Venuste Nsengimana, Beth Kaplin A, Frederic Francis, Lombart Kouakou M Maurice, Wouter Dekoninck, Donat Nsabimana
Department of Mathematics, Science and Physical Education, College of Education, University of Rwanda, Rwanda.
Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management, College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda, Rwanda.
Environ Entomol. 2018 Dec 7;47(6):1394-1401. doi: 10.1093/ee/nvy144.
The use of soil and litter arthropods as biological indicators is a way to assess environmental changes, where ant species in particular may serve as important indicators of soil quality. This study aimed at relating the abundance of soil and litter ant species to soil parameters under different tree species, both native and exotic, and varieties of coffee and banana plantations. Variations were found in soil physicochemical parameters. A total of 30 species belonging to 14 genera, and four subfamilies, the Formicinae, Dorylinae, Myrmicinae, and Ponerinae were identified. Higher abundance was found in coffee plantations compared to banana plantations, exotic and native tree species. Species of Camponotus cinctellus and Odontomachus troglodytes occurred in all land uses which is a sign of tolerance to a wide range of soil properties. In addition, these species, together with Myrmicaria SP02, Phrynoponera gabonensis, Camponotus SP06, Myrmicaria opaciventris, Pheidole SP03, Tetramorium simillimum, Pheidole SP01, and Tetramorium laevithorax were not strongly correlated with soil physicochemical parameters. Species of Pheidole SP02 and Camponotus SP05 were restricted to specific soil physicochemical properties, while species of Tetramorium zonacaciae and Bothroponera talpa discriminated between native tree species, coffee plantations, soil organic carbon, sandy soil texture, and aggregate stability. We concluded that these ant species can differently indicate the soil quality depending on the land use. We recommended further studies in order to generalize these findings.
将土壤和凋落物节肢动物用作生物指标是评估环境变化的一种方法，其中蚂蚁物种尤其可作为土壤质量的重要指标。本研究旨在探究不同树种（包括本地树种和外来树种）以及咖啡和香蕉种植园不同品种下土壤和凋落物蚂蚁物种的丰富度与土壤参数之间的关系。研究发现土壤理化参数存在差异。共鉴定出14个属、4个亚科（蚁亚科、行军蚁亚科、切叶蚁亚科和猛蚁亚科）的30个物种。与香蕉种植园、外来树种和本地树种相比，咖啡种植园中蚂蚁的丰富度更高。环带弓背蚁和洞穴猛蚁在所有土地利用类型中均有出现，这表明它们对广泛的土壤性质具有耐受性。此外，这些物种以及拟毛蚁属SP02、加蓬粗角猛蚁、弓背蚁属SP06、暗腹收获蚁、大头蚁属SP03、细纹小家蚁、大头蚁属SP01和平胸小家蚁与土壤理化参数没有很强的相关性。大头蚁属SP02和弓背蚁属SP05的物种仅限于特定的土壤理化性质，而合欢小家蚁和塔氏厚结猛蚁的物种则能区分本地树种、咖啡种植园、土壤有机碳、砂土质地和团聚体稳定性。我们得出结论，这些蚂蚁物种可根据土地利用方式不同地指示土壤质量。我们建议进一步开展研究以推广这些发现。
