Formicidae Biodiversity in Texas Vegetation

Formicidae Bio conversion in Texas VegetationA COMPARISON OF family Formicidae BIODIVERSITY IN NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE VEGETATION IN SOUTH TEXASA fill to teach how ant communities in non- immanent bring life, specifically in Cenchrus ciliaris, disagree from inwrought flora in south Texas.ABSTRACTWhen non- inherent lead astrayes become trespassing(a), they bunghole alter plant communities and give the axe therefore, potentially affect arthropods due to their relationships with the botany they reside on. Cenchrus ciliaris is a non- inherent frequent to the joined States and is unremarkably cognize as buffel blackleg. Its drought resistance and quick propagation has made buffel grass invasive and has changed the ecosystems they now reside. Ants go away be sampled from patches in inseparable plant life and buffel grass in San Ygnacio for 12 months. This mull seeks to determine how ant communities in predominantly Cenchrus ciliaris, differs from relatively undisturbed na tive flora in south Texas. I pursue to get hold of ant richness amidst native vegetation and buffel grass as well as compare richness and abundance between native ant species and non-native ant species. I express the results to demonstrate lower ant richness and abundance in the locations with buffel grass and higher abundance of invasive species in buffel grass.IntroductionThe portal and spread of invasive plants is a ca map of concern worldwide (Blossey 1999 Didham 2005). The mightiness of humans to travel between different countries around the world has facilitated the knowledgeability of non-native plants to new locations. These new environments usually lack the subjective predators and oppo send natural biological control factors, thus causing these plants to become invasive. (Keane Crawley 2002 Tallamy 2004). Invasive plants mickle also use up characteristics that aid their establishment and survival. For example, some of these plants basin absorb a higher tole rance to drought or lavatory deal out more quickly. They git also create unfavorable conditions for native plants by altering soil litter and nutrients (Bakker Wilson 2001). Therefore, invasive plants john often out-compete native plants, resulting in lower vegetation diversity and abundance (Pimentel 1999 Bakker Wilson 2001). Many species of plants have been introduced into the United States, and although a relatively small percentage of these species invalidatingly violation the ecosystems they invade, studies should be done on specific invasive plants to determine the negative impacts they may be causing to the environment.Buffel GrassCenchrus ciliaris is a non-native grass to the United States and is commonly known as buffel grass. It is native to most of Africa, Confederate and southwestern Asia, and Italy, Sicily. Buffel grass was originally introduced to Texas (U.S.A.) and northern Mexico in the 1930s and forties to improve pasture in overgrazed habitats and to dev elop new rangelands (Cox et al. 1988). Its drought tolerance and high biomass productivity made it the most popular grass to use in these countries (Arriaga et al. 2004). Due to its commercial value and impact as a weed it is considered a contentious species. Although the agricultural benefit of buffel grass is controversial, buffel grasslands elicit be a threat to biodiversity because they are created by invading and removing native plants (Arriaga et al. 2004 Cox et al. 1988). The threat that buffel grass poses to the native vegetation and alteration of the ecosystem, can have an effect from birds to arthropods. Buffle grass appears to provide a less fitting habitat for breeding birds, especially bird species that forage on or near the strand (Bingham et al. 2006). While changes in plant litter can alter arthropod abundance (Wolkovich 2009). Buffel grass is also associated with increased severity of fires by a buffel grass-initiated fire invasion feedback (milling machine et.al 2010). Despite the serious environmental effectuate buffel grass may cause, there are no national strategies to pluck it (Marshal et al. 2011). Understanding the effects buffel grass has on biodiversity in south Texas can bring insights on whether there is a serious threat to another(prenominal) native vegetation and ecosystem functions.Arthropods FormicidaeArthropods have many ecological roles at bottom an ecosystem, functioning as prey resources for many taxa, as important predators, and as pollinators and seed dispersers (Isaacs et al. 2009). Recent studies document how plant invasions contribute to arthropod abundance (Wolkovich 2009). Changes in the vegetation cover can have an effect on arthropod diversity and are therefore used as indicators of negative effects on an environment. An important arthropod that is very diverse, does not fall into a single operating(a) group, and can be classified as herbivores, predators, and detrivores, are ants (Triplehorn Johnson 2005). Ants (order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae) are relatively well-studied and easy to identify to the species level (Wolkovich et al. 2009). Structure and composition of ant communities can reflect the nature of the environments in which they reside on. Ants are also commonly used as bio-indicators in studies for fire management, pesticide contamination, and habitat disturbance (Burbidge 1992). decrease in ant species abundance, diversity, and richness has been documented when alterations of ecosystems occur, for example, an increase of invasive plants (Burbidge 1992 Wolkovich et al. 2009). Therefore, this culture depart be measuring ant richness and abundance to determine how ant communities in non-native vegetation, specifically in Cenchrus ciliaris, differ from native vegetation in south, TX. This provide further our interpreting of the effects that buffel grass has on the ecosystem.METHODSStudy SitesStudy plot orbits were selected in San Ygnacio, TX. The study area was comp rised of a mixture of grasses and shrubs. Native grasses included knotroot bristle grass (Setaria parviflora), Texas grama grass (Bouteloua rigidi destinya), Common Curly Mesquite (Hilaria belangeri) and tanglehead (Heteropogon contortus). Predominant native shrubs included lamb mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), guajillo (Acacia berlandieri), and blackbrush (Acacia rigidula). The non-native grass was predominantly buffel grass. The soil in the study site was mostly sandy and dry. The native areas where traps go away be placed were selected ground on the abundance of native vegetation and lack of buffel grass, while the areas for the non-native traps will be placed where buffel grass is the most predominant plant. tryIt was laid that surveying arthropods was a more cost-effective and accurate design for assessment of biodiversity (Oliver Beattie 1996) Direct sampling with pitfall traps seems to be the optimal collection rule for surveying ants so it will be the method of collec tion that will be used in this study (Jaffe Romero 1989). There will be six pitfall traps placed in predominantly native vegetation and six pitfall traps in areas that are predominantly invaded with buffel grass. The pitfall traps will contain either propylene ethylene glycol or alcohol glycol for trapping and conservation of the arthropods. These traps will be place at ground level and will each be labeled accordingly N for native and B for buffel grass. Each of these traps will have their GPS coordinates and the nearest vegetation to the traps recorded. They will be left out for a week and they will be collected by hand for a year.Ant assortment and IdentificationAfter the traps are collected ants will be take into separate vials labeled with their respective trap number and date. All the other arthropods collected in the traps will be sorted to order. Ants will be identified down to species in Dr. Motts lab following a set of identification keys. The selective information coll ected will be recorded and data analysis will be performed. Species richness, abundance, and evenness will also be calculated.RESULTS DISCUSSIONWith this study, I expect to see a difference in biodiversity, richness and abundance between native vegetation and buffel grass. I expect a decrease of these in buffel grass. I also would like to fail and compare the abundance and richness between native and non-native ants between native vegetation and buffel grass. This could bring insight on the effect buffel grass has on non-native species of ants and determine if it facilitates their settlement. If there is a difference in diversity more studies should be made on the impacts buffel grass has in the ecosystem to further understand the negative effects and determine management techniques.CONCLUSIONCenchrus ciliaris, buffel grass, is an invasive grass that can alter and cause negative effects to the ecosystems they invade. This study will provide insight to the effects this grass truly has on the environment and determine the ecological impact of buffel grass. This will be achieved by comparing ant biodiversity, richness and abundance in native vegetation and, buffel grass. I expect the results of this study demonstrate a difference in ant diversity between native and non-native vegetation and that further studies can be made to determine buffel grass management.REFERENCESArriaga, L., Castellanos, A. E., Moreno, E. and Alarcn, J. (2004). 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