Red wood ants shape epiphytic lichen assemblages in montane silver fir forests
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60076658%3A12520%2F22%3A43904469" target="_blank" >RIV/60076658:12520/22:43904469 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor3897-014" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor3897-014</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3832/ifor3897-014" target="_blank" >10.3832/ifor3897-014</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Red wood ants shape epiphytic lichen assemblages in montane silver fir forests
Original language description
The Formica rufa group comprises several ant species which are collectively referred to as "red wood ants" (hereafter RWA). These species have key roles in forest ecosystems, where they are ecologically dominant and greatly influence the dynamics of the habitat they colonise. Various studies have shown how their trophic activity may affect other organisms, which include both other invertebrates and plants. We can therefore hypothesize that their presence could affect the taxonomic and functional composition of epiphytes, despite clear information on such an effect is lacking. This study aimed to fill this research gap by evaluating whether the presence of red wood ants could affect the structure and composition of lichen communities. We selected two sites on the Apennine Mountains in Italy, where the red wood ant F. paralugubris was introduced from the Alps more than 50 years ago. In each site, lichen assemblages on Abies alba trees located within the colonised areas were compared to those from nearby, non-occupied areas. The results allowed for the identification of significant effects of F. paralugubris on the structure of lichen communities. Although there was no detectable impact on lichen species richness, a significant difference in their community composition between colonised and control sites was detected. Furthermore, ant presence seemed to be associated with specific lichen functional traits such as asexual reproduction. We argue that RWA could affect the lichen community either directly, e.g., by actively dispersing the species capable of asexual reproduction through their movements on trees (ant-mediated dispersion), or indirectly through herbivore exclusion. Finally, we also observed differences in beta-diversity among the colonised and non-colonised sites.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10618 - Ecology
Result continuities
Project
—
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2022
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
iForest-Biogeosciences and Forestry
ISSN
1971-7458
e-ISSN
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Volume of the periodical
15
Issue of the periodical within the volume
neuvedeno
Country of publishing house
IT - ITALY
Number of pages
6
Pages from-to
71-76
UT code for WoS article
000760356000001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85127689468