Although coastal dunes have been studied for more than a century, major gaps still remain in the knowledge of animal distribution. We sampled ants in five dune locations along northern Gulf of Mexico, and used ordination analysis, elements of metacommunity structure, null model, and the analysis of species co-occurrence to quantify how ant composition and assemblage processes change from foredune to backdune.
Results/Conclusions
Bushes in the backdune supported the highest ant diversity and unique assemblages. Clemetsian was the best model to describe the pattern of ant distribution. Deterministic processes dominated in the sandy areas, and the relative contribution of stochastic processes increased when woody species occur. Species interaction and the correlation between ants and plants were weak in dunes. Our study suggested the keystone structures (canopy and leaf litter) changed ant community structure and underlying mechanisms; and emphasizes the importance of protecting whole dune systems, and using ants as bioindicators for future dune conservation activities.