A common feature of many symbioses is that the resulting symbiotic entity (holobiont) is frequently phenotypically different than either host or symbiont. Moreover the new or emergent traits often influence other species and the physical environment. For example, corals drive the productivity in nutrient poor tropical seas whereas legumes and rhizobia fertilize surrounding soils.
Compared to other ant species, fungus-gardening ants are known to move massive amounts of soil in the quest to maintain adequate growth and performance of their fungal symbiont, which requires saturated air and relatively moderate temperatures. This research thread aims to discover how a common fungus-gardening ant species (Trachymyrmex septentrionalis) influences soils in longleaf pine forests in southeastern North America. This ant species is known to have an important role in biomantling (deposition soils on the surface from deeper layers), bioturbation (churning of subsurface soils) as well as translocating soil nutrients (Seal and Tschinkel 2006, 2010, Tschinkel and Seal 2016, DeMilto et al. 2017). We are beginning to piece together how these activities impact physical and biotic soil features and processes.
Selected References
Tschinkel, W.R., Seal, J.N., 2016. Bioturbation by the Fungus-Gardening Ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis. PLoS ONE 11, e0158920.
Seal, J.N., Tschinkel, W.R., 2010. Distribution of the Fungus-Gardening Ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis during and after a record drought. Insect Conservation and Diversity 3, 134-142.
Seal, J.N., Tschinkel, W.R., 2006. Colony productivity of the fungus-gardening ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis McCook, in a Florida pine forest (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 99, 673-682.
Seal, J.N., Tschinkel, W.R., 2008. Food limitation in the fungus-gardening ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis. Ecological Entomology 33, 597-607.
Compared to other ant species, fungus-gardening ants are known to move massive amounts of soil in the quest to maintain adequate growth and performance of their fungal symbiont, which requires saturated air and relatively moderate temperatures. This research thread aims to discover how a common fungus-gardening ant species (Trachymyrmex septentrionalis) influences soils in longleaf pine forests in southeastern North America. This ant species is known to have an important role in biomantling (deposition soils on the surface from deeper layers), bioturbation (churning of subsurface soils) as well as translocating soil nutrients (Seal and Tschinkel 2006, 2010, Tschinkel and Seal 2016, DeMilto et al. 2017). We are beginning to piece together how these activities impact physical and biotic soil features and processes.
Selected References
Tschinkel, W.R., Seal, J.N., 2016. Bioturbation by the Fungus-Gardening Ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis. PLoS ONE 11, e0158920.
Seal, J.N., Tschinkel, W.R., 2010. Distribution of the Fungus-Gardening Ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis during and after a record drought. Insect Conservation and Diversity 3, 134-142.
Seal, J.N., Tschinkel, W.R., 2006. Colony productivity of the fungus-gardening ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis McCook, in a Florida pine forest (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 99, 673-682.
Seal, J.N., Tschinkel, W.R., 2008. Food limitation in the fungus-gardening ant, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis. Ecological Entomology 33, 597-607.
Nests tumuli (surface deposits) of Trachymyrmex ants in a loblolly pine forest in, the aptly named, Red Rock, Texas. A hectare of these ants may deposit on the surface up to 1 metric ton of soil per year (Seal and Tschinkel 2006; Tschinkel and Seal 2016)
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Photograph of a partially excavated T. septentrionalis colony that was planted into a 'layer cake' or layers of colored sand to track movements of sand. The arrows show the locations of two fungus-garden chamber. Note the deposition of colored sand in the upper most chamber (top right) the ants had moved from deeper layers. Approximately 20% of the sand moved by these ants remains below ground. (Tschinkel and Seal 2016)
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