Habitat distribution of ants at Buskett

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to discern the habitat and microhabitats preferences of the ant species at Buskett. Eleven habitats and fifteen microhabitats were searched. Seventeen ant species were found. Two of these were not previously recorded from Buskett. Workers of the seventeen species were drawn and a dichotomous key constructed. Plagiolepis pygmaea was found to be the most widely distributed species whilst Aphaenogaster sicula, Leptothorax splendidiceps and Tapinoma simrothi had the most restricted distribution. The highest number of species in a habitat was recorded in the Pine wood and the lowest numbers in the Pistacia wood and in the Garigue. Iridomyrmex humilis resulted to be the most dominant species. The highest number of species were found in the leaf litter and exposed soil microhabitats whilst single species inhabited lichens, flower buds and conifer cones. Four hypotheses were tested. The first; the higher the degree of a/biotic components' difference between individual habitats the higher the degree of difference between the individual ant communities inhabiting those habitats ! ~, respectively, was refuted. The second; the more geographically separated individua!" are from each other the higher the degree of difference between the individual ant communities inhabiting those habitats respectively, was accepted. The third; the larger the area of a habitat the larger the number of ant species inhabiting it, was accepted. The fourth; the larger the number of different microhabitats in a habitat the larger the number of ant species inhabiting it, was accepted.