Abstract:
The use of soil and litter arthropods as biological indicators is a way to assess environmental changes, where ant
species in particular may serve as important indicators of soil quality. This study aimed at relating the abundance
of soil and litter ant species to soil parameters under different tree species, both native and exotic, and varieties
of coffee and banana plantations. Variations were found in soil physicochemical parameters. A total of 30 species
belonging to 14 genera, and four subfamilies, the Formicinae, Dorylinae, Myrmicinae, and Ponerinae were identified.
Higher abundance was found in coffee plantations compared to banana plantations, exotic and native tree species.
Species of Camponotus cinctellus and Odontomachus troglodytes occurred in all land uses which is a sign of
tolerance to a wide range of soil properties. In addition, these species, together with Myrmicaria SP02, Phrynoponera
gabonensis, Camponotus SP06, Myrmicaria opaciventris, Pheidole SP03, Tetramorium simillimum, Pheidole SP01,
and Tetramorium laevithorax were not strongly correlated with soil physicochemical parameters. Species of Pheidole
SP02 and Camponotus SP05 were restricted to specific soil physicochemical properties, while species of Tetramorium
zonacaciae and Bothroponera talpa discriminated between native tree species, coffee plantations, soil organic carbon,
sandy soil texture, and aggregate stability. We concluded that these ant species can differently indicate the soil quality
depending on the land use. We recommended further studies in order to generalize these findings.
