Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-1-2016
Abstract
Selective foraging by granivores can have important consequences for the structure and composition of plant communities, and potentially severe consequences for rare plant species. To understand how granivore foraging behavior affects common and rare plant species, diet selection should be viewed relative to the availability of alternative seed options, and with consideration of the individual attributes of those seeds (e.g., morphology, nutrient content). We examined the foraging decisions of Owyhee harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex salinus [Olsen], in semiarid grassland dominated by two species of grass, Poa secunda and Bromus tectorum, and two species of mustard, Sisymbrium altissimum and Lepidium papilliferum. The latter is a rare plant endemic to southwestern Idaho, and its seeds are readily consumed by P. salinus. We examined the diets of P. salinus colonies in June and July over three years and compared these values to the weekly availability of seeds on the ground in a 3-12 m radius around individual ant colonies. Small seeded species (P. secunda, S. altissimum and L. papilliferum) were usually overrepresented in the diet of ants relative to their availability, whereas the large seeds of B. tectorum were largely avoided despite being abundant and nutritious. The reduced travel time associated with carrying small seeds may overshadow differences in nutritional content among seed types, except in times when small seeds are in short supply. Lepidium papilliferum appears particularly vulnerable to seed predation, likely in part because it grows in dense patches that are easily exploited by foragers.
Copyright Statement
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Environmental Entomology following peer review. This document was originally published by Oxford University Journals on behalf of the Entomological Society of America. The version of record: Schmasow, Matthew S. and Robertson, Ian C.(2016). "Selective Foraging by Pogonomyrmex salinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Semiarid Grassland: Implications for a Rare Plant". Environmental Entomology, 45(4), 952-960. Available online at: 10.1093/ee/nvw071
Publication Information
Schmasow, Matthew S. and Robertson, Ian C.. (2016). "Selective Foraging by Pogonomyrmex salinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Semiarid Grassland: Implications for a Rare Plant". Environmental Entomology, 45(4), 952-960.