Asian Myrmecology, Volume 2, Ecology and Distribution
Ant community variation in urban and agricultural ecosystems in Vadodara District (Gujarat State), western India
DOLLY KUMAR & ARCHANA MISHRA
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara-
390002, (Gujarat) India
Abstract. Studies on ant communities of India are sparse and needed. This is the first
comprehensive survey of ant communities from the Vadodara district located in the
central part of Gujarat, India (west coast of the Indian Peninsula). The present study
was undertaken to (i) assess ant diversity and density changes along a habitat gradient
and (ii) establish the species composition of ant communities in urban and agricultural
ecosystems. Study sites comprised (a) agricultural ecosystems, which included fields
of cotton, castor, tobacco and some vegetable crops, and (b) urban ecosystems,
which included the community gardens of Vadodara. Pitfall traps and hand collection
methods were used for collecting ants. Twenty-two ant species from 13 genera and
five subfamilies were collected. Ants of nine genera and 15 species were found in
urban ecosystems, and ten genera and 16 species in agricultural ecosystems;
rarefaction curves indicated these totals to be complete for the detectable ant fauna.
Pheidole showed greatest species richness in urban ecosystems, whereas
Camponotus and Pheidole were equally speciose in the agricultural ecosystems.
Results indicate that the composition of ant species is unique to each habitat, and
most likely governed by the vegetation and the other biota around it.
Keywords: ant communities, agricultural ecosystems, urban ecosystems, diversity,
Gujarat State