File Download
There are no files associated with this item.
Links for fulltext
(May Require Subscription)
- Publisher Website: 10.1111/1365-2656.13249
- Scopus: eid_2-s2.0-85085637026
- PMID: 32379899
- WOS: WOS:000536181700001
- Find via
Supplementary
- Citations:
- Appears in Collections:
Article: Omnivorous ants are less carnivorous and more protein‐limited in exotic plantations
Title | Omnivorous ants are less carnivorous and more protein‐limited in exotic plantations |
---|---|
Authors | |
Keywords | ants ecosystem functions food exploitation macronutrient limitation omnivores |
Issue Date | 2020 |
Publisher | Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2656 |
Citation | Journal of Animal Ecology, 2020, v. 89 n. 8, p. 1941-1951 How to Cite? |
Abstract | 1. Diets of species are crucial in determining how they influence food webs and community structures, and how their populations are regulated by different bottom‐up processes. Omnivores are able to adjust their diet flexibly according to environmental conditions, such that their impacts on food webs and communities, and the macronutrients constraining their population, can be plastic. In particular, omnivore diets are known to be influenced by prey availability, which exhibits high spatial and temporal variation.
2. To examine the plasticity of diet and macronutrient limitation in omnivores, we compared trophic positions, macronutrient preferences and food exploitation rates of omnivorous ants in invertebrate‐rich (secondary forests) and invertebrate‐poor (Lophostemon confertus plantations) habitats. We hypothesized that omnivorous ants would have lower trophic positions, enhanced protein limitation and reduced food exploitation rates in L. confertus plantations relative to secondary forests.
3. We performed cafeteria experiments to examine changes in macronutrient limitation and food exploitation rates. We also sampled ants and conducted stable isotope analyses to investigate dietary shifts between these habitats.
4. We found that conspecific ants were less carnivorous and had higher preferences for protein‐rich food in L. confertus plantations compared to secondary forests. However, ant assemblages did not exhibit increased preferences for protein‐rich food in L. confertus plantations. At the species‐level, food exploitation rates varied idiosyncratically between habitats. At the assemblage‐level, food exploitation rates were reduced in L. confertus plantations.
5. Our results reveal that plantation establishments alter the diet and foraging behaviour of omnivorous ants. Such changes suggest that omnivorous ants in plantations will have reduced top‐down impacts on prey communities but also see an increased importance of protein as a bottom‐up force in constraining omnivore population sizes. |
Persistent Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/288305 |
ISSN | 2023 Impact Factor: 3.5 2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 1.801 |
ISI Accession Number ID |
DC Field | Value | Language |
---|---|---|
dc.contributor.author | Tsang, TPN | - |
dc.contributor.author | Guenard, B | - |
dc.contributor.author | Bonebrake, TC | - |
dc.date.accessioned | 2020-10-05T12:10:54Z | - |
dc.date.available | 2020-10-05T12:10:54Z | - |
dc.date.issued | 2020 | - |
dc.identifier.citation | Journal of Animal Ecology, 2020, v. 89 n. 8, p. 1941-1951 | - |
dc.identifier.issn | 0021-8790 | - |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/288305 | - |
dc.description.abstract | 1. Diets of species are crucial in determining how they influence food webs and community structures, and how their populations are regulated by different bottom‐up processes. Omnivores are able to adjust their diet flexibly according to environmental conditions, such that their impacts on food webs and communities, and the macronutrients constraining their population, can be plastic. In particular, omnivore diets are known to be influenced by prey availability, which exhibits high spatial and temporal variation. 2. To examine the plasticity of diet and macronutrient limitation in omnivores, we compared trophic positions, macronutrient preferences and food exploitation rates of omnivorous ants in invertebrate‐rich (secondary forests) and invertebrate‐poor (Lophostemon confertus plantations) habitats. We hypothesized that omnivorous ants would have lower trophic positions, enhanced protein limitation and reduced food exploitation rates in L. confertus plantations relative to secondary forests. 3. We performed cafeteria experiments to examine changes in macronutrient limitation and food exploitation rates. We also sampled ants and conducted stable isotope analyses to investigate dietary shifts between these habitats. 4. We found that conspecific ants were less carnivorous and had higher preferences for protein‐rich food in L. confertus plantations compared to secondary forests. However, ant assemblages did not exhibit increased preferences for protein‐rich food in L. confertus plantations. At the species‐level, food exploitation rates varied idiosyncratically between habitats. At the assemblage‐level, food exploitation rates were reduced in L. confertus plantations. 5. Our results reveal that plantation establishments alter the diet and foraging behaviour of omnivorous ants. Such changes suggest that omnivorous ants in plantations will have reduced top‐down impacts on prey communities but also see an increased importance of protein as a bottom‐up force in constraining omnivore population sizes. | - |
dc.language | eng | - |
dc.publisher | Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2656 | - |
dc.relation.ispartof | Journal of Animal Ecology | - |
dc.rights | Preprint This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: [FULL CITE], which has been published in final form at [Link to final article using the DOI]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. Postprint This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [FULL CITE], which has been published in final form at [Link to final article using the DOI]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. | - |
dc.subject | ants | - |
dc.subject | ecosystem functions | - |
dc.subject | food exploitation | - |
dc.subject | macronutrient limitation | - |
dc.subject | omnivores | - |
dc.title | Omnivorous ants are less carnivorous and more protein‐limited in exotic plantations | - |
dc.type | Article | - |
dc.identifier.email | Tsang, TPN: tpaknok@hku.hk | - |
dc.identifier.email | Guenard, B: bguenard@hku.hk | - |
dc.identifier.email | Bonebrake, TC: tbone@hku.hk | - |
dc.identifier.authority | Guenard, B=rp01963 | - |
dc.identifier.authority | Bonebrake, TC=rp01676 | - |
dc.description.nature | link_to_subscribed_fulltext | - |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.1111/1365-2656.13249 | - |
dc.identifier.pmid | 32379899 | - |
dc.identifier.scopus | eid_2-s2.0-85085637026 | - |
dc.identifier.hkuros | 314697 | - |
dc.identifier.volume | 89 | - |
dc.identifier.issue | 8 | - |
dc.identifier.spage | 1941 | - |
dc.identifier.epage | 1951 | - |
dc.identifier.isi | WOS:000536181700001 | - |
dc.publisher.place | United Kingdom | - |
dc.identifier.issnl | 0021-8790 | - |