Community Composition and Resource Partitioning of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Western Oklahoma Grassland Ecosysytems: A Critical Forage Taxon of the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus)

Abstract

Complementary sampling techniques were used to quantify the interspecific communities of ants in the Oklahoma panhandle. Six transects were established in the Beaver River Wildlife Management Area (BRWMA), that spanned four distinct vegetation zones (riparian, grassland, transitional, upland). Pitfall traps and baiting methods were used concurrently to collect over 30,000 specimens between both methods, representing 15 species. Differences were observed between sampling methods, bait types, and vegetation zones.