Research Starter Grant: The Effect of Habitat Fragmentation on Ant-plant Mutualisms

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

Many tropical plants have specialized structures in which ants establish colonies, in return for which ants protect the plant from herbivores or competition. Short term effects of forest fragmentation include the elimination of ants from impacted landscapes, followed by defoliation of host-plants. This research would investigate various mechanisms by which forest fragmentation affect ant-plant mutualisms. Fieldwork would be conducted in The Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (Brazil), the only large-scale , experimental landscape designed to study the effects of framentation in a tropical rainforest. Besides helping to advance the career of a minority scientist, the research would contribute to our understanding of how landscape alterations change inter-specific dynamics, a better understanding of which would improve our ability to design refuges that conserve and protect species of concern.