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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Colony Dynamics And Plant Community Associations Of The Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex Salinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Sagebrush-Steppe Habitat, Ian C. Robertson, Wilma G. Robertson
Colony Dynamics And Plant Community Associations Of The Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex Salinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Sagebrush-Steppe Habitat, Ian C. Robertson, Wilma G. Robertson
Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations
We present the results of a 5-yr field study on colony dynamics and plant community associations of Owyhee harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex salinus (Olsen), in sagebrush-steppe habitat in southwestern Idaho. Over a 5-yr period, the total number of ant colonies across 16 sites increased from 843 to 878 (4.15%) as a result of 315 colony deaths and 350 colony initiations. Up to 7.1% of colony initiations may have been instances of nest relocation. Colonies had a higher rate of failure in their first year than in subsequent years (12.4 vs 4.6–8.4% over the next 3 yr). Of the 11 sites analyzed …
Seed Predation By Owyhee Harvester Ants And The Potential Of Seed Introductions In Recovery Efforts For Slickspot Peppergrass, Jennifer A. Brown
Seed Predation By Owyhee Harvester Ants And The Potential Of Seed Introductions In Recovery Efforts For Slickspot Peppergrass, Jennifer A. Brown
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Slickspot peppergrass (Lepidium papilliferum) is a rare plant endemic to the sagebrush-steppe habitat in southwestern Idaho. Within sagebrush-steppe, the plant is restricted to microsites known as “slick spots”– shallow depressions of soil characterized by distinct clay layers and surface water retention that is higher than that of surrounding areas. Having one of the highest extirpation rates among rare plant taxa in Idaho, and considering its unique habitat requirements, limited range, and declining numbers, land managers and conservationists have voiced concern regarding the species’ long-term viability. While range-wide declines in slickspot peppergrass have been attributed largely to the loss …
Modification Of Diet And Foraging Range By Harvester Ants In Response To Altered Seed Availability, Ian C. Robertson, Matthew S. Schmasow
Modification Of Diet And Foraging Range By Harvester Ants In Response To Altered Seed Availability, Ian C. Robertson, Matthew S. Schmasow
Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations
Food collection is a critical component of an individual’s life, and for eusocial insects, the colony that individual foragers support and maintain. Changes to the distribution and composition of food types in the environment are expected influence diet selection if the economics of foraging are altered. For seed-harvesting ants, the abundance and composition of seed types available on the ground typically shows a high degree of spatial and temporal variability, and not all types of seed are equally valued by foragers. We evaluated the response of Owyhee harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex salinus) to reductions in the availability of Sandberg …
Selective Foraging By Pogonomyrmex Salinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Semiarid Grassland: Implications For A Rare Plant, Matthew S. Schmasow, Ian C. Robertson
Selective Foraging By Pogonomyrmex Salinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Semiarid Grassland: Implications For A Rare Plant, Matthew S. Schmasow, Ian C. Robertson
Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations
Selective foraging by granivores can have important consequences for the structure and composition of plant communities, and potentially severe consequences for rare plant species. To understand how granivore foraging behavior affects common and rare plant species, diet selection should be viewed relative to the availability of alternative seed options, and with consideration of the individual attributes of those seeds (e.g., morphology, nutrient content). We examined the foraging decisions of Owyhee harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex salinus [Olsen], in semiarid grassland dominated by two species of grass, Poa secunda and Bromus tectorum, and two species of mustard, Sisymbrium altissimum and Lepidium papilliferum …