Popkova T.V., Zryanin V.A. 2025. Assessment of niche space occupation by soil-litter ants in two types of tropical monsoon forests // Euroasian Entomological Journal. Vol.24. No.2: 90–100 [in English].
Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Prospekt Gagarina 23, Nizhny Novgorod 603950 Russia. E-mail: tatyanapopkovaptv@ya.ru; zryanin@list.ru
doi 10.15298/euroasentj.24.02.06
ABSTRACT. In our study, we conducted a preliminary assessment of the volume of potentially available resources and their use by soil and leaf litter ants in two types of tropical monsoon forests (the Lagerstroemia forest on loamy soil and the dipterocarp forest on sandy soil) using functional diversity analysis. The functional approach enables the assessment of the relationship between available resources in the niche space and their utilization by ants based on analysis of morphological traits. The research was carried out on two tropical forest sites measuring 25×25 m, within which model plots of 100 m² were laid. On two model plots, we conducted ant counting using nest mapping, carbohydrate-baited traps, and soil sifting. We measured the morphological traits of 38 ant species from 18 genera and 5 subfamilies (head length, head width, Weber’s length, eye length, and hind tibia length). Functional diversity was evaluated using functional diversity indices based on measured morphological traits and species occurrences: functional richness (FRic), functional dispersion (FDis), functional divergence (FDiv), functional originality (FOri), and functional evenness (FEve). Our findings revealed that the volume of niche space assessed by functional richness was higher in the dipterocarp forest corresponding to the greater taxonomic richness of soil-litter ants in this forest type. In the Lagerstroemia forest, we found higher functional evenness of the soil-litter ant community compared to the dipterocarp forest indicating more efficient resource utilization. Weak differences in functional divergence and originality relative to null models indicated a more stable ant community in the Lagerstroemia forest. In the dipterocarp forest, lower values of functional divergence, dispersion, and originality were observed, suggesting a more dynamic ant community with more tightly niche packing of soil-litter ant species. Our findings are preliminary and require further in-depth study and detailed analysis with the inclusion of additional data.
KEY WORDS: niche differentiation, ant communities, functional diversity, resource use.