Nest Mounds Research Articles

Xerophilic Aspergillaceae Dominate the Communities of Culturable Fungi in the Mound Nests of the Western Thatching Ant (Formica obscuripes)

The nests of mound-building ants are unexplored reservoirs of fungal diversity. A previous assessment of this diversity in the nests of Formica ulkei suggested that water availability may be a determinant of the composition of this mycota. To investigate this question, we recovered 3594 isolates of filamentous Ascomycota from the nests of Formica obscuripes and adjacent, non-nest sites, employing Dichloran Rose Bengal agar (DRBA), Dichloran Rose Bengal agar containing glycerol (DRBAG), and malt extract agar containing sucrose (MEA20S). Higher numbers of fungi were isolated from the tops of mounds than from within mounds and non-mound sites. Mound nest soils were dominated by members of the family Aspergillaceae, and up to 50% of the colonies isolated on DRBAG belonged to the genus Aspergillus. Pseudogymnoascus pannorum and species of Talaromyces were also present in higher numbers in mound soils. Species of Penicillium were more abundant in non-nest soils, where they accounted for over 66% of isolates on DRBA. All Aspergillaceae assessed for xerotolerance on a medium augmented with glycerol or sucrose were xerophilic. These results, and our observation that the nests of F. obscuripes are low-water environments, indicate that water availability influences the structure of the fungal communities in these animal-modified habitats.

Characteristics of Orange-Footed Scrubfowl (Megapodius reinwoardt) Nests in Kerandangan Natural Tourism Park West Lombok

Orange-footed scrubfowl (Megapodius reidwardt) are protected species and need to be preserved. Orange-footed scrubfowl (Megapodius reidwardt) are terrestrial birds that build nests on the ground. To maintain its sustainability, it is necessary to have knowledge about the characteristics of orange-footed scrubfowl nests. Kerandangan Natural Tourism Park is one of the places where orange-footed scrubfowl are found, but until now there is still no information about the characteristics of orange-footed scrubfowl nests. So this study aims to analyze the characteristics of orange-footed scrubfowl nests in Kerandangan Natural Tourism Park. The method used in this research is descriptive exploration, the research variables include physical parameters of the nest, environmental parameters of the nest, chemical parameters of the nest mound and plant vegetation around the nest. The results showed that the diameter of the nest ranged from 400-590 cm with a nest height of 85-154 cm, the number of laying holes ranged from 1-3 holes and the soil texture class of the nest mound consisted of sandy loam and loam. Environmental parameters obtained average temperature outside the nest 27,9oC, average temperature inside the nest 28,6oC, average humidity outside the nest 80,3%, humidity inside the nest 81,2% and light intensity ranged from 98,1-834,1 lux in the morning, 437,8-4014,8 lux in the afternoon, and 45,7-653,8 lux in the afternoon. Chemical parameters obtained organic matter content ranged from 1,4%-3,2% and pH ranged from 6,8-7. Vegetation that had the highest INP in each nest was Voacanga foetida, Inga edulis, Artocarpus elasticus, and Bambusa bambos, these plant species act as materials for building nest mounds and potentially as food for orange-footed scrubfowl.

Prve najdbe mirmekofilnega pajka <i>Thyreosthenius biovatus</i> (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875) za Slovenijo in nove slovenske najdbe mirmekofilnega pajka <i>Mastigusa arietina</i> (Thorell, 1871)

Ants from the Formica rufa group, also known as red wood ants, build large mound nests and play an important role in their environment, especially in forests. Their nests harbour a species rich and abundant myrmecophilous fauna, including a few European spider species. Myrmecophilous spiders in 40 nests of red wood ants from 25 sites were searched for in Slovenia. In each mound nest, four to five litres of material were collected, which were placed in a sifter, with the sifted material examined for the presence of spiders. Two myrmecophilous spider species were found in the nests: Thyreosthenius biovatus (fam. Linyphiidae), representing first records for Slovenia, and Mastigusa arietina (fam. Cybaeidae), previously known from several sites in western Slovenia, but never purposefully searched for in ant nests. The first spider species was found in half of the examined nests, belonging to all sampled species of red wood ants, most of them to F. aquilonia, and M. arietina was detected in 37.5% of the examined nests, belonging to F. aquilonia and F. lugubris. The two spider species are presumably not rare in Slovenia, especially in the areas with a high number of red wood ant nests.

Selection of Potential Bacteria in Termite Nest and Gut for Sustainable Agriculture

In this study, bacteria with the best abilities in cellulose degradation, siderophore production, phosphate solubility, and Pythium parasitica inhibition were selected from termite nests and guts. The isolate BTNASP 5-2, BTPK 5-3 and BTNA 5-1 from termite guts exhibited highest in siderophore production index (SPI) (4.16 ± 0.21), phosphate solubilizing index (PSI) (2.10 ± 0.14) and percentage inhibition of radial growth (PIRG) (67.07 ± 4.02 %), respectively. The BGNACMC 4-3 isolated from termite nest gave the highest cellulolytic index (CI) of 5.17 ± 0.24. Bacterial classification was performed using 16s rRNA gene sequencing. The isolates BTPK 5-3, BGNACMC 4-3 and BTNA 5-1 were found closely related to Bacillus cereus, whereas the bacterial isolate BTNASP 5-2 was closely related to Bacillus subtilis. It is also suggested that the Bacillus cereus exhibited a variety of biological activities, denoting the highest cellulase, phosphate-solubilizing and antifungal activities, while Bacillus subtilis produced only a siderophore. The results obtained suggest that the bacteria selected will be used to develop bio-compost to promote plant growth, leading to sustainable farming. HIGHLIGHTS Bacillus cereus exhibited a variety of biological activities, denoting the highest cellulase, phosphate-solubilizing, and antifungal activities Bacillus subtilis produced a siderophore The highest cellulose-degrading bacteria ( cereus BGNACMC4-3) found in termite mound nest GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

A new ootype of putative dromaeosaurid eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of southern China

Non-avian maniraptoran eggs are abundant in the Upper Cretaceous of China. Previous studies mainly focused on oviraptorosaur and troodontid eggs which can be classified into the oofamilies Elongatoolithidae and Prismatoolithidae, respectively. Here we report a new possible ootype of dromaeosaurid dinosaur recovered from the Lianhe Formation of the Ganzhou Basin. The new ootaxon, Gannanoolithus yingliangi oogen. et oosp. nov., is remarkable for its symmetrically elliptic shape and two structural layers with an abrupt and straight boundary. It shares a similar elongated shape, interlocked eggshell units, and an angusticanaliculate pore system with those of Deinonychus eggshell-like maniraptoran ootaxa reported from North America, Europe, and East Asia. The new phylogenetic analysis suggests the monophyly of dromaeosaurid and oviraptorosaurian eggs, and troodontid eggs are closely related to bird eggs. Paired eggs of Gannanoolithus might indicate that dromaeosaurid dinosaurs also have paired functional oviducts like oviraptorosaurs and troodontids. In addition, the porosity and EBSD analyses support that these eggs in the mound nests are buried.

Structural variation of ant nests mediates the local distribution and abundance of an associate

AbstractSymbionts form intricate associations with their hosts. They can only establish when potential hosts are present, but in addition, their distribution is often influenced by microhabitat preferences, which may not overlap those of their hosts. This leads to a patchy local distribution of the symbiont, being present with some hosts and absent with others. We studied this effect of microhabitat preferences on symbiont distribution by examining the occurrence and density of the obligately ant‐associated springtail Cyphoderus albinus Nicolet (Collembola: Paronellidae) across a mosaic of ant nests. Nest structure strongly varied both within and between ant species and included sand, dead wood, arboreal and thatch mound nests. We hypothesized that the symbiotic springtail would show the strongest preference for thermoregulated and organic‐rich nests such as thatch mounds. The springtail was found in all thatch mound nests of red wood ants and in all arboreal nests of Lasius fuliginosus (Latreille). A high occurrence (75%) was recorded in the smaller thatch nests of Formica sanguinea Latreille. Lasius, Myrmica and Formica species exhibited variation in nest structures on the ground, establishing nests in both sand and wood. For each of these three host taxa, encountering the springtail was more likely in their wood nests (medium‐to‐high occurrence), than in their sand nests where the occurrence was low. Nest structure did not only impact springtail occurrence, but their densities as well. The densities within thatch nests were much higher than those in other nest types, achieving the highest densities (1148 individuals per litre of nest material) observed for a social insect symbiont. Our findings emphasize that host nests with wood structures and thatch material provide a more favourable habitat for the springtail compared with soil nests. Overall, this study underscores the role of microhabitat variation in the spatial distribution and density of a symbiotic species.

Divergent effects of leaf‐cutting ant herbivory and soil engineering on the reproductive success of plants in a Caatinga dry forest

Abstract Plant reproduction is influenced by resource availability, environment and interactions with pollinators, pathogens and herbivores. In the Neotropical region, the leaf‐cutting ants are voracious herbivores and soil engineers, potentially affecting plant performance. This study investigated the effects of herbivory and soil changes via nest construction and maintenance linked to Atta opaciceps (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (Bormeier, 1939) on the reproductive success of two Leguminosae species (Cenostigma pyramidale (Tul.) E. Gagnon & G.P. Lewis and Indigofera suffruticosa Mill. Mill.) widely distributed in the Caatinga dry forest. We selected eight nests from A. opaciceps colonies, with both plant species nearby. For each colony, we selected similar‐sized adult plants from foraging trail ends, where ants concentrate foraging efforts and herbivory is pronounced. We also selected plants located 20 m away from the foraging trail ends, representing herbivory‐protected scenarios, secured by tanglefoot barriers. Additionally, to assess ant‐related soil effects, we selected individuals from different nest‐associated soils (i.e., nest mounds and external refuse dumps) and from locations 20 m away from the aforementioned locations. All these individuals were shielded with tanglefoot barriers. Herbivory and soil changes from A. opaciceps did not affect any metric evaluated of C. pyramidale. Yet, for I. suffruticosa, ant herbivory boosted fruit set, and nest‐related soil changes, notably from refuse dumps, increased the number of flowers and fruits. Our findings indicate that leaf‐cutting ant effects on plant performance are species‐specific and may eventually benefit plant reproduction. Given the proliferation of leaf‐cutting ants in human‐modified landscapes of the Caatinga dry forest, positive interactions with plants might be vital to improving plant recruitment and forest regeneration dynamics.

Use of a scent-detection dog for sea turtle nest monitoring of three sea turtle species in Florida.

Sea turtles are threatened with extinction around the world and rely on sandy beaches for laying their eggs. To protect eggs and locate them for calculation of reproductive success, beach surveyors must find the exact placement of each clutch. Eggs may be buried up to one meter deep under a nest mound several square meters in area. To locate sea turtle eggs, beach surveyors might spend hours searching for these eggs hidden in the sand, especially for difficult-to-locate leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas) eggs. Scent-detection dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are a novel tool that could provide a means to more accurately identify nests and efficiently locate eggs that need assessment, protection, or relocation. We assessed the effectiveness and feasibility of using a detection dog to locate sea turtle eggs buried in beach sand as compared to the traditional method using human beach surveyors. The detection dog was significantly more accurate in detecting loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) eggs and more efficient (less time spent and fewer holes dug) in assisting with locating the eggs. This case study presents results on the performance of one detection dog only, and additional research is needed with multiple detection dogs and handlers.

Ants on featureless saltpans build tall nest mounds.

North African desert ants Cataglyphis fortis living on a featureless saltpan far from the shoreline build a mound at their nest entrance. Experimental manipulations show that they do this purposefully to make it easier for returning foragers to find their nest.

Red wood ants (Formica rufa) help propagate invasive small balsam (Impatients parviflora) in accordance with the directed dispersal hypothesis

Ants are a major source of soil disturbance and can influence vegetation dynamics and biodiversity by changing environmental conditions. Their seed collection activity supports dispersal and can favour the presence of species, including introduced, non-native and invasive species. Understanding of seed dispersal mechanisms is important for predicting plant distributions and invasive risk.Studies generally addressing myrmecochory have mostly focused on interactions between native species and few have considered the role of ants in spreading non-native plants. This study investigated effects of a native species Formica rufa (red wood ant) on the distribution of the invasive plant, Impatiens parviflora DC (small balsam). The study measured ant seed collection activity and plant and soil chemical characteristics to evaluate whether assumptions of the directed dispersal hypothesis obtained.Seed collection experiments showed that ants do not selectively collect small balsam seeds but collect them randomly at about the same rates as other organic and inorganic material. Non-targeted collection however suffices in dispersing small balsam seeds in or near the ant nest thus enhancing plant establishment, growth and reproduction.I. parviflora density in the forest floor was 3.06 plants per m2 while I. parviflora density reached 82.68 plants per m2 in and around ant nests I. parviflora individuals growing on nest mounds were significantly larger, showed more flowers and produced more seeds than plants established on the surrounding forest floor. Better growth of I. parviflora on and around ant nests corresponded with significantly higher nutrient content, especially of nitrates and available phosphorus in ant nests. Ant nests also showed higher pH values and available potassium, sodium and calcium.This study thus found that red wood ants contribute to the expansion of I. parviflora by soil transformation and non-targeted seed dispersal in an otherwise nutrient-poor environment where the plant would otherwise struggle to flourish.

Altitudinal Variations in the Mound Nests of Termites <i>Odontotermes Wallonensis</i> and <i>O. obesus</i>

The nesting form of the mound nest of species Odontotermes wallonensis(E. Wasmann) and Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) was studied in hilly and tropical deciduous forest area of Kakoijana Reserved Forest of Abhayapuri (Bongaigaon district). It was compared to the plain village forest area of Baksa district (Bajegaon Pather). The morphometric measurement such as height, circumference, depth of the mound nest and the royal chamber from the surface of the ground was recorded along with weight of fungus garden and queen and their sections were photographed. The outcomes revealed that the location of the nest influences the structure and characteristics of the nest. The young and established mound nests of species O. obesus and O. wallonensis in hilly and plain area had different shape, sizes and colour. The shade of the fungus garden was buff i.e., yellowish brown in young nest whereas it was blackish brown in established nests. The queen termite and the royal chamber unable to be excavated were in hilly area as compared to the plain area. In some of the mound nests, no traces of the queen termites and rest of the castes were observed; and the mound was dead i.e., abandoned after the death of queen termite.

Construction of nest mound and preference for it during relocation in an Indian ant Diacamma indicum

Abstract Ants living in subterranean nests face the challenge of nest flooding and require to combat this recurring issue. The tropical Ponerine ant species, Diacamma indicum, living in simple nests with a single chamber, was used in the current study to examine mound building in the lab. Upon stimulating rain ( colonies) they built significantly larger nest mounds as compared to controls. Nest mounds proved to be important to colonies that had experienced rain while relocating. Relocating colonies showed significantly higher preference for new nests with mounds (12/13) when choosing between two equidistant, similar quality potential new nests in contrast to control relocations. To the best of our knowledge this study for the first-time documents mound building behaviour in any Ponerine species in laboratory conditions and introduces nest mounds as another architectural feature of interest to relocating colonies.

Leaf‐cutting ant nests support less dense and impoverished seed assemblages in a human‐modified Caatinga dry forest

AbstractRegenerating forests make up an increasingly large portion of tropical landscapes worldwide and regeneration dynamics may be influenced by leaf‐cutting ants (LCA), which proliferate in disturbed areas and collect seeds for fungus culturing. Here, we investigate how LCA influences seed fate in human‐modified areas of Caatinga dry forest. We evaluate the seed deposition and predation on Atta opaciceps nests, foraging habitat surrounding nest and control habitat away of nest influence of 15 colonies located along a forest cover gradient during the rainy and dry seasons. For each habitat, four 50‐cm2 plots were established and all seeds on the soil surface were collected along 1 year. We recorded 13,628 seeds distributed among 47 species and 36.57% of the total seeds did not show any sign of predation. Nest mound habitats supported low‐density and species‐poor seed assemblages, which were taxonomically distinct from the control habitats. These effects only occurred in the rainy season. The proportion of undamaged seeds were similar across the habitats. While forest cover did not influence seed assemblage in terms of species richness or seed predation, it did interact with habitat type via increments in seed abundance as forest cover increased across the nests. Forest cover also affected seed composition, but only in the rainy season. These results indicate that LCA decrease seed deposition in areas under their influence, particularly on the nest mounds. As LCA profit from human disturbance in the Caatinga, their role as seed ‘sinks’ should be enhanced in disturbed Caatinga patches, particularly during the rainy season, when most of the plant recruitment occurs. Our findings reinforce the importance of LCA as drivers of forest dynamics and resilience in human‐modified landscapes.

Study of Ecological Characteristics of Lasius niger (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Using Vegetation Data

When assessing the condition of Lasius niger (Linnaeus, 1858) nest complexes, plant communities should be considered. The aim of this work is to analyse ecological characteristics and structure of L. niger nest complexes using vegetation data. The study was conducted in Ukraine, in June 2017 (a nest complex on a territory near Vyshneve, Kyiv Oblast, 502 nest mounds) and in June 2022 (Chaika, Kyiv Oblast, 72 nest mounds, Stara Ushytsia, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, 134 nest mounds). Morphometric parametres of the mounds (diameter, height), their relative position and size classes in squares of 100 m2 were studied. At the same time, vegetation plots were carried out. Differences in the structure of L. niger nest mounds discussed previously are at least partly result from differences in the ecological conditions of the localities. Of the six ecological indicators (Hd — Tm), three — soil acidity and nitrogen, and the hemeroby indicator, which assesses the degree of anthropogenic pollution — have a significant influence on the abundance of L. niger nest mounds. These factors were shown to have a significant influence on the ant colony volume indicator. For most indicators, except moisture and light, the optimum for L. niger was close to 50 points (middle of the scale). For the anthropogenic factor, the range of values was the widest, which indirectly confirms the relative tolerance of this species to the anthropogenic influence of moderate intensity and allows its existence in urban conditions where competitive pressure from other species is lower. The sign of regression coefficient, especially the positive sign for the acidity and nitrogen indicators, demonstrates positive effect of these factors on the ant colony structure indicators.

Nests and nest building in birds

Bird nests have long attracted human interest, both as beautiful creations and as important constructions. They are important constructions because avian parents use them to protect their developing eggs and young from the dangers presented by the elements and predators. Despite sharing these protective functions, however, bird nests can be remarkably structurally variable, being built from a wide diversity of materials, and placed in all manner of locations. For example, male Australian brush turkeys scrape material into large nest mounds, woodpeckers excavate holes, storks build stacks, sparrows and swallows build cups (but of different materials), while weavers weave their famous hanging baskets. Nests might be built in bushes or holes in trees, dangle from a branch, or sit on the ground. They might be solitary and hidden, or conspicuous, together housing hundreds of families (Figure 1).

Crater mound nests of the ant, Camponotus sp. in a terrace garden in Bangalore

Crater mound nests of the ant, Camponotus sp. in a terrace garden in Bangalore

Spatiotemporal Foraging Dynamics of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and its Potential Effects on the Spatial Structure of Interspecific Competition.

The ant communities on coffee farms in the West/Central Mountains of Puerto Rico are composed of mainly invasive species, although many have a long history of occupation and are effectively naturalized. The ecological forces that maintain such communities are thus of interest, and are evidently related to the spatial patterns in which they inevitably occur. Furthermore, the spatial patterns in which members of the native ant community forage almost certainly include limitations related to the structure of the networks of subterranean foraging tunnels that extend from the nest mounds of Solenopsis invicta. Here we explore some details of that structure. We ask, what is the pattern of foraging exit holes and the gaps between them, and how does that pattern change from farm to farm and from time to time? We encounter typical underground foraging trails punctuated by foraging exits, which, we propose, create a structure above ground of relatively small foraging exits in a matrix of effective foraging gaps. This pattern varies from nest to nest and farm to farm. Other ant species clearly occupy those gaps and seem to gain some of their resilience in the system from this peculiarity of S. invicta's foraging area structure.

Bacteria associated with leaf-cutter ants drive natural antibiotic resistance in soil bacteria

AbstractActinobacteria that live mutualistically with leaf-cutter ants secrete antibiotics that may induce antibiotic resistance in nearby soil bacteria. We tested for the first time whether soil bacteria near and inside Atta cephalotes nests in Costa Rica show higher levels of antibiotic resistance than bacteria collected farther away. We collected soil samples 0 m to 50 m away from ant nests and grew bacteria from them on agar with paper discs treated with antibiotics of common veterinary use. As a proxy for antibiotic resistance, we measured the distance from the edge of each disc to the closest bacterial colonies. In general, resistance to oxytetracycline increased with proximity to leaf-cutter ant nests. Antibiotic resistance to oxytetracycline was also higher in samples collected inside the nest than in samples from the nest mound; not all antibiotics demonstrated the same trend. A preliminary exploratory morphological analysis suggests bacterial communities between 0 m and 50 m from ant nests were similar in diversity and abundance, indicating the pattern of antibiotic resistance described above may not be caused by differences in community composition. We conclude that actinobacteria living mutualistically with A. cephalotes drive natural antibiotic resistance to tetracycline in proximal bacterial communities.

Intraspecific Relationships and Nest Mound Shape Are Affected by Habitat Features in Introduced Populations of the Red Wood Ant Formica paralugubris.

Simple SummaryRed wood ants (Formica rufa goup) are dominant ant species widespread in the Eurasian continent. These species have a strong ecological impact on the habitats they dwell in, being top-ranked predators. One of the most striking features of these ants is represented by the large nest mounds they build. In this study, we investigated how nest mound shape and colony organization of imported populations of Formica paralugubris varied in three different habitat types. We found that nest mounds differed in size, number and shape in the three habitats. In all the three sites, nests were connected by trails of workers, but the size of these nest-networks differed. We also investigated the pattern of intraspecific aggression among ants from different nests, and we showed that aggressiveness was higher within each population than between separate populations, a finding in line with a ‘nasty neighbor’ behavior.Ants belonging to the Formica rufa group build large nest mounds, which aid their survival during severe winters. We investigated whether different environmental features of the habitats affected the nest mound shape and the population structure. We assessed the shape of all the nest mounds and mapped inter-nest trails connecting mounds for three imported populations of Formica paralugubris in three forest habitats: fir-dominated, beech-dominated, and a mixture of fir and beech. Single-nest mounds were averagely smaller and flatter in the beech-dominated forest, probably because of lighter building materials. Nonetheless, by summing the volumes of all interconnected nests, the size was similar among all three sites. In fir- and beech-dominated forests, large nests were also central in the networks, suggesting a central place foraging model with these nests as reference. We finally performed aggression tests, and found that aggressiveness was significantly higher among nests belonging to the same population than between populations. The results highlight the plasticity of the species to adapt nest and colony structure to different environments. Additionally, it appears that none of these populations is unicolonial, as observed in various alpine sites, there and the observed patterns of aggression are coherent with the ‘nasty neighbor’ effect.

Presence after three decades of red wood ants (Formica rufa group; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in forests in an agricultural landscape

Conducting a repeat study of the presence of mound-building red wood ants (Formica rufa group) after a period of 30 years has rarely been done in Europe. From 1990 to 2020 such a study was done in an intensively used agricultural landscape with fragments of forest in the South-Eastern part of The Netherlands. In 1990, 280 nest mounds of three species of red wood ants and a hybrid were found in the forests and along forest edges. The highest occupancy was in forests of > 25 ha. The connectivity between the forest fragments mainly determined their presence. In 2020, only 160 nest mounds were found. The development of the colonies differed for Formica polyctena FĂśrster, 1850 (slight decrease), F. rufa Linnaeus, 1761 (substantial increase) and F. pratensis Retzius, 1783 (strong decrease). The differences between the species in this highly fragmented landscape may be due to differences in their colonization strategies of either nest splitting or producing swarms of young queens. Furthermore, the analyses show that the type of environment (in a forest or along a forest edge) determines the probability of extinction or settlement. There is a need to undertake management measures to prevent the extinction of species of red wood ants in the area studied. These measures include creating small clearings in dense forests, reducing shading due to overgrowing shrubs or herbaceous plants, and creating buffer zones around intensively manured fields. More long-term monitoring is needed in Europe to compare the circumstances in different regions, detect trends and evaluate the effects of protection measures.