Calcium tested, queen approved: Insights into the calcium limitation of an invasive ant along the coast of Texas

Despite arthropods not having bones, calcium limitation is here. Arthropods require Ca from a physiological to a structural level, yet the potential consequences of losses of soil Ca from increased nitrogen deposition make Ca limitation, likely, and overlooked. The intimate relationship between litter arthropods, like ants, with the energy flow and nutrient cycling of an ecosystem make litter arthropods a prime candidate to determine potential mechanisms of micronutrient limitation. Here, we show evidence of Ca limitation in a dominant invasive ant and conclude by discussing potential mechanisms, including interactions with other nutrient cycles.