Influence of human land use and invasive species on beta diversity of tropical ant assemblages. Issue 1 (12th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baidya, Pronoy; Bagchi, Sumanta
• Is Part Of: Insect conservation and diversity. Volume 15:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 73
• Page End: 85
• Publication Date: 2021-10-12
• Subjects: Agro‐ecosystems -- Formicidae -- Hymenoptera -- myrmecology -- nestedness -- species distribution -- species turnover; Entomology -- Periodicals; Insects -- Conservation -- Periodicals; Biodiversity -- Periodicals; Insects -- Ecology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 333.955716
• DOI: 10.1111/icad.12536
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1752-458X

Abstract

Abstract: Understanding how biodiversity is distributed is increasingly becoming important under ongoing and projected human land use. Measures of beta diversity, and its partitions, can offer insights for conservation and restoration of biodiversity. We ask how different species, functional groups, and land use contribute to beta diversity, and whether invasive species have a negative influence on beta diversity. We address these questions using ant assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at 277 sites distributed across five geomorphic land use types in Goa, India. We recorded 68 species (35 genera, 7 subfamilies) of which 5 were invasive. We classified them into eight functional groups. Oecophylla smaragdina —a common tropical arboreal species, and Anoplolepis gracilepis —a globally significant invasive, contributed the most to beta diversity. Large‐bodied omnivores which may influence soil functions contributed more to beta diversity than small‐bodied predators. Lateritic plateaus contributed most to beta diversity, whereas human‐influenced plantations contributed the least. Beta diversity across sites was related to species turnover, whereas nestedness was more prominent for functional groups. This indicates how species replace one another with change in land use, but functional roles are lost despite such turnover. Sites with human land use had higher incidence of invasive species, and invaded sites contributed less to beta diversity than non‐invaded sites. Human land use strongly influences diversity and distribution of ant assemblages. Land use may spare local species richness, but not functional groups. A small number of invasive species exert negative influence even in very speciose communities. Abstract : Human land use greatly alters tropical ant communities. Impact on functional diversity is stronger than on species diversity. A small number of invasive species influence species‐rich native assemblages.