Ants of secondary forest

What is it about?

we evaluated the effects of human disturbance on the alpha and beta diversity of ant assemblages in a successional gradient of secondary forests growing in abandoned maize fields of the Lacandon region, previously covered by tropical rain forest. Our results show that the alpha diversity of ant species and genera increases with the age of the secondary forests; however, deforestation could cause the loss of certain genera. The turnover of ant species is low along the successional gradient and it is regulated by ecological filters.

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Why is it important?

Secondary forests serve as a refuge for certain ant species and as their successional age increases, they tend to recover the species richness of the mature forest.