Analysis of the Response of Ant Communities to Ecological Restoration: A Meta-analysis

Activities such as agriculture and livestock degrade ecosystems, so it is necessary to restore them. Ants are used to evaluate restoration because they are sensitive to environmental changes. However, these evaluations only compare the number of species of ants and the functional groups between restored and reference sites (sites that were not degraded). To improve these evaluations trophic guilds and degrades sites (disturbed sites where restoration has not started) could be included, because they provide complementary information on the recovery of restored sites. We conducted a meta-analysis of 41 studies published during the last 40 years to compare the number of species, functional groups, and trophic guilds, and restoration time between restored sites and reference or degraded sites. Restored sites had fewer or the same number of species and trophic guilds than did reference sites. Mining and livestock sites had fewer species and trophic guilds than did reference sites. However, the restored sites had a larger number of species, functional groups, and trophic guilds than did the degraded sites. Similarity between the ant communities of the restored and reference sites increased with restoration time. Trophic guilds and degraded sites provide complementary information to assess the response of ants to ecological restoration.