Contrasting “Carrasco” and Forest Ant Communities in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

This study contrasts the structure of ant communities of the “carrasco” (deciduous forest) and forest (semideciduous forest) remnants in the buffer zone of the Chapada Diamantina National Park, Bahia, Brazil. Our aim was to compare the richness, composition, vertical partitioning and guild organization at the level of leaf-litter, ground-surface and lower vegetation between the habitat types. Ants were sampled at six sites within each habitat by manual extraction in the leaf-litter, pitfall traps at ground level and baited pitfall traps on tree-trunks and shrubs 1.5 m above the soil surface. A total of 132 ant species was collected belonging to 34 genera and seven subfamilies. According to the analyses performed, the habitat types had equivalent species richness and a distinct species and functional composition at the vertical strata level. Furthermore, a greater vertical partitioning was observed in the forest ant community than in the carrasco ant community. The results indicated a distinct biogeographical association between the ant fauna of the two habitat types and suggested that ant communities in carrasco and forest remnants in the buffer zone of the Chapada Diamantina National Park are especially interesting for conservation and ecological research