TREES AS ECOLOGICAL TEMPLATES FOR TROPICAL LITTER ARTHROPOD COMMUNITIES

Abstract

My dissertation spans five chapters on diverse topics on the ecology and taxonomy of ants in tropical regions. In Chapter 1, I explored if tree species identity explained litter arthropod biodiversity. In Chapter 2, I explored if tree species identity shape the structure of brown food webs. In Chapter 3, I reviewed the systematic status of the Neotropical ant genus Tatuidris. In Chapter 4, I conducted an experiment to explore the consecuences of high ant abundance in brown food webs. In Chapter 5, I explored mechanisms of ant species co-existence using trait- and phylogenetic-based test of community composition.