Abstract

CRUZ-LABANA, J. D. et al. Habitat use by the "Escamolera" ant (Liometopum apiculatum Mayr) in central Mexico. Agrociencia [online]. 2014, vol.48, n.6, pp.569-582. ISSN 2521-9766.

In rural areas of Mexico, the native "escamolera" ant (Liometopum apiculatum Mayr) is socioeconomically important. However, this ant is being exploited unsustainably, and studies of habitat of this species in central Mexico are nonexistent. During spring-summer 2012, fourteen habitat variables were evaluated, habitat use by the ant was identified and its nest density was estimated. Data were analyzed with stepwise logistic regression, correspondence analysis, Chi-square and simultaneous Bonferroni confidence intervals analyses, and the minimum Akaike Information Criteria. The variables that better described the presence of the ant were width of the agave pineapple, percentage of agaves infested with scale insects, woody plant-cacti-agave density, soil cover and terrain slope. The probability of finding nests increased (odds ratio> 1) when the width of the agave pineapple and the percentage of agaves with scale insects increased. In contrast, the probability decreased (odds ratio< 1) when the slope of the terrain and bare soil increased. The ant selected (p≤0.05) flat terrain (0-10 % slope) and southwest-facing slopes, but avoided microphyllous shrub habitats, moderately flat terrain (1-20 % slope), southeast-facing slopes and terrain of the lowest available elevation (1940-2050 m). Soil cover at nests sites was composed of grasses (27.5 %), bare soil (24.5 %), rock (20.2 %), herbs (20.2 %) and shrubs (7.6 %). The nest density was higher (α=0.05) in the moderate level of disturbance (11.9 nests ha^-1). The ant did not use habitat components according to their availability, avoided bare soil, land with low elevation and selected the slopes with southwest exposure.

Keywords : Liometopum apiculatum Mayr; agave; arid areas; insects use; management.

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