Abstract:
Diversity of ground-dwelling ants in undisturbed and disturbed Pinus yunnanensis forest in Songhuaba Water Protection Area,Kunming,Yunnan province,was investigated by pitfall trapping.Thirteen ant species of three subfamilies were captured in the undisturbed plot,with Lasius fuliginosus being most common;and twenty ant species from four subfamilies were captured in the disturbed plot,with Leptothorax sp.2 and Lasius alienus being most common.ACE Value of in the undisturbed and disturbed plots was 24.76 and 26.27,and no significant difference was found in both abundance and species richness among these plots.Species composition of the undisturbed plot was different from that of the disturbed plot,while some undisturbed transect was close to the disturbed plot. Lasius fuliginosus was indicator species for the undisturbed plot(IndVal=0.9787,P=0.001),and Pachycondyla sauteri was indicator species for the disturbed plot(IndVal=0.6667,P=0.001) .Significant difference was found between ground-dwelling ant diversity and plant diversity in the plots.It was showed that diversity of ground-dwelling ant could indicate plant diversity in Pinus yunnanensis forest.The diversity of ground-dwelling ant in the water protection areas was lower. The species composition of ground-dwelling ant had changed by disturbance.The establishment of Songhuaba Water Protection Area made a positive contribution to the local biodiversity conservation,more efforts are in need.