Ecological function of ants and its implication for ecological restoration of semiarid and arid ecosystems

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2023.00105

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2024, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (3): 213-221.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2023.00105

Ecological function of ants and its implication for ecological restoration of semiarid and arid ecosystems

Rentao Liu()

School of Ecology and Environments / Breeding Base for State Key Laboratory of Land Degradation and Development in Northwestern China，Ningxia University，Yinchuan 750021，China

Received:2023-09-26 Revised:2023-12-04 Online:2024-05-20 Published:2024-06-11

Abstract

Abstract:

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality is the new hotpot of international ecological research. Ants are of the social insects that harbors the greatest number of individuals in terrestrial ecosystems， and have many ecosystem functionality. However， the ant diversity plays the basic roles in the maintenance of soil ecosystem function， but it is always neglected in ecological research on arid desert ecosystems. Focusing on the relationship between ant biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality in arid ecosystems， ant acts as “ecosystem engineering” that indicates significant effects on soil structure， soil physical-chemical properties， and soil nutrient and energy flow. Then， the interaction of ant and soil biota is observed to be the forcing drivers for the distribution of soil microbiology and soil arthropods. There is also a cascade relation of ants and soil arthropods that is one of the deterministic factors of soil food web. Nevertheless， the ant itself acted as the dominant taxa in soil ecosystems can play implications on soil functionality. In summary， ants acted as “ecosystem engineering” and played important role in soil physical-chemical properties and soil functions. There is a “bottom-up” effect and “top-down” effect of ants on soil biology. The trophic relations of ants to soil biology were the key point of the formation and maintenance of soil biodiversity， and were an important foundation of soil ecosystem functionality. In semiarid and arid regions， the nest-building activities of ants created anthills and had strong effects on soil conditions and soil biodiversity. The ant diversity and its effect on soil biodiversity played important implications on soil multifunctionality， which provided a key basis for ecological restoration of arid ecosystems， ecosystem services and its multiserviceability.

Key words: ant, nest-building activity, trophic relation, ecosystem functionality, ecosystem restoration

CLC Number:

S330.3

Rentao Liu. Ecological function of ants and its implication for ecological restoration of semiarid and arid ecosystems[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2024, 44(3): 213-221.

Figures/Tables 5

Fig.1 Geomorphologic landscape of mound patches acted by ant nest-building activities and its conceptual framework［24］

Fig.2 Space stereoscopic model of mound structure of Pogonomyrmex badius［13］

Fig.3 Effect of ecological engineering acted by ants （i.e.， bottom-up effect） on trophic structure of soil faunal communities［17］

Fig.4 Effect of predation acted by ants （i.e.， top-down effect） on trophic structure of soil faunal communities［17］

Fig.5 Conceptual framework of the relationship between ant diversity and soil multifunctionality in revegetated areas

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Ecological function of ants and its implication for ecological restoration of semiarid and arid ecosystems

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