【Animal Experiments】-Chengdu Institute of Biology has made progress in research on non-nutritive cascade effects caused by ant field behavior

  Domain behavior is a common phenomenon, and animals can own a domain to continuously provide resources in that domain. Wild animals not only selectively obtain the food they need, but also non-selectively defend and attack other animals trying to enter the wild. Therefore, the behavior of the animal field will produce non-nutritive and non-nutritive interaction. Although the trophic cascade effect has been widely recognized in various types of ecosystems, the research and understanding of the ecosystem functions of the non-nutritive cascade effect are still limited.

  Dr. Zhao Chuan from the Sun Shucun Research Group of the Chengdu Institute of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted field micro-control experiments on a typical alpine meadow in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, decomposing the communities, soil nutrients and plants inside and outside the ant territory. We monitored the biomass. Non-nutritive cascade effect caused by ant territory. The results of the study showed that ant attacks on predatory beetles resulted in a significant reduction (40% or more) of predatory beetles in the ant farm. It reduces the rate of decomposition, reduces the amount of nutrients entering the soil, and ultimately reduces the aboveground productivity of plants.

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