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Annual foraging of the leaf-cutting ant Atta colombica in a semideciduous rain forest in Panama

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Rainer Wirth ,
Wolfram Beyschlag ,
Ronald J. Ryel  and
Bert Hölldobler
Rainer Wirth
Affiliation:
Lehrstuhl für experimentelle Ökologie und Ökosystembiologie, Universität Bielefeld, Universitätsstrasse. 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
Wolfram Beyschlag
Affiliation:
Lehrstuhl für experimentelle Ökologie und Ökosystembiologie, Universität Bielefeld, Universitätsstrasse. 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
Ronald J. Ryel
Affiliation:
Department of Rangeland Resources and the Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322–5230, USA
Bert Hölldobler
Affiliation:
Lehrstuhl für Verhaltensphysiologie und Soziobiologie, Theodor-Boveri-Institut, Universitat Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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Abstract

In a 1-y study of vegetation harvested by the leaf-cutting ants, Atta colombica Guérin, daily harvesting activity of two nests was observed for 24 h at c. 1-wk intervals (colony I: June 1993-June 1994; colony II: February-June 1994) on Barro Colorado Island. The average daily quantity of green leaves harvested by colony I was higher during the wet season (11.4 m2 d−1) than during the dry season (9.0 m2 d−1), but was highly variable between survey days. Total annual herbivory of green leaves was estimated to be 3,855 m2 foliage area for colony I and 1,707 m2 for colony II. Total dry weight of biomass harvested was higher in the dry season because most material collected during the wet season consisted of green leaves, while during the dry season, more than 50% of the total collected biomass was non-green plant material (stipules of Ficus sp., fruits, seeds, and flower parts of a variety of other species) which represented c. one third (111 kg y−1) of the total annual intake (370 kg y−1) of plant material. Total daily biomass intake was negatively correlated with daytime rainfall. The peak of daily foraging was affected by timing and duration of rainfall events. Highest input rates normally occurred between 15:00 and 16:00 h (colony I).Dry weight and surface area of harvested leaf fragments differed between plant species, with thicker leaves generally being cut into smaller pieces. Significant linear correlations were found between total daily harvest of fragments and the respective harvesting rate at the maximum of daily activity. High correspondence was found between estimates using this relationship and the measured daily leaf harvest of four other Atta colonies and of two colonies reported in published literature. The use of this relationship as a research tool is discussed.

Keywords

Atta colombicaforaging patternsherbivoryleaf-cutting antstropical rain forest
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 13 , Issue 5 , September 1997 , pp. 741 - 757
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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References

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