Abstract

REDOLFI, Inés et al. Ant nests spatial distribution and temporary permanence in olive orchards at Granada, Spain. Ecol. apl. [online]. 2005, vol.4, n.1-2, pp.71-76. ISSN 1726-2216.

Ant nests were studied in three olive orchards under different agricultural managements located 20 km from Granada City. In each orchard, the area covered by 60 trees -six 10 trees contiguous rows- and five 100m long and 1m wide transects in the alleyways among the rows were monitored. In the ground under each tree crown and in the alleyways, the position of the nests were determined covering an area of 540 m2 ( 9 m2/tree ) and of 500 m2 ( 100 m2/alley ) respectively. Nest positions were assessed during May, July and September of 1997 and May of 1998. The distance between ant nests was mapped in the three 1997 months. Ant nests distribution was obtained with the distance to the nearest neighbour method. Results show regular nests distributions for the main ant species -Aphaenogaster senilis, Messor barbarus, Crematogaster auberti, Crematogaster sordidula, Solenopsis latro, Tetramorium semilaeve, Tapinoma nigerrima, Plagiolepis pygmaea, Cataglyphis rosenhaueri- and for all of the species in the orchards but it may turn into a random distribution when the nest density is decreased. The intraannual nest permanence indeces were low ( 0.0 % to 57 % ) and the inter-annual nests permanence indeces were 0 % . The nest renovation indeces ranged from 0.0 % to 100 % .

Keywords : Formicidae; nests spacial; distribution; temporary permanence; olive orchards; different agricultural management.

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