Abstract A major goal of community ecology is to identify the patterns species associations and processes that shape them. Arboreal ants are extremely diverse abundant, making them an interesting valuable group for tackling this issue. Numerous studies have used observational data co‐occurrence infer underlying assembly processes, but complexity these communities has resulted in few solid conclusions. This study takes advantage dataset unusually well‐structured with respect habitat...

How environmental contexts shape the strength of species interactions, and their influence on community structure, remains a key focus for field ecology. In particular, extent to which local competitive interactions impact whether this differs across contexts, persists as general issue that is unresolved broad range animal systems. Studies arboreal ants have shown over carbon-rich exudates from extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) homopteran aggregations can positive negative effects abundances...

Abstract The outcome of any interspecific interaction is often determined by the ecological context in which interacting species are embedded. Plant ontogeny may represent an important source variation ant–plant mutualisms, as level investment ant rewards, alternative (non‐biotic) defenses, or both, be modulated plant's developmental stage. In addition, abundance and identities ants involved change during host‐plant. Here, we evaluated if plant affects between a savanna tree ( C aryocar...

AbstractMany Neotropical beetles present coloration patterns mimicking red-eyed flies, which are presumably evasive mimicry models. However, the role of predators in selecting for mimics nature remains untested. In a field experiment, we used nontoxic plasticine replicas specialized fly-mimicking beetle species, placed on host plants beetles. We show that painted with reddish patches simulating eyes flesh flies experienced much lower predation rate than control replicas. found beak marks...

Abstract Ants are diverse and ecologically important organisms in tropical forests, where their spatiotemporal distribution can be highly complex. This complexity arises mainly from marked differences microclimatic conditions resource availability through space time that is even more evident seasonal environments, such as dry forests. However, it unclear how seasonality interacts with other factors might shape temporal variation of ant composition (β‐diversity), like vertical strata habitat...

Abstract Ongoing environmental change is forecast to lead lower precipitation and concomitant species losses in tropical regions. These may affect generalist that provide essential ecosystem services, such as controlling the rate at which nutrients become available for uptake by other organisms forests. Here, we use a long‐term (16 years) rainwater exclusion experiment primary Amazonian rainforest (Caxiaunã National Forest, Northern Brazil) test whether induced water stress (“drought”)...

In this study we describe trophobiosis between ants and Eurystethus microlobatus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) at a highland quartzite rocky outcrop in southern Espinhaço Range, southeastern Brazil. We found stinkbugs exclusively on the mistletoe Psittacanthus robustus (Loranthaceae). The stinkbug species is gregarious, forming dense clusters, with females guarding eggs young nymphs. addition, presents cryptic colouration most individuals were located roots shoots, camouflaged within bark....

Disturbances are key events in ecological systems, strongly impacting biological communities. This study disentangles the effects of a chronic (flood) and acute (fire) disturbance to determine their interactive on ant species richness composition at different temporal scales. For this, we sampled ground-dwelling ants with pitfall traps native grasslands Pantanal wetland, one world's largest floodplains. We ten days (short-term), year (medium-term), four years (long-term) after fire varying...

Abstract Understanding community assembly in habitat patches requires an integrative approach, considering the potential role of local and regional factors organisms' dispersal abilities among patches. For this, assessing degree species overlap between (nestedness) can be particularly informative, especially regarding different taxa distinct patch properties. We assessed landscape‐patch structure shaping nestedness patterns five taxonomic groups with (ants, bees, dung beetles, fruit‐feeding...

Abstract Territoriality is costly, and the accurate identification of intruders decision to perform aggressive responses are key behavioral traits in social animals. We studied aggression among individuals belonging close distant nests plant-ant Azteca muelleri , which lives stems pioneer tree Cecropia glaziovii . More specifically, we aim investigate if DE (dear-enemy effect—less towards neighbors than strangers) or NN (nasty-neighbor strangers neighbors) effects even none them apply for...

Abstract Predicting the outcomes of any mutualistic interaction between ants and plants can be a very difficult task, since these are often determined by ecological context in which interacting species embedded. Network theory has been an important tool to improve our understanding about organizational patterns animal–plant interactions. Nevertheless, traditionally, network studies have focused mainly on species‐based differences ignoring importance individual within populations. In this...

Abstract Physical disturbances, such as fire, may affect the relationship between ants and plants. We evaluated extent to which severe fires alter protective effect of against herbivores an extrafloral-nectary bearing tree. performed ant removal experiment sampled fauna from same trees over 4 years: pre-fire year, fire-year, again 1 2 years later. Ants reduced insect herbivory in year fire-year but failed provide any plant protection two after fire. The magnitude on did not differ fire-year....

Abstract The Earth's most diverse group of organisms is facing an imminent crisis, as recent investigations suggest a remarkable decline in insect diversity. Within this context, altimontane forest islands might emerge important refuges holding invaluable diversity species that would be doomed to disappear. Here, we aimed examine the impact fire on temporal variation ant, bee, butterfly, dung beetle, and wasp communities natural highly threatened islands. We predicted incidence increase...

Fire is a natural disturbance in many ecosystems worldwide, including tropical savannas, where it drives the assembly of animal and plant communities. The effect fire often indirect, impacting availability essential resources like food shelter. Brazilian Cerrado largest savanna world, ants comprise very high proportion its biomass. About one-third ant fauna actively forages canopy. These use trees not just search but also as their main shelter resource, most arboreal nest mainly cavities...

Abstract The majority of tropical arboreal ant species nest in tree cavities. These cavities, often produced initially by wood‐boring beetles, can be live or dead wood and represent long‐lasting highly defensible nesting resources. Yet the size cavity entrances constrain their use. Active entrance modification may an effective way to overcome this constraint. Here, we conduct first systematic study nest‐entrance community. Using field experiments deployed across a number species, show that...

Abstract Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the coexistence of ants sharing similar food resources, including ecological trade-offs, however, these mostly tested in ground-dwelling ant communities. For instance, discovery-dominance trade-off hypothesis states that species with overlapping resources differ their ability find and dominate resources. However, may use different strategies share discovery-defense, which first arrive at a resource maintains control it. Here, we...

Since the establishment of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), decision-makers have realised that periodic assessments were needed to closely monitor climate change. Studies it became widespread and include science greenhouse gas emissions, composition these gases extent which humans been responsible for In this sense, United Nations summit has made significant progress since Rio Conference (Eco 92), with creation Parties (COPs). However, governments should not solely focus...