PROTOCOL FOR COLLECTING GROUND-DWELLING AND ARBOREAL ANTS IN RAPELD SITES

Abstract

The lack of standardization in sampling methods and collection efforts among biodiversity studies undermines the integration of the sparse existing information. To overcome this challenge, large-scale standardized sampling networks, such as the RAPELD system adopted by the Brazilian Program for Biodiversity Research (PPBio), seem to be a suitable alternative for promoting the integration of biodiversity information. Ants are increasingly collected in biodiversity studies for their crucial ecological roles in soil and vegetation. Various sampling methods can be employed to study ants. The selection of a specific method, or a combination of them, is influenced by the survey's purpose, the extent of ant fauna to be assessed, as well as the time and funding available for the project. Here, we present key sampling methods for both ground-dwelling and arboreal ants that have been tested at various RAPELD sites managed by PPBio in the Amazon. Additionally, we discuss the perspectives on the application of each method based on previous studies.