical estuarine systems. Whatever the prey functional type, benthic foraging fishes were characterized by the possession of long paired fins. Key words: Diet, morphology, resource partitioning, life history traits.

Water Flow Affects Zooplankton Feeding by the Scleractinian CoralGalaxea fascicularison a Polyp and Colony Level

Several factors may affect heterotrophic feeding of benthic marine invertebrates, including water flow rate and polyp context (i.e., the presence of neighbouring polyps). We tested the interactive effects of water flow rate and polyp context on zooplankton feeding by the scleractinian coralGalaxea fascicularis. Single polyps and colonies were incubated in a flow cell for 30 minutes with an ambientArtemianauplii concentration of 10,000 L−1and water flow rates ranging from 1.25 to 40 cm s−1. Water flow rate and polyp context showed significant main and interactive effects on feeding rates ofG. fascicularispolyps. More specifically, feeding rates were optimal at flow rates of 1.25 cm s−1for single polyps and 5 to 10 cm s−1for polyps inhabiting colonies. The presence of epizoic acoelomorph flatworms may have negatively affected the observed feeding rates, especially at high flow. Our results demonstrate that water flow affects coral feeding and thus heterotrophic nutrient input at both a polyp and colony level. These findings are of relevance to our understanding of how biotic and abiotic factors interact on coral heterotrophy and may serve to optimise coral aquaculture.

Pyrosequencing of prey DNA in reptile faeces: analysis of earthworm consumption by slow worms

Little quantitative ecological information exists on the diets of most invertebrate feeding reptiles, particularly nocturnal or elusive species that are difficult to observe. In the UK and elsewhere, reptiles are legally required to be relocated before land development can proceed, but without knowledge of their dietary requirements, the suitability of receptor sites cannot be known. Here, we tested the ability of non-invasive DNA-based molecular diagnostics (454 pyrosequencing) to analyse reptile diets, with the specific aims of determining which earthworm species are exploited by slow worms (the legless lizard Anguis fragilis) and whether they feed on the deeper-living earthworm species that only come to the surface at night. Slow worm faecal samples from four different habitats were analysed using earthworm-specific PCR primers. We found that 86% of slow worms (N=80) had eaten earthworms. In lowland heath and marshy/acid grassland, Lumbricus rubellus, a surface-dwelling epigeic species, dominated slow worm diet. In two other habitats, riverside pasture and calciferous coarse grassland, diet was dominated by deeper-living anecic and endogeic species. We conclude that all species of earthworm are exploited by these reptiles and lack of specialization allows slow worms to thrive in a wide variety of habitats. Pyrosequencing of prey DNA in faeces showed promise as a practical, rapid and relatively inexpensive means of obtaining detailed and valuable ecological information on the diets of reptiles.

Trophic relationships and mercury biomagnification in Brazilian tropical coastal food webs

The present study investigated trophic relationships and mercury flow through food webs of three tropical coastal ecosystems: Guanabara, Sepetiba and Ilha Grande bays. The investigation was carried out through carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and total mercury (THg) determination in muscle from 35 species, including crustacean, cephalopod, fish and dolphin species. Detritivorous species showed the lowest average δ15N values in all bays. These species were 13C enriched in Sepetiba and Ilha Grande bays, suggesting the presence of 13C enriched macroalgae in their diet. The highest mean δ15N values were found in fish and benthic invertebrate feeders, as well as in species presenting demerso-pelagic feeding habit. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic findings showed different trophic relationship in food webs from Sepetiba, Guanabara and Ilha Grande bays. Guanabara Bay showed to be depleted in δ15N compared to both Sepetiba and Ilha Grande bays. The latter finding suggests substantial contribution of atmospheric nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria. A positive linear relationship was found between logTHg concentrations and δ15N values for Guanabara and Ilha Grande bays, but not for Sepetiba Bay. Our findings showed trophic magnification factors (TMF) above 1, demonstrating that THg is being biomagnified up the food chains in Rio de Janeiro bays.

Differential resilience of invertebrates to fire

AbstractFires are natural to ecosystems in many parts of the world, yet few studies have examined multi‐taxa invertebrate responses to these fires. We sampled a wide range of invertebrate taxa and feeding guilds at sites 3 months, 1 year and 3 years after fire, and in unburned control sites at the same time. A range of invertebrate sampling techniques was used on Table Mountain, in the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot, an area prone to natural and human‐induced fires. Sampling time differences strongly affected the composition of the whole assemblage, with fire having a major additional influence. Assemblages showed differential resilience to fire, especially in terms of species richness and abundance. One year after fire, the burned sites had the most compositional differences for the surface‐active species compared to control sites, while after 3 years, these sites were similar. Aerial assemblages were very different 3 years after burning, especially the pollination guild. Furthermore, these 3‐year‐old burned sites had the most unique species, suggesting that burning and longer‐term recovery is important for overall diversity. Some components of the invertebrate assemblage were remarkably resilient to fire (particularly ants), while others were far more conservative (pollinators). Nevertheless, fire allows new species to enter the ecosystem and can thus be used to promote local biodiversity if used appropriately. Ants alone should not be used to represent the whole invertebrate assemblage as they do not represent the more fire‐prone groups. A cross‐section of functional guilds is recommended in invertebrate recovery/fire management conservation programmes. These results have general significance in that a variety of feeding guilds need to be sampled when monitoring invertebrate responses to fire.