Comparison of Ground-Ant Diversity Between Natural Forests and Disturbed Forests Along a Natural Gas Pipeline Transect in Thong Pha Phum National Park, Kanchanaburi Province

Abstract

The diversity in a natural forest of ground-dwelling ants was compared with that associated with reforestation following disturbance from the construction of a gas pipeline and its corresponding forest canopy and litter loss. Ground-dwelling ants were collected using a pitfall-trap method from plots in natural forest and also from plots in disturbed forest that were 20 m wide along a pipeline transect located in the Thong Pha Phum National Park, Kanchanaburi. The results showed that the canopy cover and amount of litter were associated with species richness and abundance of ants. Canopy cover and litter amount were significantly lower in the disturbed plots than the undisturbed plots (natural forest) in hill evergreen forest plots, but no significant difference was detected between disturbed plots and undisturbed plots located in mixed deciduous forest. Ant species and abundance were significantly higher in undisturbed plots than in disturbed plots in hill evergreen forest, but no statistical difference was found between plots in mixed deciduous forest. Ant species were found to be more similar between plots in mixed deciduous forest than between plots in hill evergreen forest. The results indicated that to maintain ant diversity, the permanent trees in the disturbed area along a pipeline transect are very important.