Testing the predictive value of functional traits in diverse ant communities

Author:

Drager Kim I.1,Rivera Michael D.2,Gibson Joshua C.34,Ruzi Selina A.5ORCID,Hanisch Priscila E.67,Achury Rafael38ORCID,Suarez Andrew V.123ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior University of Illinois 505 S. Goodwin Ave. 515 Morrill Hall Urbana Illinois 61801 USA

2. Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology University of Illinois 505 S. Goodwin Ave. 515 Morrill Hall Urbana Illinois 61801 USA

3. Department of Entomology University of Illinois 505 S. Goodwin Ave. 320 Morrill Hall Urbana Illinois 61801 USA

4. Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign 405 N. Mathews Ave Urbana Illinois 61801 USA

5. Department of Applied Ecology North Carolina State University 115 David Clark Labs, 100 Eugene Brooks Avenue Raleigh North Carolina 27695 USA

6. Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology Biocenter University of Würzburg Am Hubland 97074 Würzburg Germany

7. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” MACN‐CONICET Buenos Aires Argentina

8. Terrestrial Ecology Research Group Technical University of Munich Hans‐Carl‐von‐Carlowitz‐Platz 2 Freising 85354 Germany

Abstract

AbstractAssociating morphological features with ecological traits is essential for understanding the connection between organisms and their roles in the environment. If applied successfully, functional trait approaches link form and function in an organism. However, functional trait data not associated with natural history information provide an incomplete picture of an organism's role in the ecosystem. Using data on the relative trophic position of 592 ant (Formicidae) samples comprising 393 species from 11 subfamilies and 19 widely distributed communities, we tested the extent to which commonly used functional proxies (i.e., morphometric traits) predict diet/trophic position as estimated from stable isotopes (δ15N). We chose ants as a group due to their ubiquity and abundance, as well as the wealth of available data on species traits and trophic levels. We measured 12 traits that have previously been identified as functionally significant, and corrected trait values for size and evolutionary history by using phylogenetically corrected trait residuals. Estimated trophic positions varied from 0.9 to 4.8 or roughly 4 trophic levels. Morphological data spanned nearly the entire size range seen in ants from the smallest (e.g., Strumigenys mitis total length 1.1 mm) to the largest species (e.g., Dinoponera australis total length 28.3 mm). We found overall body size, relative eye position, and scape length to be informative for predicting diet/trophic position in these communities, albeit with relatively weak predictive values. Specifically, trophic position was negatively correlated with body size and positively correlated with sensory traits (higher eye position and scape length). Our results suggest that functional trait‐based approaches can be informative but should be used with caution unless clear links between form and function have been established.

Funder

National Science Foundation

Publisher

Wiley

Subject

Nature and Landscape Conservation,Ecology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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