Invertebrate DNA metabarcoding reveals changes in communities across mine site restoration chronosequences

Invertebrate biomonitoring can reveal crucial information about the status of restoration projects; however, it is routinely underused because of the high level of taxonomic expertise and resources required. Invertebrate DNA metabarcoding has been used to characterize invertebrate biodiversity but its application in restoration remains untested. We use DNA metabarcoding, a new approach for restoration assessment, to explore the invertebrate composition from pitfall traps at two mine site restoration chronosequences in southwestern Australia. Invertebrates were profiled using two cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 assays to investigate invertebrate biodiversity. The data revealed differences between invertebrate communities at the two mines and between the different age plots of the chronosequences. Several characteristic taxa were identified for each age within the chronosequence, including springtails within the youngest sites (Order: Collembola) and millipedes within the oldest and reference sites (Order: Julida). This study facilitates development of a molecular “toolkit” for the monitoring of ecological restoration projects. We suggest that a metabarcoding approach shows promise in complementing current monitoring practices that rely on alpha taxonomy

A New (Old), Invasive Ant in the Hardwood Forests of Eastern North America and Its Potentially Widespread Impacts

Biological invasions represent a serious threat for the conservation of biodiversity in many ecosystems. While many social insect species and in particular ant species have been introduced outside their native ranges, few species have been successful at invading temperate forests. In this study, we document for the first time the relationship between the abundance of the introduced ant, Pachycondyla chinensis, in mature forests of North Carolina and the composition, abundance and diversity of native ant species using both a matched pair approach and generalized linear models. Where present, P. chinensis was more abundant than all native species combined. The diversity and abundance of native ants in general and many individual species were negatively associated with the presence and abundance of P. chinensis. These patterns held regardless of our statistical approach and across spatial scales. Interestingly, while the majority of ant species was strongly and negatively correlated with the abundance and presence of P. chinensis, a small subset of ant species larger than P. chinensis was either as abundant or even more abundant in invaded than in uninvaded sites. The large geographic range of this ant species combined with its apparent impact on native species make it likely to have cascading consequences on eastern forests in years to come, effects mediated by the specifics of its life history which is very different from those of other invasive ants. The apparent ecological impacts of P. chinensis are in addition to public health concerns associated with this species due to its sometimes, deadly sting

Climate mediates the effects of disturbance on ant assemblage structure

Many studies have focused on the impacts of climate change on biological assemblages, yet little is known about howclimate interacts with other major anthropogenic influences on biodiversity, such as habitat disturbance. Using a unique global database of 1128 local ant assemblages, we examined whether climate mediates the effects of habitat disturbance on assemblage structure at a global scale. Species richness and evenness were associated positively with temperature, and negatively with disturbance. However, the interaction among temperature, precipitation and disturbance shaped species richness and evenness. The effectwas manifested through a failure of species richness to increase substantially with temperature in transformed habitats at low precipitation. At low precipitation levels, evenness increased with temperature in undisturbed sites, peaked at medium temperatures in disturbed sites and remained low in transformed sites. In warmer climates with lower rainfall, the effects of increasing disturbance on species richness and evenness were akin to decreases in temperature of up to 98C. Anthropogenic disturbance and ongoing climate change may interact in complicated ways to shape the structure of assemblages, with hot, arid environments likely to be at greatest risk. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved

The ant fauna of the Pilbara Bioregion, Western Australia

The ant fauna of the Pilbara Bioregion, which covers an area of ca. 179,000 km2, is reviewed. During surveys undertaken between May 2003 and September 2006, ants were one of the taxonomic groups to receive special attention. The total number of ant species recorded from 24 survey areas was 245, and these were placed in 37 genera and 9 subfamilies. Ants recorded from single quadrats (‘singletons’) accounted for 18.8% of the species. The most speciose genera were Camponotus (36 spp.), Iridomyrmex (31 spp.) and Melophorus (30 spp.). Based on current knowledge, 43% are purely Eremaean, 8% are primarily Bassian, 6% are primarily Torresian, nearly 17% occur over two of Australia’s three biogeographic divisions, and 25% are widespread over all three. At a quadrat level, there was no significant correlation between richness and any environmental variable, while clustering analysis revealed weak environmental correlations with ant assemblage composition. The classification at survey area level identified six groupings of ants; three climatic variables associated with these groupings were identified, namely annual temperature, precipitation in the coldest quarter of the year and annual precipitation

Using ants to monitor changes within and surrounding the endangered Monsoon Vine Thickets of the tropical Dampier Peninsula, north Western Australia

The 79 naturally fragmented and localised Monsoon Vine Thicket (MVT) patches on the coast of the Dampier Peninsula, Kimberley region, Western Australia, are listed as: a culturally significant ‘Threatened Ecological Community’ (TEC), ‘Endangered’ under the Commonwealth (EPBC Act, 1999) and ‘Vulnerable’ under Western Australian legislation. Fire and introduced species are significant disturbance factors affecting the MVT patches. Focussing on five patches, this study aimed to: assess ant diversity and composition; determine relationships between environmental variables, fire history and invasive ants; determine the value of ants as bioindicators of environmental change; and involve indigenous communities in planning and data collection. Three habitats, inside (I) and edge (E) of five MVT patches (11 ha–56 ha) and immediately outside (O) in the surrounding Pindan woodland (PW), were sampled over two seasons; 7,342 ants from 7 subfamilies and 81 species were collected by pitfall trapping and hand collecting. A gradation of species richness from I (37 spp.), to E (48 spp.), to O (62 spp.) occurred, reflecting trends in environmental variables of decreasing litter volume, litter depth and canopy cover, and increasing fire frequency across habitat types. NMDS ordination identified a separation of ant composition between I, E and O, while CCA revealed a clear separation between I, E and O driven by litter volume and depth, canopy cover and fire history.Distinctly different ant assemblages were found within the MVT, with species inside being those that prefer cool relatively dense vegetation and those at the edges preferring more open habitat. The degree of openness of the edge of the MVT edges is related to fire frequency, while species within the PW were typically arid-adapted species that prefer a more open habitat. Two invasive ant species, namely Paratrechina longicornis and Monomorium destructor, were found to be present in the patches and, in common with many invasive ant species, P. longicornis was characterised by high numbers, comprising 43% of total individuals across the study. As little data previously existed on the ant communities of the dry MVT patches of the Dampier Peninsula, the results add significant new information on the ant fauna of the MVT patches and illustrate how using ants as bioindicators can assist interpreting the impact of fire, invasive organisms and management on the conservation status of MVT patches. This study also serves as a model for collaborating with indigenous people to undertake data gathering, interpretation and management of such areas

Identity of Monomorium occidaneum Crawley, a species inquirenda, and status of Monomorium micron Crawley (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Because the original type material has been made available, Monomorium occidaneum Crawley, a species inquirenda in Heterick's revision of the Australian Monomorium, can now be regarded as a junior synonym of Monomorium leae Forel. In addition, the status of a primary type specimen of Monomorium micron Crawley cited in the same publication is altered from ‘holotype’ to ‘syntype’. This specimen has now been designated a lectotype to ensure stability of the name