Dataset Information

Ants Response to Human-Induced Disturbance in a Rain Tropical Forest.

ABSTRACT: A high rate of human-induced disturbance of tropical ecosystems results in enormous loss of biodiversity due to local extinctions. Yet, mechanisms at the population level that lead to the extinction are still poorly understood. Here we tested the hypothesis that human-induced disturbance results in smaller amount of nesting sites for wood-dwelling arthropods that leads to smaller population size and diminished reproduction, and therefore, may promote local extinctions. We completed censuses in less-disturbed and human-disturbed secondary rain forest plots in Puerto Rico. We measured population size and brood production in wood-nesting ants and examined whether these parameters differ between less-disturbed and more-disturbed habitats. In addition, we measured volume of wood parts of all inhabited and potential nesting sites to assess nest site availability. We found that more human-disturbed forests furnish smaller nest sites, resulting in diminished population size and lowered brood production. Our study shows that human-induced disturbance decreases volume of available nesting sites that leads to decreased population size and lowered reproduction. Thus, in addition to the well-documented loss of species richness in human-disturbed tropical habitats, we demonstrated the direct effect of the disturbance that may promote vulnerability of local populations.

SUBMITTER: Walter B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6267389 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Ants Response to Human-Induced Disturbance in a Rain Tropical Forest.

Walter B B Graclik A A Tryjanowski P P Wasielewski O O

Neotropical entomology 20180823 6

A high rate of human-induced disturbance of tropical ecosystems results in enormous loss of biodiversity due to local extinctions. Yet, mechanisms at the population level that lead to the extinction are still poorly understood. Here we tested the hypothesis that human-induced disturbance results in smaller amount of nesting sites for wood-dwelling arthropods that leads to smaller population size and diminished reproduction, and therefore, may promote local extinctions. We completed censuses in l ...[more]

PMID: 30141120

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Project description:Background and aimsAlthough pollen limitation of reproduction (PL) has been widely studied, our understanding of its occurrence in tropical communities, especially for bird-pollinated plants, is underdeveloped. In addition, inclusion of both quantity and quality aspects in studies of PL are generally lacking. Within hummingbird-pollinated plants, a prediction was made for higher PL for the quality than quantity aspects and a minor effect of temporal variation because hummingbirds are constant and efficient pollen vectors but they may transfer low quality pollen.MethodsField hand and open pollination experiments were conducted on 21 species in a tropical montane rain forest over 2 years. The quantity (fruit set and seeds per fruit) and quality (seed weight and germination) aspects of reproduction were assessed as the response to open pollination relative to outcross hand pollination. The relationships between the effect size of quantity and quality aspects of reproduction and predictive plant features (self-incompatibility, autogamy, density and pollinator specialization level) were assessed with phylogenetic generalized linear models.Key resultsJust over half of all the species expressed PL for one or more response variables. On average, the severity of PL was strong for one quality variable (seed germination; 0·83), but insignificant for another (seed weight; -0·03), and low to moderate for quantity variables (0·31 for seeds per fruit and 0·39 for fruit set). There was only a minor contribution of temporal variation to PL within the studied species. Common predictors of PL, i.e. phylogenetic relatedness, self-incompatibility, autogamy, plant density and pollinator specialization level, did not adequately explain variation in PL within this community.ConclusionsDespite the measurable degree of PL within these hummingbird-pollinated plants, the causes of pollen quality and quantity insufficiency are not clear. Variables other than those tested may contribute to PL or causes of PL may vary among species and cannot adequately be accounted for when assessed from the within-community perspective.

Dataset Information

Ants Response to Human-Induced Disturbance in a Rain Tropical Forest.

Publications

Ants Response to Human-Induced Disturbance in a Rain Tropical Forest.

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