Ants are generally used for biological monitoring worldwide, but in Europe and especially in Italy, the potential of ant fauna as bioindicator has been poorly studied. In order to evaluate the use of ants as ecological indicators in Mediterranean ecosystems, the aim of this research was to provide a baseline knowledge on the relationship between ant community structure and environmental variation. As a model, we used the Italian ant fauna of Castelporziano Presidential Estate (Rome), comparing data of this research with data of a previous survey, in order to study the temporal development of ant community structure. Data were compared among seven site types, during 2006 and 2007, using pitfall traps, multidimensional scaling and the Functional Group Approach. Results showed more variations among site types than between years, suggesting that differences in ant community structures can be explained according to different levels of environmental stress and human disturbance.
THE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE TEMPORAL DEVELOPMENT OF CASTELPORZIANO ANT FAUNA / F., Spotti; C., Castracani; D. A., Grasso; Fanfani, Alberto; A., Mori. - In: REDIA. - ISSN 0370-4327. - STAMPA. - 93:(2010), pp. 89-93.
THE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE TEMPORAL DEVELOPMENT OF CASTELPORZIANO ANT FAUNA
FANFANI, Alberto;
2010
Abstract
Ants are generally used for biological monitoring worldwide, but in Europe and especially in Italy, the potential of ant fauna as bioindicator has been poorly studied. In order to evaluate the use of ants as ecological indicators in Mediterranean ecosystems, the aim of this research was to provide a baseline knowledge on the relationship between ant community structure and environmental variation. As a model, we used the Italian ant fauna of Castelporziano Presidential Estate (Rome), comparing data of this research with data of a previous survey, in order to study the temporal development of ant community structure. Data were compared among seven site types, during 2006 and 2007, using pitfall traps, multidimensional scaling and the Functional Group Approach. Results showed more variations among site types than between years, suggesting that differences in ant community structures can be explained according to different levels of environmental stress and human disturbance.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
