Ant Species Richness and Diversity of E.A. Vaughn WMA Brett Mann

Background  Insects of the order: Hymenoptera, Family: Formicidae  Same order as bees and wasps  Social hive insects (eusociality) with queen that produces offspring raised by sterile female workers. Jan Messersmith Camponotus pennsylvanicus Alexander Wild

Background  Ants are excellent indicator taxa  Show general health of environment  Extremely wide habitat range  Most research in tropics, though a few scattered temperate studies exist Agosti, D., and L.E. Alonso "The ALL protocol." Ants: standard methods for measuring and monitoring biodiversity. Washington, Smithsonian Institution Press, Pages Solenopsis molesta Alexander Wild

Frye and Frye 2012  Xeric inland dune habitat  Compared ant foraging preference: deciduous vs pine  Three species specifically associated with oak, one with loblolly pine, none for shortleaf pine Frye, J.A., and Frye, C.T., Associations of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on Oaks and Pines in Inland Dune and Ridge Woodlands in Worcester County, Maryland. The Maryland Entomologist. 5.4:

Frye et al  Xeric inland dune habitat  Research into ant diversity/seasonal variation  Total species diversity: 67 species from 25 genera  Pitfall traps Frye, J.A., Frye, C.T., and Suman, T.W., The Ant Fauna of Inland Sand Dune Communities in Worcester County, Maryland. Northeastern Naturalist. 21.3:

Objectives  Temperate forest area: E.A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area  Seasonal variation  Species abundance and diversity in leaf litter  Foraging preference on pine vs deciduous  Examine introduced species and their abundance (if any)  Reference collection for E.A. Vaughn WMA

Study Site – E.A. Vaughn WMA  Southern Worcester County  Upland and damp lowland habitat  Surrounded by agriculture  Assortment of tree species- pine, holly, oak, etc. EA Vaughn WMA

E.A. Vaughn

Hypotheses 1. Higher species richness and diversity of ants in denser leaf litter 2. Higher species richness and diversity of ants foraging on deciduous trees than conifers

Methods  Modified ALL Protocol  Ants of the Leaf Litter  Eight 100 m transects each month (2 per week)  May, July, September (24 transects total)  Every 20 m, a leaf litter sample (6 per transect)  Collect between 10am – 4pm (Frye and Frye 2012) Agosti, D., and L.E. Alonso "The ALL protocol." Ants: standard methods for measuring and monitoring biodiversity. Washington, Smithsonian Institution Press, Pages

Site Location with Transects

Methods  Gathered leaf litter in quarter square meter plot  Measurements to measure density 3 cm 4 cm 6 cm 4.5 cm

Berlese Funnel  Leaf litter placed in Berlese  Leaf litter was removed after hours  Dry weight of leaf litter taken once ants have been collected

Curation

Identification  A Field Guide to the Ants of New England  The Ants of Ohio  Jennifer Frye (DNR)  Tim Foard  Dr. John LaPolla (Towson University)  Smithsonian type specimens Aphaenogaster fulva Alexander Wild

May Leaf Litter Total July Leaf Litter Total Species NameT3T6T7T9T13T17T18T22TotalT1T8T10T12T15T20T21T24Total Aphaenogaster fulva Apheanogaster rudis Amblyopone Camponotus castaneus 0 0 Camponotus chromaiodes 0 0 Camponotus nearcticus 0 0 Camponotus ferrugineus 0 0 Camponotus pennsylvanicus 0 0 Crematogaster ashmeadi 0 0 Crematogaster cerasi Crematogaster clara Crematogaster pilosa 0 0 Formica neogates Formica subsericea 0 0 Hypoponera gleadowi Hypoponera opaciceps Lasius alienus Lasius interjectus Myrmecina americana Myrmica lobicorn 0 0 Nylanderia faisonensis Ponera pensylvanica Proceratium silaceum Smithistruma dietrichi Solenopsis carolinensis Solenopsis molesta Temnothorax curvispinaus Total

Nylanderia faisonensis  57% of ants  Common in southeastern U.S.  Woodlands and edge habitats  Identified by long erect hairs covering body Nylanderia faisonensis Antwiki

Lasius alienus  Found throughout continental U.S. and Europe.  Preference for forested areas in U.S. Lasius alienus AntWiki

Ponera pennsylvanica  Preference for deciduous forests  Common but small colonies  Tend to nest in rotten wood Ponera pennsylvanica AntWiki Ponera pennsylvanica Bugguide.net

EstimateS version 9.0 Species Richness Estimate Chao119.5 ACE24 Diversity Indices Shannon Exp5.84 Simpson Index (1/D)3.26

Species accumulation curve (leaf litter)

EstimateS version 9.0 Species Richness Estimate Chao119.5 ACE24 Diversity Indices Shannon Exp5.84 Simpson Index (1/D)3.26

Species rank index (leaf litter)

Hypotheses

Methods  Hand collection using aspirator  Every 20 m, sample two trees  Closest pine, closest deciduous  Ground up to 2 m for 15 min each  Frye and Frye, Frye, J.A., and Frye, C.T., Associations of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on Oaks and Pines in Inland Dune and Ridge Woodlands in Worcester County, Maryland. The Maryland Entomologist. 5.4:

DeciduousConifer MayJulyMayJuly Species NameTotal Aphaenogaster fulva Apheanogaster rudis Camponotus castaneus1300 Camponotus chromaiodes2030 Camponotus nearcticus51020 Camponotus pennslyvanicus31581 Camponotus serrugineus2422 Camponotus subbarbatus0101 Crematogaster ashmeadi0010 Crematogaster cerasi0010 Crematogaster clara0000 Crematogaster pilosa Formica neogates25002 Formica nitidiventris0002 Formica pallidefulva0001 Formica subsericea01000 Hypoponera0000 Lasius alienus Lasius interjectus01617 Myrmecina americana3300 Myrmica lobicorn7000 Nylanderia faisonensis Ponera pensylvanica0000 Proceratium silaceum0000 Smithistruma dietrichi0000 Solenopsis carolinensis0000 Solenopsis molesta0000 Temnothorax curvispinaus4010 Leptothorax longispinosus0000 Total

DeciduousConifer MayJulyMayJuly Species NameTotal Aphaenogaster fulva Apheanogaster rudis Camponotus castaneus1300 Camponotus chromaiodes2030 Camponotus nearcticus51020 Camponotus pennslyvanicus31581 Camponotus serrugineus2422 Camponotus subbarbatus0101 Crematogaster ashmeadi0010 Crematogaster cerasi0010 Crematogaster clara0000 Crematogaster pilosa Formica neogates25002 Formica nitidiventris0002 Formica pallidefulva0001 Formica subsericea01000 Hypoponera0000 Lasius alienus Lasius interjectus01617 Myrmecina americana3300 Myrmica lobicorn7000 Nylanderia faisonensis Ponera pensylvanica0000 Proceratium silaceum0000 Smithistruma dietrichi0000 Solenopsis carolinensis0000 Solenopsis molesta0000 Temnothorax curvispinaus4010 Leptothorax longispinosus0000 Total

DeciduousConifer MayJulyMayJuly Species NameTotal Aphaenogaster fulva Apheanogaster rudis Camponotus castaneus1300 Camponotus chromaiodes2030 Camponotus nearcticus51020 Camponotus pennslyvanicus31581 Camponotus serrugineus2422 Camponotus subbarbatus0101 Crematogaster ashmeadi0010 Crematogaster cerasi0010 Crematogaster clara0000 Crematogaster pilosa Formica neogates25002 Formica nitidiventris0002 Formica pallidefulva0001 Formica subsericea01000 Hypoponera0000 Lasius alienus Lasius interjectus01617 Myrmecina americana3300 Myrmica lobicorn7000 Nylanderia faisonensis Ponera pensylvanica0000 Proceratium silaceum0000 Smithistruma dietrichi0000 Solenopsis carolinensis0000 Solenopsis molesta0000 Temnothorax curvispinaus4010 Leptothorax longispinosus0000 Total

Results – Tree Samples  Aphaenogaster fulva most abundant species on deciduous trees  Often nest in dying or rotting trees  Common throughout the eastern half of the U.S. Aphaenogaster fulva Joe MacGown

Crematogaster pilosa  Common on trees, rare in leaf litter  Southeastern arboreal ant species Coovert, G.A The Ants of Ohio Crematogaster pilosa AntWiki

Future directions  Gather September data  Confirm IDs  Conduct T-tests on tree data  Compare data to Frye and Frye 2012  Run final species richness estimates and diversity indices  Follow up study with baits- Emily Rowe

Acknowledgments I would like to thank:  Emily Rowe for working with me on this project  The Henson School of Science and Technology at Salisbury University for lab space, supplies and funding  Dr. Price, Dr. Liebgold, and Jennifer Frye for project planning  SU Office of Graduate Studies and Research  The Guerrieri Research Summer Program  The E.A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area for allowing us to use their forest for a field site.