title: Habitat disturbance and the diversity and abundance of ants (Formicidae) in the Southeastern Fall-Line Sandhills.
abstract: We examined habitat disturbance, species richness, equitability, and abundance of ants in the Fall-Line Sandhills, at Fort Benning, Georgia. We collected ants with pitfall traps, sweep nets, and by searching tree trunks. Disturbed areas were used for military training; tracked and wheeled vehicles damaged vegetation and soils. Highly disturbed sites had fewer trees, diminished ground cover, warmer soils in the summer, and more compacted soils with a shallower A-horizon. We collected 48 species of ants, in 23 genera (141,468 individuals), over four years of sampling. Highly disturbed areas had fewer species, and greater numbers of ants than did moderately or lightly disturbed areas. The ant communities in disturbed areas were also less equitable, and were dominated by Dorymyrmex smithi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia 30149, USA. jgraham@berry.edu
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Hoyt H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hughie
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Kerri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wrinn
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Krzysik
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Duda
authors.forename: D Carl
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Emlen
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zak
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kovacic
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chamberlin-Graham
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Balbach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D005845:Georgia; D011156:Population Density