Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2025, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (11): 1805-1816.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2024.0421  cstr: 32100.14.cjpe.2024.0421

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Seasonal effects of typical canopy tree species on ant community dynamics in mid-subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests

QIU Dan-Ni1, PENG Qing-Qing1, ZHANG Hui-Ling1, WEN Hui-Hui1, WU Fu-Zhong1,2,*()   

  1. 1Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China
    2Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Sanming, Fujian 365002, China
  • Received:2024-11-21 Accepted:2025-03-04 Online:2025-11-20 Published:2025-11-20
  • Contact: WU Fu-Zhong
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(32471713);Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(2023J01515)

Abstract:

Aims Ants play an important role in material cycling and energy flow in subtropical forest ecosystems. However, there remains a knowledge gap regarding how different canopy tree species regulate ant community structure by altering the seasonal patterns of understory microclimate, soil surface conditions, and litter properties.

Methods From July 2023 to March 2024, we conducted an in situ pitfall trap survey in a common garden at the Fujian Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station. We examined the seasonal dynamics of ant community structure, taxonomic and functional groups, and diversity under six representative canopy tree species in a mid-subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest.

Important findings A total of 30 389 ants were collected, belonging to 19 genera and 30 species. The dominant species were Pheidole nodus and Crematogaster rogenhoferi. Ant diversity was higher in summer and autumn and lower in winter and spring. Tree species significantly influenced ant abundance, with the following order: Liquidambar formosana> Castanopsis carlesii> Sapindus saponaria > Cunninghamia lanceolata > Michelia macclurei > Pinus massoniana. Sampling season and its interaction with tree species also significantly affected the structure of ant functional groups. For example, the abundance of generalized Myrmicinae was significantly higher under Cunninghamia lanceolata in summer, while climate specialists were relatively more abundant under Castanopsis carlesii in spring and less abundant under Pinus massoniana. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that soil temperature, soil organic matter content, aboveground biomass, and litter production together explained over 50% of the variation in ant community structure. These findings provide foundational data for understanding the structural and functional relationships between tree species and ants, and potentially other similar soil fauna, in central subtropical forest ecosystems.

Key words: forest, biodiversity, ant, functional groups, understorey environment, subtropical forest