Indicator ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of disturbance in Mexico

Abstract

Human activity is one of the major causes of biodiversity loss in both plants and animals, as it can disrupt biological interactions and jeopardise the balance of ecosystems. Despite the implementation of conservation and environmental care policies, their management requires long-term monitoring and incurs high costs. In search of efficient solutions, bioindicator species have been implemented as cost-effective and time-efficient alternatives. Given their diverse roles within terrestrial ecosystems, ants serve as an ideal model group for assessing environmental health and changes in biodiversity. In this study, we focused on identifying disturbance-indicator ant species in various regions of Mexico and analysed their potential geographic distribution patterns. Information was gathered from various sources, including databases, entomological collections, and scientific articles. The human footprint was utilised to categorise ant species based on their impact in Mexico. Using the indicator species value (IndVal) method, 21 ant species indicatives of disturbance were determined across eight Mexican provinces. Eleven of these species exhibited widespread distributions, primarily in vegetation-deprived areas and human settlements. The presence of invasive exotic species, such as Paratrechina longicornis and Wasmannia auropunctata, underscores the need to assess their risks, identify invasion patterns, and develop control and conservation strategies. We provide a list of ecologically relevant ant species in Mexico, establishing a baseline for proposing conservation and effective biodiversity management strategies.