Abstract

ZABALA, Gustavo Adolfo; ARANGO, Lina Marcela  and  CHACON DE ULLOA, Patricia. Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) diversity in a coffee landscape of Risaralda, Colombia. Rev. Colomb. Entomol. [online]. 2013, vol.39, n.1, pp.141-149. ISSN 0120-0488.

Ant diversity was studied in three representative elements of a coffee landscape of the western Andes from Risaralda, Colombia. In a landscape sample of 500 ha, in rural zone of La Celia municipality, were sampled a forest, forest patches and sun coffee crops by means of lineal transects with 10 stations arranged each 10 m. For each station, in an area of 1 m2, leaflitter samples were processed in mini-Winkler sacks during 48 hours. 96 ant species from 34 genera and nine subfamilies were collected. Sampling efficiency was 81% on average, according to Chao 2 and Jacknife 1 and 2 estimators. Species as Cyphomyrmex cf. dixus, Pheidole biconstricta, Solenopsis sp.1 and Hypoponera sp.1 were abundant in these landscape units. Among these, P. biconstricta was catalogued like a dominant species at landscape and local scale. A low incidence of ants catalogued as potential pests in the landscape units was observed. Specimens of Atta cephalotes, Acromyyrmex aspersus and Acropyga exsanguis were recorded in less 5% of the samples. In general, it was observed a low incidence of ants catalogued as potential pest in the landscape elements. The exclusive presence of some species of genera as Acanthognathus, Amblyopone, Discothyrea and Gnamptogenys in theforest units?, added to low incidence of invasive or potential pest species, are proposed like characteristics that in set turned out indicators of the health (balance) and the heterogeneity of ant communities in the coffee landscape studied.

Keywords : Western Andes of Colombia; Biodiversity; Coffee; Formicidae; Pheidole biconstricta.

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