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Zur Verbreitung und Ökologie von Formica fusca L. und F. lemani Bondroit in den Hauptwaldtypen der mitteleuropäischen Gebirgswälder (zugleich ein Beitrag zum “Weißannenproblem” im Thüringer Wald) 1
Author(s) -
Eichhorn O.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
zeitschrift für angewandte entomologie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0418
pISSN - 0044-2240
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0418.1971.tb03163.x
Subject(s) - montane ecology , geography , shrub , ecology , forestry , habitat , biology
On the distribution and ecology of Formica fusca L. and F. lemani Bond, in the main forest types of central‐European mountains (also a contribution to the “silver fir‐problem” in the Thuringian Forest) . In central Europe F. fusca and F. lemani are vicariant species. F. fusca inhabits the lowlands and the lower and intermediate mountain sites, and the respective forest types, whereas F. lemani inhabits the montane‐subalpine coniferous forests, and the dwarf‐shrub and alpine prairie regions. Based on the number of habitats in which the species were present (= constancy) F. fusca ranks sixth amongst all Formicidae, and based on the number of nests (= abundancy) it ranks fourth. F. lemani is second in constancy and abundancy. In the southern Black Forest, the Swiss Jura and the eastern alps the area of distribution of F. fusca is almost identical with that of the silver fir, whilst in the Thuringian mountains only F. lemani is present. From this it is concluded that the Thuringian Forest lies outside of the optimum of silver fir. This could help to explain the considerable decline of this tree species during the last centuries.