Increased Fungal Diversity Associated with Aphaenogaster spp.: More Evidence for Keystone Mutualisms
Nelson BY. 2012. Increased Fungal Diversity Associated with Aphaenogaster spp.: More Evidence for Keystone Mutualisms. Western Carolina University
Food webs in Southern Appalachian forests soils are complex. Because of climate uncertainty, it is imperative that we gain a baseline understanding of the nutrient fluxes associated with each trophic level of the forest ecosystem. Microbial carbon deposition and respiration are responsible for large portions of the soil carbon flux but there is little research detailing microbial interactions with soil macrofauna. This study examines the effect of Aphaenogaster ants on soil microbial diversity. These ants have been shown to participate in a keystone mutualism with a guild of myrmecochorous plants in Southern Appalachian forests. The data presented here demonstrate that Aphaenogaster interactions extend beyond the guild of herbaceous plants. Fungal diversity increases in ant nest soil relative to bulk soil. A p-value of 0.028 is obtained for the likelihood that fungal populations in ant nests and bulk soil come from the same distributions. Elucidating the ecology of Aphaenogaster spp. could be a key to understanding nutrition webs in the deciduous forests of eastern North America.
- Type
- Academic
- Authors
- Nelson, Bridget
- Date of Issue
- 2012-03
- Publisher
- Western Carolina University
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- Albright Grove, Ants, Aphaenogaster, APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, Food Webs, fungal diversity, Fungus, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, GRSM-00052, SER, soil microbial diversity, Soils, Southeast Region, thesis
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Terrestrial Invertebrates