Cheli and Corley tested four designs of traps, six types of preservatives, and different times of activation, as well as the number of traps for identifying the best pitfall, traps for surface or ground-dwelling arthropods. Pekar has revealed the differential concentration of preservatives and detergents on the catching efficiency of active surface arthropods by pitfall traps. Few studies revealed various aspects of pitfall trap sampling for the collection of ant fauna. Pitfall sampling is efficient for the estimation of the relative abundance of foraging ant species as it captures both individuals and species in large numbers, hence making statistical analysis possible. A bias in pitfall-trap catches due to their installation has also been reported, known as the digging-in effect. Ant captures may be further biased depending on the ants' locomotion, activity, and avoidance of traps. However, technical features of pitfalls should also be taken into account for maximizing capture competence, such as the diameter and depth of the collecting container, the liquid content, the use of a cover (6) and bait, and trap design. Pitfall traps are very efficient for the collection of ground-dwelling ants, particularly in low-leaf litter areas. It can better estimate the ant species richness and assemblage structure, particularly in open habitats. It is less expensive and less laborious and is self-operating, sampling around the clock. Pitfall trapping is the most common method for the collection of foraging arthropods, including ants, in areas of natural sciences. The sensation competence may be varied among the ant species. Usually, people scold the various ants for the sense of prediction of sugar or any other food items in our domicile. Īnt fauna is social organisms which are having more sense to predict and approach prey items as well as pitfall traps. Ants achieve a variety of roles, such as herbivores, predators, scavengers, seed dispersers, plant and arthropod mutualists, and soil engineers and good indicators of the ecological condition for many reasons, such as they are diverse group, sensitive to environmental change, easily collected and assist in important ecological functions. They are further significant in modifying the physical and chemical environment and can cause collision among plants, microorganisms, and other soil fauna. Keywords: Pitfalls, Ant, Abundance, Diversity indices, Duration.Īnts are vital components of the ecosystem not only because they constitute a great proportion of animal biomass but also because they are ecosystem engineers. Arts College, Ariyalur- 621 713, Tamil Nadu, India. College (Autonomous), Mannampandal- 609 305, Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India.Ģ Department of Zoology, Govt. Joothi Paramanandham 1*, Pakkirisamy Rangeela 1, Pankirias Ronald Ross 2, Selvaraj Sathiskumar 1ġ PG and Research Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, A.V.C. Pitfall Traps: A Novel Method to Study Approaching Time of Ant Species This study brings to a close that the specific species study of Ant fauna needs to be apprehensive about the specific time of pitfall traps for sampling. In diversity, indices showed not a greater variance among the different hours studied. The study concludes the abundance of ant fauna in pitfall traps was indirectly related to the attraction of pitfall traps by the ant. ![]() Similarly, all the species varied significantly over time. The percentage of species assemblage was significantly varied among the various hours in all the species. Camponotus consobrinus and Camponotus compressus showed the highest abundance in the 24-hour duration of pitfall traps. Monomorium minimum occupied 50 % of the total ant occupancy during a six-hour duration. The Oecophyllas maragdina was highly abundant in the four-hour duration. In pitfall traps, Camponotus chromaiodes (69%) and Camponotus floridanus (39%) were high abundances in a two-hour duration. Totally, eight species were recorded which is belonging to the sub-families of Formicidae (56%), Myrmicinae (33%), and Dolichoderinae (11%). The present study revealed the abundance and diversity of ant species and their relation to the approaching time of the pitfall traps. Among the ant species, sensation may be varied. Normally, people scold the various ants for the sense of prediction of sugar or other food items in our domicile. Ant fauna is probably the most dominant social organism in terrestrial ecosystems, which have more sense to approach the prey items.
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