Ants_dominate_terrestrial_biomass_Lach__.html

<div>Ants dominate terrestrial biomass (Lach et al. 2010) and although communities are altered by disturbance they can still maintain high abundance and species richness in agricultural systems (Folgarait 1998; Rubiana et al. 2015). Ants are important for a number of ecosystem services that are crucial in agriculture systems such as predation (biocontrol), soil aeration and nutrient cycling (Folgarait 1998; Vandermeer et al. 2002). Ants also influence overall community composition in an ecosystem due to their sheer voracity, mutualisms with other animals and plants, and their dominance altering species interactions (Folgarait 1998; Gaume et al. 1998; Lach et al. 2010). Therefore, ants can indirectly affect many other ecosystem processes. &nbsp;In oil palm plantations in Indonesia, ant species richness and abundance can be similar to or more than in lowland rainforest, however few species are shared between them and therefore community composition is drastically altered (Rubiana et al. 2015). In particular, ant species from higher trophic guilds decline from forest to oil palm (Denmead et al. unpublished). &nbsp;Therefore, although ants remain dominant and likely play an important part in oil palm plantations, their influence on the community and certain ecosystem processes may be altered. </div>