Abstract:

【Objective】The study aimed to investigate the patterns and laws of ant species distribution, including the habitat, vertical distribution, foraging patterns and nesting sites in southeastern Yunnan Province, provide a scientific basis for biodiversity cataloging and protection in this area.【Method】The distribution patterns of ant species in southeastern Yunnan Province were investigated using the plot-sampling method, and the data were counted using the harvesting frequency method. The Pearson correlation between the altitude and species richness of the ants was analyzed using the SPSS 26 software. 【Result】 A total of 197 species of ants, belonging to 64 genera and nine subfamilies under the Formicidae family, were recorded from five vertical zones in southeastern Yunnan Province. The majority of ant species inhabited different vegetation zones; however, a few ants, including Aphaenogaster schurri and Lasius himalayanus, inhabited only a single vegetation type. Of the 13 habitats, the ants (87 species) were most abundant in the middle-and low-altitude monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest, and least abundant (eight species) in the high-altitude Quercus semicarpifolia forest. The majority of ant species had a narrow ecological adaptation range, and the height difference in vertical distribution was less than 500 m. A few species of ants, including Ectomomyrmex javana, Nylanderia flavipes, and others exhibited a wide ecological adaptation range, and the height difference in vertical distribution was greater than 2 000 m. There were differences in the foraging zones and nesting sites of the majority of ant species. A few species, including Crematogaster osakensis, Formica cunicularia and Dolichoderus taprobanae, foraged and nested in multiple sites, and the species that foraged on the ground and nested in the soil were the most abundant. Correlation analysis revealed that the altitude and species richness were significantly negatively correlated at 0.01 level of significance. 【Conclusion】There are abundant resource for ant populations in southeastern Yunnan Province, and the distribution patterns of ant species in the region are primarily related to the altitude, types of vegetation, and adaptability. The species richness was found to be high in the middle-and low-altitude areas, which have a hot and humid climate, rich vegetation types, and sufficient food resources and nesting sites; however, the ants in the high-altitude areas inhabited fewer habitats and their species richness was low due to the cold climate and single type of vegetation. The study revealed that the functional characteristics of the ants determine their viability. The majority of ant species exhibited a strict environmental selection, and there were obvious differences in the distribution patterns of different species.

Key words: Formicidae species, vertical distribution, habitat, foraging place, nesting site