EFFECT OF LINEAR INFRASTRUCTURE ON DIVERSITY OF ANTS IN HYPER-ARID MONTE DESERT, SAN JUAN PROVINCE.

AMATTA, E.; CALCATERRA L.; GIANNONI S.

Mendoza

Congreso; XXXI Reunión Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2013

Sociedad Biológica de Cuyo

MONTE DESERT, SAN JUAN PROVINCE Amatta E1,2, Calcaterra L 3,4 and Giannoni S1,2,4 1Museo de Cs Nat. (UNSJ). 2Dpto. de Biología (UNSJ). 3FuEDEI; 4CONICET. E-mail: emilceamatta@gmail.com The maintenance of species diversity in natural ecosystems is a central focus of conservation biology. Linear infrastructures cause changes in the environment producing changes at several levels. Ants are often used as bioindicators because they are easily collected and respond quickly to environmental changes. The abundance of ant colonies on the roads or near them is determined by the responses of each species to a number of characteristics of these environments. The aim was to evaluate the effect of Central Corridor on ant diversity in Ischigualasto Provincial Park (IPP). In January 2013, we set up a total of 30 transects (15 transects disturbed and 15 undisturbed areas). In each transects was set up 6 pitfall traps during 24 hs. Twenty-two species of ants were collected, 6 species were restricted only to disturbed and 3 to undisturbed areas. Ants diversity were higher, although no significantly, in disturbed than in undisturbed areas (Simpson´s index, 0.16 and 0.14, respectively). Species with abundance significantly higher in undisturbed than disturbed areas were Dorymyrmex sp.; D. ensifer; D. planidens; Forelius albiventris; Camponotus punctulatus; Acromyrmex striatus and Pogonomyrmex cunicularius, and reverse were found for Camponotus sp.; Pheidole sp.; Forelius sp.; A. lobicornis and P. brevibarbis (GLM; p