Papel da Sucessão Ecológica, Ontogenia da Planta e Sazonalidade Ambiental na Estrutura da Comunidade de Formigas e nas Redes de Interações Formiga-Planta

Abstract

The structure of vegetation has wide effects on the organization of the formicidae communities. More complex habitats present more nesting sites and resources, increasing the diversity of species in these environments. On the other hand, disturbed habitats respond negatively to the wealth and structuring of ant-plant networks. In addition, the diversity of ants also tends to be higher in the wetter periods, due to the greater supply of food resources, such as extra floral nectaries. In this sense, we are proposing that the diversity and complexity of ant-plant interactions networks vary depending on the successional stage of habitat, ontogenic stage of C. langsdorffii plants and environmental seasonality. The ants were sampled with pitfall traps in young individuals and adults of C. langsdorffii at the end of the rainy season, in the middle of the dry season and in the middle of the rainy season. We evaluated the richness and composition of species in the initial and late stages of succession, plant ontogeny and in the three collections. The richness and composition of ant species varied according to the successional stages of the habitat and collections, as well as the scores also showed relation with the habitat and collection season. The complexity of the habitat and the presence of active extra floral nectaries answered some of these results.