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Ant (Formica cinerea) Pedoturbation in a Prairie Soil
Author(s) -
Baxter F. Paul,
Hole Francis D.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1967.03615995003100030036x
Subject(s) - loam , horizon , silt , soil horizon , organic matter , geology , environmental science , soil water , soil science , ecology , biology , geomorphology , mathematics , geometry
Active and recently active mounds made by the ant ( Formica cinerea montana Emery) number 1,531 ha and occupy 1.7% of the area of the surface of Tama silt loam in a prairie remnant in southwestern Wisconsin. The average volume of an ant mound is 0.02 m 3 , of which about 12% is occupied by channels and chambers. The mineral soil in the upper half to two‐thirds of a representative mound consists about 85% of B horizon material, judging by soil color, content of clay, and oriented argillans. Unusually high contents of available K and P in the mound are probably a result of concentration by the ants of organic materials, particularly those derived from plant sap from aphids; of rapid mineralization of organic matter; and by addition by the ants of B horizon material. Upward movement of soil material by ants could account for the relatively high clay content of the A horizon of Tama silt loam in southwestern Wisconsin, as contrasted with that of the A horizon of the comparable nearby forest soil.