| Abstract: | Abstract As a corollary of a detailed study on the ecology of the Harvester ants in soils of semi‐arid natural pastures, samples from a loessial Arid Brown soil were analyzed for the content of nitrogenous constituents (humic compounds, amino acids, nitrates, ammonia) as well as phenols and carbohydrates and the nutrient status of the soil. While there was a significant increase in fulvic and humic acids in the ant nests, the simultaneous decrease in amino acids ‐ in relation to the surrounding soil ‐ indicates that the humic substances have been synthesized from amino acids and the abundantly present phenols and possibly carbohydrates. The much higher concentration of nitrogen compounds in the ant mounds supports the idea that the soil mixing activity of the Harvester ants enhances microbiological processes and in turn the fertility of the mounds, as evident in the better growth of the pasture plants. |
