Respiration in wood ant (Formica aquilonia) nests as affected by altitudinal and seasonal changes in temperature

0455609 - MBÚ 2016 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Jílková, V. - Cajthaml, Tomáš - Frouz, Jan
Respiration in wood ant (Formica aquilonia) nests as affected by altitudinal and seasonal changes in temperature.
Soil Biology and Biochemistry. Roč. 86, JUL 2015 (2015), s. 50-57. ISSN 0038-0717
Institutional support: RVO:61388971 ; RVO:60077344
Keywords : CO2 * Microorganisms * PLFA
Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology; DF - Soil Science (BC-A)
Impact factor: 4.152, year: 2015

Wood ants build large, long-lasting nests and maintain stable high temperatures in nest centers from April to September to support brood development. Similar nest temperatures have been recorded regardless of latitude and altitude, suggesting that nests from colder environments produce more heat than nests from warmer environments. We measured changes in temperature and in situ respiration in nests from 700 and 1000 m a.s.l. We also sampled ants and nest materials from the same nests and measured their respiration at 10 and 20 degrees C in the laboratory. Both ant and microbial respiration increased greatly as temperature increased in spring, especially at 1000 m, resulting in the increase in nest temperature in spring. Metabolic activity greatly increased for ants in March and for nest microorganisms in April when nutrient contents also increased because of input of plant material and food. Nests from 1000 m maintained similar temperatures as nests from 700 m in summer but were colder in winter.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0256220