Ecological Roles of Ants in Forest Ecosystems
Summary
Ants are among the most abundant and functionally diverse organisms in forest ecosystems, where they act as ecosystem engineers, mutualists, predators and seed dispersers. By constructing nest mounds, ants modify soil structure, enhance aeration and alter rates of nutrient cycling. Their foraging activities regulate populations of invertebrate prey and influence the dynamics of sap-feeding insects through mutualistic honeydew harvests. Certain ant species contribute to seed dispersal, particularly of myrmecochorous plants, and thereby shape patterns of plant recruitment and forest composition. Through their interactions with soil microbes, ants affect decomposition processes and the distribution of microbial communities. As keystone species in many temperate and boreal forests, ants can be sensitive indicators of forest health and management practices, with implications for biodiversity conservation and sustainable forestry.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Ecological Roles of Ants in Forest Ecosystems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in ecological roles of ants in forest ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Keystone species: A species that has a disproportionately large effect on ecosystem structure relative to its abundance.
Myrmecochory: Seed dispersal facilitated by ants, often involving attractive elaiosomes attached to seeds.
Polydomy: A colony organization strategy in which a single ant colony occupies multiple spatially separated nests.
Honeydew: Sugary excretions produced by sap-feeding insects that serve as an important carbohydrate resource for ants.
Canopy cover: The proportion of the forest floor shaded by the foliage of overstorey trees, influencing microclimate and habitat conditions.
References
- Re-Inventories at Two Study Sites in the Oberpfalz (Bavaria, Germany): Increase in RWA Nests, Herb Biodiversity and Dead Wood in Sustainably Managed Forests. Sustainability (2024).
- The Relationship between Canopy Cover and Colony Size of the Wood Ant Formica lugubris - Implications for the Thermal Effects on a Keystone Ant Species. PLOS ONE (2014).
- Forestry Alters Foraging Efficiency and Crop Contents of Aphid-Tending Red Wood Ants, Formica aquilonia. PLOS ONE (2012).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.