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Data from: The role of habitat simplification and seasonality in shaping interactions between ants, plants and herbivores in a Neotropical savanna

Costa de Oliveira Sá, Edvânia1; Camarota, Flávio1; Neres Morais, Poliane1; Vanessa Durães de Freitas, Érica1; Neves, Frederico2; Gizelle Marques Silva, Tatianne3; Santos de Araújo, Walter1

Published Nov 14, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.02v6wwqhk

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Nov 14, 2025 version files 55.20 KB

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Abstract

We investigated the role of chronic anthropogenic disturbances (CAD) in the outcomes of interactions between ants and extrafloral nectary-bearing (EFN-bearing) plants, with particular emphasis on the role of seasonal variation in shaping the responses of ants, herbivores, and plants. Thus, we focused not only on the responses of ants and herbivores to CAD, but also to phenological aspects of the trees, including the proportion of active nectaries, and leaf stages (sprouting, new, old). More specifically, we tested the following hypotheses: i) The amount of active EFNs will be greater in the rainy season than in the dry season, in new leaves than in old leaves, and in the cerrado area than in the pasture; ii) The richness, abundance, and diversity of ants (total and arboreal) will be greater in the rainy season than in the dry season, especially when there are new leaves and a greater proportion of active EFNs. Furthermore, we expect to find a greater diversity of ants in the cerrado than in the pasture; iii) The richness and abundance of herbivores, and consequently herbivory rates, will increase in the rainy season and in the preserved cerrado area, responding positively to the presence of new leaves, but negatively to the proportion of active EFNs and the occurrence of ants, especially arboreal ants.