title: Bat aggregation mediates the functional structure of ant assemblages.
abstract: In the Guianese rainforest, we examined the impact of the presence of guano in and around a bat roosting site (a cave). We used ant communities as an indicator to evaluate this impact because they occupy a central place in the functioning of tropical rainforest ecosystems and they play different roles in the food web as they can be herbivores, generalists, scavengers or predators. The ant species richness around the cave did not differ from a control sample situated 500m away. Yet, the comparison of functional groups resulted in significantly greater numbers of detritivorous fungus-growing and predatory ant colonies around the cave compared to the control, the contrary being true for nectar and honeydew feeders. The role of bats, through their guano, was shown using stable isotope analyses as we noted significantly greater δ(15)N values for the ant species captured in and around the cave compared to controls.
authors: Laboratoire « écologie fonctionnelle et environnement », université de Toulouse, UPS, INP, 118, route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France; CNRS (UMR CNRS 5245), Ecolab, 31062 Toulouse, France; CNRS (UMR CNRS 8172), « Écologie des forêts de Guyane » (Ecofog), campus agronomique, BP 316, 97387 Kourou cedex, France. Electronic address: alain.dejean@wanadoo.fr.
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Dejean
authors: CNRS (UMR CNRS 8172), « Écologie des forêts de Guyane » (Ecofog), campus agronomique, BP 316, 97387 Kourou cedex, France.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Groc
authors: CIRAD (UMR-CIRAD 93) ; Ecofog, 97387 Kourou cedex, France.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Hérault
authors: CNRS (UMR CNRS 8172), « Écologie des forêts de Guyane » (Ecofog), campus agronomique, BP 316, 97387 Kourou cedex, France.
authors: Héctor
authors: H
authors: Rodriguez-Pérez
authors: CNRS (UMR CNRS 8172), « Écologie des forêts de Guyane » (Ecofog), campus agronomique, BP 316, 97387 Kourou cedex, France.
authors: Axel
authors: A
authors: Touchard
authors: Laboratoire « écologie fonctionnelle et environnement », université de Toulouse, UPS, INP, 118, route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France; CNRS (UMR CNRS 5245), Ecolab, 31062 Toulouse, France.
authors: Régis
authors: R
authors: Céréghino
authors: U.P.A. Laboratório de Mirmecologia, Convênio UESC/CEPLAC, C.P. 7, 45600-970 Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil.
authors: Jacques H C
authors: JH
authors: Delabie
authors: CNRS (UMR-CNRS 6023) ; LMGE, université Blaise-Pascal, complexe scientifique des Cézeaux, 63177 Aubière cedex, France; Laboratoire « microorganismes, génome et environnement », université Clermont-Auvergne, université Blaise-Pascal, BP 10448, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Corbara
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D059552:Caves; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004609:Eliminative Behavior, Animal; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005616:French Guiana; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D058458:Nitrogen Cycle; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D065947:Rainforest; D013045:Species Specificity; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes
keywords: Ant functional groups; Bat roosts; Biogeochemical hotspots; Bioindicators; Groupes fonctionnels de fourmis; Indicateurs biologiques; Isotopes stables; Nichoirs de chauves-souris; Stable isotopes; Zones de concentration biogéochimiques