Contributions of ant mounds to soil carbon and nitrogen pools in a marsh wetland of Northeastern China |
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| Institution: | 1. Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, CZ-12801 Prague, Czech Republic;2. Institute of Soil Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Sádkách 7, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;3. Department of Functional Ecology, Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, CZ-37982 Třeboň, Czech Republic;4. Department of Mycorrhizal Symbioses, Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Lesní 322, CZ-25243 Průhonice, Czech Republic;5. Department of Plant Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 5, CZ-12844 Prague, Czech Republic;1. Texas A&M University, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, College Station, TX 77843, United States;2. Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, UFRPE-UAST, 56909-535 Serra Talhada, PE, Brazil;1. Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology and SoWa RI, Na Sádkách 7, České Budějovice CZ-37005, Czech Republic;2. Charles University, Institute for Environmental Studies, Benátská 2, Prague CZ-12801, Czech Republic;3. Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Department of Mycorrhizal Symbioses, Lesní 322, Průhonice CZ-25243, Czech Republic;4. Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Viničná 5, Prague CZ-12844, Czech Republic;5. Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Department of Functional Ecology, Dukelská 135, Třeboň CZ-37982, Czech Republic |
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| Abstract: | Ant mounds often occur at high densities in marsh wetlands. However, little information is available regarding their impacts on soil nutrient pools in these ecosystems. We studied Corg, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), NO3− and NH4+ concentrations in above-ground ant mounds and in soils under mounds for three ant species (Lasius flavus, Lasius niger and Formica candida), and estimated their contribution to the total soil nutrient pools in a marsh wetland. Ant impacts were greatest in above-ground soils. All measured nutrient concentrations in above-ground mounds were significantly higher than the average values in reference soils (upper 25 cm). However, except for DOC, no significant differences for nutrient concentrations existed between soils under mounds and reference soils. The impacts of ant mounds on soil C and nutrient concentrations varied by ant species. L. niger above-ground mounds stored less Corg, TN and NO3− than F. candida and L. flavus mounds, or reference soils. At the ecosystem scale, soils in above-ground mounds and under ant mounds all contained less Corg per hectare than the reference soils. Total amounts in nutrient pools from mounds of the three ant species comprised from 5.3% to 7.6% of the total in natural marsh soils. More importantly, ant mounds increased the spatial heterogeneity of nutrient pools. Thus, ant mounds can be important to a fully integrated understanding of the structure and function of wetland nutrient cycles and balances. |
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| Keywords: | Biogenic structures Ecosystem engineers Heterogeneity Soil fauna Soil nutrient Wetland |
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