Partitioning of resources amongst seed‐harvesters in an ant community in semi‐arid Australia

摘要

AbstractResource partitioning among five species of seed‐harvesting ants in a semi‐arid saltbush and adjacent grassland habitat of southwestern New South Wales is analysed. While habitat differences between species were only slight, the utilization of two resource dimensions, food type and time available for activity by them, varied markedly in response to environmental changes. The degree to which species overlapped in their use of these resources also fluctuated as conditions varied. Thus, both the manner and extent to which the harvester ant species interact is rapidly and continually changing in response to environmental fluctuations. The results suggest that, at most times, there is very little pressure due to exploitative competition within the harvester ant commun