Effects of harvester ant (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Messor</Emphasis> spp.) activity on soil properties and microbial communities in a Negev Desert ecosystem |
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Authors: | Orit Ginzburg W G Whitford Y Steinberger |
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Institution: | (1) The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel;(2) USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, MSC 3JER, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88000, USA |
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Abstract: | Harvester ants (Messor spp.) function as an essential link between aboveground resources and below-ground biota such as the microbial community.
We examined changes in soil microbial biomass and functional diversity resulting from harvester ant (Messor spp.) activity in the Negev Desert, Israel. Abiotic and biotic soil parameters were recorded during two seasons—wet and dry—also
representing food availability periods for the ants (low and high seed availability, respectively). Soil samples were collected
monthly from the 0- to 10- and 10- to 20-cm soil layers: (1) near the nest entrance, (2) under chaff piles, and (3) at a 2-m
radius from the nest entrance (control). Harvester ant activity increased the percentage of organic matter, total soluble
nitrogen, and microbial activity in nest-modified soils in comparison to the control soils. Higher CO2 evolution was recorded in the low-seed season in ant nest soils than in the control soils. During the high-seed season, higher
carbon dioxide evolution was recorded only at the nest entrance locations. There were no differences in microbial biomass
between the low- and high-seed seasons, but highest microbial biomass was found under chaff in low-seed season and in nest
soils in high-seed season. Microbial functional diversity was higher in nest-modified soils than in the control soils. This
study suggests that the effect of harvester ant nests on soil fertility is due to increased microbial biomass and microbial
activity in ant nest-modified soils. |
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Keywords: | Harvester ants Microbial community Soil moisture Soil organic matter Desert system |
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