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Harvard Forest REU Symposium Abstract 2005
- Title: Correlations between Sphagnum diversity and ant distribution in New England bogs
- Author: Laura R Briscoe (College of the Atlantic)
- Abstract:
New England bogs are ecosystems characterized by Sphagnum moss. Sphagnum varies widely in form, often according to their microhabitat. Some species are used as indicators of pH, moisture and microtopographical regimes. To build on previous work exploring relationships between ants and plants in New England bogs, I volunteered to identify Sphagnum samples to species to compare with ant distribution. 200 samples were collected along transects in each of three bogs (two in Massachusetts, one in Vermont). For each sample, Sphagnum was collected, ants were collected at baits, the microtopography of the hummocks, and the distance to the nearest pitcher plant were measured. I identified all 600 Sphagnum samples and found 10 species. Each bog had a different Sphagnum species composition, and a dominant species that made up >50% of the samples (Figure 1). Eight species of ants were collected, most commonly associated with the dominant species of Sphagnum in each bog. I also found a correlation between ants and S. magellanicum, the one species that was relatively abundant in all three bogs. Ants were commonly found nesting in this species and of the 7 samples that contained ant nests, 4 were located in S. magellanicum, a relatively large and robust species often found on tops and sides of hummocks in older and drier portions of bogs. Further work is needed to map ant nests in relation to Sphagnum species to find stronger correlations.
- Research Category:
