Abstract

MIRANDA, A. Bruno; NAOKI, Kazuya  and  LIMACHI, Miguel. Ant assemblage in relation to vegetal cover in a periurban area of La Paz (Bolivia). Ecología en Bolivia [online]. 2012, vol.47, n.2, pp.119-133. ISSN 1605-2528.

Ants are frequently used as bioindicators of ecosystem integrity due to its sensibility to anthropic changes of environment, especially to canopy cover, land use, and contamination. The objective of this study was to relate the ant assemblage to the characteristics of different vegetation types in a periurban area of La Paz city. Ant assemblages were studied by means of pitfall traps in 30 sites. Vegetation at each site was quantified by interception lines according to their physiognomic and structural characteristics. During the study we registered 14 morphospecies belonging to four subfamilies: Dolichoderinae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae y Ponerinae. By NMDS ordination, ant assemblage conformed in three groups associated with vegetation type: Grove, grassland and meadow. This association was partially explained by the ant morphospecies' selection of vegetation characteristics. This study's results confirm the influence of vegetation on ant assemblage and suggest the potential use of ants as bioindicators in urban areas.

Keywords : Ants; Assemblage; Bioindication; Periurban area; Vegetal cover.

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