Hydromorfological soils drives ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) communities in Brazilian Wet savanna

The Cerrado is a diverse ecosystem, with different types of vegetation which result from its topography, varied climate, and vast territory. These variations include various vegetation formations, such as the ‘veredas’. Veredas are found in constantly moist hydromorphic soils, surrounded by ‘campo limpo’ vegetation. In the Cerrado, ants play an crucial role in the energy and biomass flow withinterrestrial ecosystems, as well as in the evolution of community structure. Recognizing the need to inventory and understand the composition of ant fauna in veredas, this study aimed to characterize the ant fauna in Vereda areas, with the expectation that composition and ecological metrics would differ from Cerrado areas and across seasons. Collections were conducted in Vereda, Transition, and Cerrado areas within the Dom Osório Stoffell State Park, located in southern Mato Grosso state, using sardine oil baits as attractants. Fifteen plots were established in each environment type, totaling 180 baits (in both soil and vegetation) exposed for one hour each during the dry and rainy seasons. A total of sixty-seven ant species were recorded, with species richness of 44 (H′ = 3.18) in the Cerrado, 46 (H′ = 3.14) in the transition area, and 43 (H′ = 3.01) in the veredas. No significant difference in species richness was observed between seasons. However differences in species composition were found both across environments t and between dry and rainy seasons, reflecting the biology of the taxonomic groups present in each area.