1. Reaction of Wood Ants to a Large-Scale European Spruce Bark Beetle Outbreak in Temperate Forests.
- Author
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Sondej, Izabela and Domisch, Timo
- Subjects
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BARK beetles , *WOOD , *ANT colonies , *TEMPERATE forests , *NORWAY spruce ,WOOD density - Abstract
Simple Summary: Palearctic wood ants are territorial species that require a stable and productive environment for the construction of complex nests and the formation of large-sized colonies with high energy demand. Norway spruce is the preferred host tree species for wood ants; thus spruce mortality could have severe consequences for wood ant colonies, as well as their vitality and distribution. In this study, we investigated whether a bark beetle outbreak had an impact on the density and abundance of wood ant nests and whether we could find factors influencing the dead spruce distribution around ant nests. After a large-scale bark beetle outbreak in the Białowieża Forest, we did not observe any changes in the density of wood ant nests. The results show that the proportion of dead spruce around the nests decreased with an increase in the total proportion of spruce in the forest stand. Our results also suggest that despite the importance of spruce for wood ants, in situations where only a proportion of spruce die, natural forest disturbances such as bark beetle outbreaks can actually have positive effects, as more light can reach the forest floor, thereby promoting the establishment of new nests. In the Białowieża Forest, Norway spruce is the preferred host tree species for wood ants, both in coniferous and mixed stands; thus, spruce mortality as a consequence of a continuous spruce bark beetle outbreak in the Białowieża Forest since 2012 could have severe consequences for wood ant colonies, as well as their vitality and distribution. The main aim of this study was to assess whether the bark beetle outbreak had any effects on wood ant nest density and abundance and whether we could find any factors affecting the dead spruce distribution around ant nests. A re-inventory of active and abandoned wood ant nests in our study area was conducted from April to July 2022, using the same procedure as the previous inventory performed in 2016. The wood ant nest density was 0.11 per ha and remained practically the same relative to that determined in 2016. Our results indicate that, despite the importance of spruce for wood ants, in situations when only part of the spruce trees die, natural forest disturbances such as bark beetle outbreaks can actually have positive effects because more light can reach the forest floor, thereby promoting the establishment of new nests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
- Published
- 2024
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