Macroecological diversification of ants is linked to angiosperm evolution

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Entomology

Background:

• Ants are a globally abundant and diverse insect group.
• Ant diversification is known to coincide with the evolution of angiosperms.
• Plant traits have evolved in response to ant expansion.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate if plant associations facilitated ant niche expansion.
• Determine if plant associations are linked to climatic niche evolution in ants.
• Explore the influence of angiosperm evolution on ant ecological and evolutionary trajectories.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed ecological and evolutionary data for over 1,400 ant species.
• Reconstructed ancestral habitat use and nesting locations in ants.
• Correlated ant diversification events with angiosperm evolutionary innovations and expansions.

Main Results:

• Ants expanded from forest floors to canopies and non-forested habitats, mirroring angiosperm innovations.
• Ant lineages diversified in non-forested areas, tracking arid-adapted and elaiosome-bearing angiosperms.
• Arboreal nesting in ants correlated with angiosperm shifts in tropical rainforests, influencing their climatic optima and niche evolution rates.

Conclusions:

• Angiosperm evolution was a key driver of ant niche expansion and diversification.
• Plant-insect interactions significantly shaped the ecological and evolutionary paths of ants.
• Nesting location, influenced by plants, is linked to ant climatic niche characteristics.