Do soil density and humidity affect nest-founding in leaf-cutting ant queens?

Abstract

The habitat choice of nest sites by founding queens of leaf-cutting ants varies with abiotic factors such as temperature, soil density, and soil humidity. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that soil density and moisture affect excavation effort (i.e., excavation period, excavated soil amount, initial nest depth, initial chamber volume, and mortality) in queens of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens (L.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Queens were placed in experimental areas in three natural soils in Brazil with varying density and moisture content. The excavated soil was collected, dried, and weighed, and digging period, nest depth, chamber volume, and queen mortality were evaluated after nest establishment. In artificially shaded habitats (less dense and more humid soil), the establishment of queens was greater, the period of nest foundation was shorter, and excavated soil amount, nest depth, and volume of the initial chamber were greater than in forest and pasture habitats (denser and drier soils). Also, queen mortality was lower in less dense, more humid soil. This indicates a trade-off between maximizing the depth of the nest, to increase protection against inadequate environmental conditions, and minimizing energy expenditure during excavation, affecting their survival.