Ground-nesting ants as architects of microbial landscapes

Jacob Longmeyer , Nikesh Dahal, Nicholas Medina , John Vandermeer

As soil ecosystem engineers, ground-nesting ants alter various physicochemical properties of soils globally. However, less is known about how ant behaviors including bioturbation and hygiene affect microbial communities, such as by altering habitat complexity, resource availability, and competitive dynamics. Interactions such as this are increasingly recognized as important components in shaping the structure and function of ecological communities. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the ecological consequences of ant-driven processes for soil microbial biodiversity patterns and dynamics. We evaluate the impacts of ants on microbial communities across scales, from effects within the ant nest, beyond the nest into foraging areas, and ultimately across landscapes. We highlight that ants maintain close symbioses with various fungal and bacterial species, selectively employ species-specific antibiotics, maintain abiotic gradients through nest construction and foraging tunnel activities, create mosaics of differential selection on microbes across landscapes, and also act as dispersal agents for microbes. We also present commonly used methods in microbial ecology for capturing and quantifying microbial community characteristics, for myrmecologists interested in exploring new avenues of research and collaborations within this emerging field.