Homogenization and impoverishment of taxonomic and functional diversity of ants in Eucalyptus plantations

Author(s)

Martello, Felipe ^{[1, 2]} ; de Bello, Francesco ^[3] ; de Castro Morini, Maria Santina ^[4] ; Silva, Rogerio R. ^[5] ; de Souza-Campana, Debora Rodriges ^[4] ; Ribeiro, Milton Cezar ^[2] ; Carmona, Carlos P. ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, UFSCar, Dept Environm Sci, Rod Washigton Luis Km 235, Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Sao Paulo State Univ, UNESP, Spatial Ecol & Conservat Iab LEEC, Ecol Dept, Ave 24 A, 1515 Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ South Bohemia, Dept Bot, Fac Sci, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice - Czech Republic

^[4] Univ Mogi das Cruzes, Lab Mirmecol Alto Tiete LAMAT, Ave Dr Candido Xavier Almeida Souza 200, Mogi das Cruzes, SP - Brazil

^[5] Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Coordenacao Ciencias Terra & Ecol, Av Perimetral 1901, BR-66077830 Belem, Para - Brazil

^[6] Univ Tartu, Inst Ecol & Earth Sci, Lai 40, EE-51005 Tartu - Estonia

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 8, FEB 19 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 12

Abstract

Despite its negative impacts on the environment and biodiversity, tree plantations can contribute to biodiversity conservation in fragmented landscapes, as they harbor many native species. In this study, we investigated the impact of Eucalyptus plantations on the taxonomic and functional diversity of ant communities, comparing ant communities sampled in managed and unmanaged (abandoned for 28 years) Eucalyptus plantations, and native Atlantic rain forests. Eucalyptus plantations, both managed and unmanaged, reduced the functional diversity and increased the similarity between ant communities leading to functional homogenization. While communities in managed plantations had the lowest values of both taxonomic and functional ant diversities, ant communities from unmanaged plantations had similar values of species richness, functional redundancy and Rao's Q compared to ant communities from forest patches (although functional richness was lower). In addition, communities in unmanaged Eucalyptus plantations were taxonomically and functionally more similar to communities located in managed plantations, indicating that Eucalyptus plantations have a severe long-term impact on ant communities. These results indicate that natural regeneration may mitigate the impact of Eucalyptus management, particularly regarding the functional structure of the community (a diversity), although it does not attenuate the effects of long term homogenization in community composition (beta diversity). (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/50294-2 - Structure of litter ant communities in extensive Eucalyptus grandis dunnii Maiden culture in Atlantic Forest areas
• Grantee: Maria Santina de Castro Morini
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/05126-8 - Bioecological and genetic aspects of Solenopsis spp. in mosaic landscapes of the Alto Tietê Cabeceiras (SP)
• Grantee: Maria Santina de Castro Morini
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/50421-2 - New sampling methods and statistical tools for biodiversity research: integrating animal movement ecology with population and community ecology
• Grantee: Milton Cezar Ribeiro
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 10/50973-7 - Diversity of bacteria and invertebrates and its influence on the structure of the communities of litter ants in areas of Atlantic Rainforest
• Grantee: Maria Santina de Castro Morini
• Support type: Regular Research Grants