Kathryn S. O'Brien, kobrie2@lsu.edu1, Linda Hooper-Bùi, Lhooper@agctr.lsu.edu1, Shawn T. Dash, sdash1@lsu.edu1, John C. Moser, jmoser@fs.fed.us2, D. Andrew Scott2, and Kristin N. Prejean, kpreje4@lsu.edu1. (1) Louisiana State University, Dept. of Entomology, 404 Life Sciences Bldg, Baton Rouge, LA, (2) USDA Southern Research Station, 2500 Shreveport Hwy, Pineville, LA
The Texas leafcutting ant, Atta texana (Buckley), is known for its large underground nests and fungus cavities. Leafcutting ants will excavate large amounts of soil, which has been found to effect soil nutrients. Four A. texana nests in Louisiana were excavated. Soil samples were taken from within fungus cavities and at equal intervals away from each cavity. Samples were also taken at the surface of each nest and vertically every 0.3 m. Two of these nests were paired with an area of similar vegetation free of A. texana for comparison. Soil samples were analyzed for pH, organic matter, P, K+, and Mg2+. Preliminary results indicated a trend of increasing levels of organic matter from the surface center of the nest outward, whereas phosphorus levels were similar. However, a trend of increasing phosphorus levels were found with increasing depth, but were in lower concentrations than found on the surface.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Formicidae
Atta texana (Texas leafcutting ant)
Keywords: soil nutrients, environmental engineers
