6533b837fe1ef96bd12a2012

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Cohabitation of tree holes by ants and breeding birds in a temperate deciduous forest

Tomasz WesołowskiSławomir MitrusGrzegorz Hebda

subject

0106 biological sciencesParusbiologyNational parkved/biologyEcologyLasius brunneus05 social sciencesved/biology.organism_classification_rank.speciesForestryHymenopterabiology.organism_classificationTemperate deciduous forest010603 evolutionary biology01 natural sciencesPoecile palustrisLasius brunneusDeciduousmicroclimate of tree holesNestParus major0501 psychology and cognitive sciencesPoecile palustrisBiałowieża National Park050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology

description

A previously unknown association of ants with birds breeding in tree holes is described. Ants Lasius brunneus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were found in c. 15% of nests of Parus major L. and Poecile palustris L. (Paridae) breeding in tree holes in the primeval deciduous forest located in the Białowieża National Park (Poland). The ants preferably used holes located higher above the ground. As such holes are warmer than the unused holes or other nest sites, it is suggested that the ants cohabit holes utilized by the tits to gain thermal benefits.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2015-08-07Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research
https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2015.1072239