@article{weiser_sanders_agosti_andersen_ellison_fisher_gibb_gotelli_gove_gross_et al._2010, title={Canopy and litter ant assemblages share similar climate-species density relationships}, volume={6}, ISSN={["1744-9561"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-78649884769&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1098/rsbl.2010.0151}, abstractNote={Tropical forest canopies house most of the globe's diversity, yet little is known about global patterns and drivers of canopy diversity. Here, we present models of ant species density, using climate, abundance and habitat (i.e. canopy versus litter) as predictors. Ant species density is positively associated with temperature and precipitation, and negatively (or non-significantly) associated with two metrics of seasonality, precipitation seasonality and temperature range. Ant species density was significantly higher in canopy samples, but this difference disappeared once abundance was considered. Thus, apparent differences in species density between canopy and litter samples are probably owing to differences in abundance–diversity relationships, and not differences in climate–diversity relationships. Thus, it appears that canopy and litter ant assemblages share a common abundance–diversity relationship influenced by similar but not identical climatic drivers.}, number={6}, journal={BIOLOGY LETTERS}, author={Weiser, Michael D. and Sanders, Nathan J. and Agosti, Donat and Andersen, Alan N. and Ellison, Aaron M. and Fisher, Brian L. and Gibb, Heloise and Gotelli, Nicholas J. and Gove, Aaron D. and Gross, Kevin and et al.}, year={2010}, month={Dec}, pages={769–772} }
 @article{lubertazzi_lubertazzi_mccoy_gove_majer_dunn_2010, title={The ecology of a keystone seed disperser, the ant Rhytidoponera violacea}, volume={10}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-78649310846&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1673/031.010.14118}, abstractNote={Abstract Rhytidoponera violacea (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is a keystone seed disperser in Kwongan heathl and habitats of southwestern Australia. Like many myrmecochorous ants, little is known about the basic biology of this species. In this study various aspects of the biology of R. violacea were examined and the researchers evaluated how these characteristics may influence seed dispersal. R. violacea nesting habits (relatively shallow nests), foraging behavior (scramble competitor and lax food selection criteria), and other life history characteristics complement their role as a mutualist that interacts with the seeds of many plant species.}, journal={Journal of Insect Science}, author={Lubertazzi, D. and Lubertazzi, M.A. Aliberti and McCoy, N. and Gove, A.D. and Majer, J.D. and Dunn, Robert}, year={2010} }
 @article{lengyel_gove_latimer_majer_dunn_2009, title={Ants Sow the Seeds of Global Diversification in Flowering Plants}, volume={4}, ISSN={["1932-6203"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-66049109836&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0005480}, abstractNote={Background The extraordinary diversification of angiosperm plants in the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods has produced an estimated 250,000–300,000 living angiosperm species and has fundamentally altered terrestrial ecosystems. Interactions with animals as pollinators or seed dispersers have long been suspected as drivers of angiosperm diversification, yet empirical examples remain sparse or inconclusive. Seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) may drive diversification as it can reduce extinction by providing selective advantages to plants and can increase speciation by enhancing geographical isolation by extremely limited dispersal distances. Methodology/Principal Findings Using the most comprehensive sister-group comparison to date, we tested the hypothesis that myrmecochory leads to higher diversification rates in angiosperm plants. As predicted, diversification rates were substantially higher in ant-dispersed plants than in their non-myrmecochorous relatives. Data from 101 angiosperm lineages in 241 genera from all continents except Antarctica revealed that ant-dispersed lineages contained on average more than twice as many species as did their non-myrmecochorous sister groups. Contrasts in species diversity between sister groups demonstrated that diversification rates did not depend on seed dispersal mode in the sister group and were higher in myrmecochorous lineages in most biogeographic regions. Conclusions/Significance Myrmecochory, which has evolved independently at least 100 times in angiosperms and is estimated to be present in at least 77 families and 11 000 species, is a key evolutionary innovation and a globally important driver of plant diversity. Myrmecochory provides the best example to date for a consistent effect of any mutualism on large-scale diversification.}, number={5}, journal={PLOS ONE}, author={Lengyel, Szabolcs and Gove, Aaron D. and Latimer, Andrew M. and Majer, Jonathan D. and Dunn, Robert R.}, year={2009}, month={May} }
 @article{dunn_agosti_andersen_arnan_bruhl_cerda_ellison_fisher_fitzpatrick_gibb_et al._2009, title={Climatic drivers of hemispheric asymmetry in global patterns of ant species richness}, volume={12}, ISSN={["1461-023X"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-62249209482&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01291.x}, abstractNote={Although many taxa show a latitudinal gradient in richness, the relationship between latitude and species richness is often asymmetrical between the northern and southern hemispheres. Here we examine the latitudinal pattern of species richness across 1003 local ant assemblages. We find latitudinal asymmetry, with southern hemisphere sites being more diverse than northern hemisphere sites. Most of this asymmetry could be explained statistically by differences in contemporary climate. Local ant species richness was positively associated with temperature, but negatively (although weakly) associated with temperature range and precipitation. After contemporary climate was accounted for, a modest difference in diversity between hemispheres persisted, suggesting that factors other than contemporary climate contributed to the hemispherical asymmetry. The most parsimonious explanation for this remaining asymmetry is that greater climate change since the Eocene in the northern than in the southern hemisphere has led to more extinctions in the northern hemisphere with consequent effects on local ant species richness.}, number={4}, journal={ECOLOGY LETTERS}, author={Dunn, Robert R. and Agosti, Donat and Andersen, Alan N. and Arnan, Xavier and Bruhl, Carsten A. and Cerda, Xim and Ellison, Aaron M. and Fisher, Brian L. and Fitzpatrick, Matthew C. and Gibb, Heloise and et al.}, year={2009}, month={Apr}, pages={324–333} }
 @article{gove_fitzpatrick_majer_dunn_2009, title={Dispersal traits linked to range size through range location, not dispersal ability, in Western Australian angiosperms}, volume={18}, ISSN={["1466-8238"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-68549121074&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00470.x}, abstractNote={Aim  We examine the relative importance of seed dispersal mode in determining the range size and range placement in 524 species from six focal plant families (Agavaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvacaeae, Sapindaceae, Proteaceae and Fabaceae (Acacia)).



Location  Western Australia.



Methods  Taxa were categorized by dispersal mode and life-form and their distributions modelled using maxent. Geographical range size was compared amongst dispersal mode, life-form and biome using phylogenetically independent contrasts. Geographical range placement was considered in a similar manner.



Results  Range size did not vary with dispersal mode (ant versus wind and vertebrate dispersal) or life-form, and instead varied primarily as a function of the biogeographical region in which a species was found. Range placement, however, did vary among dispersal modes, with the consequence that diversity of wind- and ant-dispersed plants increased with latitude while the diversity of vertebrate-dispersed plants was more evenly distributed.



Main conclusions  For the taxa studied, range sizes were a function of the biogeographical region in which species were found. Although differences in range size may exist among species differing in dispersal modes, they are likely to be far smaller than differences among species from different biogeographical regions. The trait most likely to affect species geographical range size, and hence rarity and risks associated with other threats, may simply be the geographical region in which that species has evolved.}, number={5}, journal={GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY}, author={Gove, Aaron D. and Fitzpatrick, Matthew C. and Majer, Jonathan D. and Dunn, Robert R.}, year={2009}, month={Sep}, pages={596–606} }