The effects of urbanization on ant communities and myrmecochory in Manitoba,Canada |
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| Authors: | Bill Thompson Stéphane McLachlan |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Botany, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2N2;(2) Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2N2;(3) Present address: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 615 John St North, Aylmer, ON, Canada |
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| Abstract: | With the increase in urbanization globally, there is an increased need to understand the ecology of forest fragments in urban
and urbanizing landscapes. Although urban forests are known to be relatively lacking in plants whose seeds are dispersed by
ants, little is known about the effects of urbanization on the community composition and behaviour of forest dwelling ants.
Ant communities in forest fragments along an urban–rural gradient were described using a rapid quadrat search technique and
multivariate analysis. Interactions between the ants and seeds of the myrmecochorous Viola pubescens within a subset of these forests were described using a series of cafeteria experiments. Urbanization was found to be associated
with changes in microhabitat characteristics and a concomitant simplification of the ant community. Despite this, the removal
rate of V. pubescens seeds actually increased in urban forests, which may be a result of the foraging behaviour of the remaining species.
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| Keywords: | Ant communities Habitat fragmentation Land use Myrmecochory Seed dispersal Riparian forest |
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