Abstract
In the past, extensive areas in Drenthe (The Netherlands) were covered by peat bogs and wet heath lands, but nowadays only relatively small fragments are left. During the second half of the 20th century the quality of these fragments decreased, due to lowering of the water table and the input of nutrients. These factors will have a negative effect on the survival of species which are adapted to these stable type of biotopes, like the Black bog ant. The distribution pattern was analysed within a study area of 750 km2, in order to find out if this species will survive in a landscape where its habitat is severely fragmented. Using multiple logistic regression analysis it appears that size and quality of the habitat patches, as well as openness of the environment, contribute significantly to patch-occupancy. No correlation was found between the probability of a patch being occupied and its distance to the nearest occupied patch. It appears that the spatial cohesion of local populations by means of flying queens is weak or absent on the scale of the study area. Only in parts of the area, where the distance between habitat patches is less than 3 km in open field, a habitat network may still exist. However, with ongoing habitat loss a threshold will be passed and the species will ultimately become extinct.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
H.G. Andrewartha L.C. Birch (1954) The Distribution and Abundance of Animals Chicago University Press Chicago
F. Berendse R. Aerts R. Bobbink (1993) Atmospheric nitrogen deposition and its impact on terrestrial ecosystems C.C. Vos P. Opdam (Eds) Landscape Ecology of a Stressed Environment Chapman & Hall London 104–121
J. Blab E. Nowak E. Trautmann H. Sukopp (1984) Rote Liste der gefhrdeten Tiere und Pflanzen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Kilda-Verlag Greven
W. Bönner (1914) ArticleTitleFormica fusca picea, eine Moorameise Biol. Zbl. 34 59–76
W. Bönner (1915) ArticleTitleDie Überwinterung von Formica picea und andere biologische Beobachtungen Biol. Zbl. 35 IssueID2 65–77
J.J. Boomsma A.A. Mabelis M.G.M. Verbeek E.C. Los (1987) ArticleTitleinsular bigeography and distribution ecology of ants on the Frisian islands J. Biogeogr. 14 21–37
G.A. Brouwer (1968) ArticleTitleOver natuurbehoud in Drente, kroniek van een halve eeuw (About nature conservation in Drentechronicle of half a century, with english summary) Miscellaneous Papers L.H. Wageningen 2 33–119
J.H. Brown A. Kodric-Brown (1977) ArticleTitleTurnover rates in insular biogeography: effect of immigration on extinction Ecology 58 445–449
J.P. Chardon F. Adriaensen E. Matthyssen (2003) ArticleTitleIncorporating landscape elements into a connectivity measure: a case study for the Speckled wood butterfly (Perarge aegeria L.) Landscape Ecol. 18 561–573
M. Chapuisat J. Goudet L. Keller (1997) ArticleTitleMicrosatellites reveal high population viscosity and limited dispersal in the ant Formica paralugubris Evolution 51 IssueID2 475–482
P.J. Den Boer (1977) Dispersal Power and Survival. Carabids in a Cultivated Countryside Veenman Wageningen
P.J. Den Boer (1981) ArticleTitleOn the survival of populations in a heterogeneous and variable environment Oecologia 50 39–53 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00378792
H.H. De Vries P.J. Den Boer (1990) ArticleTitleSurvival of populations of Agonum ericeti Panz. (Col., Carabidae) in relation to fragmentation of habitats Neth. J. Zool. 40 IssueID3 484–498
H.H. De Vries P.J. den Boer Th.S. van Dijk (1996) ArticleTitleGround beetle species in heathland fragments in relation to survival, dispersal, and habitat preference Oecologia 107 332–342 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00328449
Diemont W.H., Blanckenborg F.G. and Kampf H. 1982. Blij op de hei? Innovaties in het heidebeheer. RIN-report (in Dutch). Arnhem, pp. 135.
W.H. Diemont (1996) Survival of Dutch heathlands. IBN Scientific Contributions 1 IBN-DLO Wageningen
Dijkstra A.C.J., Oudega-Schokker J.J.H. and Smittenberg J.C. 1992. Milieukartering Drenthe 1974–1978 + vegetatiekaart (environmental survey of Drenthe 1974–1978 + vegetation map). Report Province of Drenthe Assen.
H.St.J.K. Donisthorpe (1915) British Ants, their Life History and Classification Plymouth Brendon
Else G.R. and Spooner G.M. 1987. Insects. In: Shirt D.B. (ed.), British Red Data Books. Peterborough.
InstitutionalAuthorNameESRI (1996) Arc View Environmental Systems Research Institute Redlands, California
L. Fahrig J.H. Pedlar S.E. Pope P.D. Taylor J.F. Wegner (1995) ArticleTitleEffect of road traffic on amphibian density Biol. Conserv. 73 177–182
InstitutionalAuthorNameGenstat 5 Committee (1993) Genstat 5 Release 3 Reference Manual Clarendon Press Oxford
V. Haeseler (1982) ArticleTitleÜber die weitere Besiedlung der Nordinsel Mellum durch Wespen, Ameisen und Bienen (Hymenoptera) Schriftenreihe Naturwissenschaftliche Verein Schlesweich-Holstein 52 57–67
I. Hanski (1994a) ArticleTitleA practical model of metapopulation dynamics J. Anim. Ecol. 63 151–162
I. Hanski (1994b) ArticleTitlePatch occupancy dynamics in fragmented landscapes Trends Ecol. Evol. 9 131–135 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0169-5347(94)90177-5
J. Heinze (1993) Queen–queen interactions in polygynous ants L. Keller (Eds) Queen Number and Sociality in Insects Oxford University Press Oxford 3343–60
R. Hengeveld (1990) Dynamic Biogeography Cambridge University Press Cambridge
J.M. Herbers (1993) Ecological determinants of queen number in ants L. Keller (Eds) Queen Number and sociality in insects Oxford University Press Oxford 262–293
B. Holldobler E.O. Wilson (1977) ArticleTitleThe number of queens: an important trait in ant evolution Naturwissenschaften 64 IssueID1 8–15 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00439886
InstitutionalAuthorNameIUCN (1986) Red List of Threatened Animals The IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre Cambridge
R.H.G. Jongman J.C.F ter Braak O.F.R. van Tongeren (1995) Data Analysis in community and landscape ecology Cambridge University Press Cambridge
M. Kaschek J. Königschulte (1982) ArticleTitleUntersuchungen zur Biologie der Ameisen im Diepholzer Moor sowie Möglichkeiten des Biotoperhalts Inf. Natuursch. Landschaftspfl. 3 239–282
C. Liautard L. Keller (2001) ArticleTitleRestricted effective queen dispersal at a microgeographic scale in polygynous populations of the ant Formice exsecta Evolution 55 IssueID12 2484–2492 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD387gtVOmtg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11831664
A.J. van Loon A.A. Mabelis (1996) ArticleTitleFlora en Fauna 2030 – Fase III. Deelrapport Mieren Mededelingen European Invertebrate Survey – Nederland 83 1–34
A.A. Mabelis (1979) ArticleTitleWood ant wars, the relationship between aggression and predation in the red wood ant (Formica polyctena Foerster) Neth. J. Zool. 29 IssueID2 221–232
A.A. Mabelis (1986) Why do young queens fly? Proceedings 3rd European Congress of Entomology Amsterdam 461–464
A.A. Mabelis (1992) Wood ants in fragmented woodlands L. Zombori L. Peregovits (Eds) Proceedings 4th ECE/ XIII SIEEC Gdll Hungarian Natural History Museum Budapest 757–761
A.A. Mabelis (1994) ArticleTitleFlying as a survival strategy for wood ants in a fragmented landscape Memorabilia Zoologica 48 147–170
A.A. Mabelis J. Korczyńska (2001) ArticleTitleDispersal for survival: some observations on the trunk ant (Formica truncorum Fabricius) Neth. J. Zool. 51 IssueID3 299–321 Occurrence Handle10.1163/156854201753247569
P. Opdam J. Verboom R. Pouwels (2003) ArticleTitleLandscape cohesion: an index for the conservation potential of landscapes for biodiversity Landscape Ecol. 18 113–126 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1024429715253
P. Pamilo (1982a) ArticleTitleMultiple mating in Formica ants Hereditas 97 37–45
P. Pamilo (1982b) ArticleTitleGenetic population structure in polygynous Formica ants Heridity 48 IssueID1 95–106 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:Bi2C1cbkvVw%3D
H.R. Pulliam (1988) ArticleTitleSources, sinks, and population regulation Am. Nat. 132 652–661
InstitutionalAuthorNameRIVM (2003) Het Nederlandse Milieu Verklaard (Dutch environment explained). Milieu- en Natuurplanbureau RIVM Kluwer Alphen aan den Rijn
R. Rosengren P. Pamilo (1983) ArticleTitleThe evolution of polygyny and polydomy in mound-building Formica ants Acta Entomol. Fenn. 42 65–77
R. Rosengren (1985) ArticleTitleInternest relations in polydomous Formica-colonies (Hymenoptera Formicidae) Mitteilungen Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Allgemeine Angewandte Entomologie 4 287–291
R. Rosengren L. Sundström W. Fortelius (1993) Monogyny and polygyny in Formica ants: the result of alternative dispersal tactics L. Keller (Eds) Queen Number and Sociality in Insects Oxford University Press Oxford 308–332
R. Savolainen K. Vepsäläinen (1988) ArticleTitleA competition hierarchy among boreal ants: impact on resource partitioning and community structure Oikos 51 135–155
B. Seifert (1996) Ameisen, Beobachten, Bestimmen Naturbuch Verlag Augsburg
E. Skwarra (1929) ArticleTitleFormica fusca-picea Nyl. als Moorameise Biologische. Anzeiger 82 46–55
H. Stitz (1939) Ameisen oder Formicidae F. Dahl (Eds) Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 37 Fischer Jena
L. Sundström L. Keller M. Chapuisat (2003) ArticleTitleInbreeding and sex-biased gene flow in the ant Formica exsecta Evolution 57 IssueID(7 1552–1561 Occurrence Handle12940360
K. Vepsäläinen B. Pisarski (1982) ArticleTitleAssembly of island ant communities Ann. Zool. Fennici 19 327–335
J. Verboom K. Lankester (1991) ArticleTitleLinking local and regional dynamics in stochastic metapopulation models Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 42 39–55
J. Verboom J.A.J. Metz E. Meelis (1993) Metapopulation models for impact assessment of fragmentation C.C. Vos P. Opdam (Eds) Landscape Ecology of a Stressed Environment Chapman and Hall London 172–196
J. Verboom R. Foppen P. Chardon P. Opdam P. Luttikhuizen (2001) ArticleTitleIntroducing the key patch approach for habitat networks with persistent populations: an example for marshland birds Biol. Conserv. 100 89–101
C.C. Vos A.H.P. Stumpel (1996) ArticleTitleComparison of habitat isolation parameters in relation to fragmented distribution patterns in the tree frog (Hyla arborea) Landscape Ecol. 11 203–214
C.C. Vos J.P. Chardon (1998) ArticleTitleEffects of habitat fragmentation and road density on the distribution pattern of the moor frog Rana arvalis J. Appl. Ecol. 35 44–56
C.C. Vos J. Verboom P.F.M. Opdam C.J.F. Ter Braak (2001) ArticleTitleToward ecologically scaled landscape indices Am. Nat. 183 IssueID1 24–41 Occurrence Handle10.1086/317004
E.O. Wilson (1963) ArticleTitleSocial modifications related to rareness in ant species Evolution 17 249–25
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mabelis, A.A., Chardon, J.P. Survival of the Black bog ant (Formica transkaucasica Nasanov) in relation to the fragmentation of its habitat. J Insect Conserv 9, 95–108 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-004-5987-8
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-004-5987-8