Data/hora: 09/06/2024 14:05:41

Provedor de dados: | 82
País: | Brazil
Título: | Foraging patterns of the leaf-cutter ant Atta laevigata (Smith) (Myrmicinae: Attini) in an area of cerrado vegetation
Autores: | Viana,Leonardo R.; Santos,Jean C.; Arruda,Leandro J.; Santos,Glenio P.; Fernandes,G. Wilson.
Data: | 2004-06-01
Ano: | 2004
Palavras-chave: | Foraging constraints; Herbivory; Hotspot; Microhabitat specialization; Serra do Cipó.
Resumo: | Foraging rate can directly affect the impact that Atta laevigata (Smith) has on the environment. We attempted to assess the factors which most affect foraging rate of A. laevigata using data collected over a three month period in the Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó in Minas Gerais, Brazil. A bimodal foraging pattern was observed on clear sunny days, based on collected dry weights of vegetative material being carried towards nest entrances. Sampled entrances on clear sunny days yielded a daily average dry weight twice as high (0.9713 ± 0.1358 g) as on rainy days (0.4485 ± 0.1120 g). Larger nests (0.9713 ± 0.1358 g) yielded higher dry weights than smaller nests (0.2752 ± 0.0463 g). Field observations showed Ants switched to nest entrances with more suitable microhabitat conditions in both rainy and sunny days. A combination of temperature, humidity, nest size, and microhabitat specialization were the most important factors influencing A. laevigata foraging pattern.
Tipo: | Info:eu-repo/semantics/report
Idioma: | Inglês
Identificador: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-566X2004000300019
Editor: | Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil
Relação: | 10.1590/S1519-566X2004000300019
Formato: | text/html
Fonte: | Neotropical Entomology  v.33 n.3 2004
Fonte: | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess