Dynamics of ant communities in the course of pine forest regeneration after felling [Russian

摘要

The dynamics of ant population was studied in pine forests in the course of their regeneration after felling up to the formation of mature 75-year-old forests in the territory of the National Park "Ugra" (Kaluga region). Nineteen ant species were recorded. In the first year after felling, the number of ant nests and their species diversity decreased, but in the second year the number of nests was higher than that in old stands. Later on, the ant number, species diversity, and complexity of multispecies associations increased due to the invasion of thermophilous species with maximal values of these parameters in 6-25-year-old stands. The values of these characteristics were gradually reduced to minimum in the oldest forests. During the whole process of forest regeneration, the species composition of ant communities changed, and no multispecies associations differing from each other could be distinguished. The species Lasius platythorax participated in all ant associations, other species disappeared in the course of succession, and their place was occupied by representatives of the same genus dwelling under the same ecological conditions (Myrmica ruginodis, M. rubra, Formica fusca, and F. cunicularis). Some species (for instance, Tetramorium caespitum) appeared at the definite succession stage and changed depending on fluctuations in environmental factors. Obviously, all these species should be considered as members of the same coadaptive complex, the structure of which changes with time.