Analysis of spatial distribution of settlements of red wood ants in the Baikal region
Igor Alekseevich Antonov, Roman Konstantinovich Fedorov, Innokentiy Aleksandrovich Bashalkhanov
Abstract
The timberlands with complexes of red wood ant nests were selected in the territory of the Baikal region and protection level of these timberlands from phyllophagous insects was estimated with use of hybrid GIS. The ISDCT SB RAS geoportal (http://geos.icc.ru) is the hybrid GIS. During field work 101 nests of F. aquilonia Yarr. and 20 nests of F. lugubris Zett. were found. The 102 nests (88 F. aquilonia nests and 14 - F. lugubris) formed nest complexes and were located on 18 timberlands. The two parameters were used for the estimation of protection level of timberlands from phyllophagous insects. The average of nests on 1 hectare (settlement density) and the sum of the areas of domes base of all anthills located on 1 hectare (power of nest complex) were used. The research found that only the four timberlands ("Uzury", "Khalgay", "Onguren_2" and "Onguren_3") situated in the mountain taiga pine landscape were protected from phyllophagous insects (settlement density ≥5 nests/ha and power of nest complex >6 m2/ha). On the contrary, the "Arshan_2" timberland was situated in the mountain taiga dark coniferous landscape of reduced development, had lowest density of settlements of ants (less than two nests per hectare) and was not protected from phyllophagous insects as other timberlands. At the same time, only nest complexes situated near the Onguren village were capable to self-development as they were located in the sparsely populated and hard-to-reach area, and far from the main tourist routes. Besides, the complex of nests in the "Onguren_2" timberland can be the base for capture of filial nests.