At picnics, ants are pests. But they have their uses. In industries such as mining, farming and forestry, they can help gauge the health of the environment by just crawling around and being antsy.
It has been recognized for decades that ants--which are highly sensitive to ecological change—can provide a near-percent barometer of the state of an ecosystem. Only certain species, for instance, will continue to thrive at a forest site that has been cleared of trees. (41) And still others will move in and take up residence.
By looking at which species populate a deforested area, scientists can determine how "stressed" the land is. (42) Ants are used simply because the>; are so common and comprise so many species.
Where mine sites are being restored, for example, some ant species will recolonize the stripped land more quickly than others. (43) Australian mining company Capricorn Coal Management has been successfully using an
At picnics, ants are pests. But they have their uses. In industries such as mining, farming and forestry, they can help gauge the health of the environment by just crawling around and being antsy.
It has been recognized for decades that ants--which are highly sensitive to ecological change—can provide a near-percent barometer of the state of an ecosystem. Only certain species, for instance, will continue to thrive at a forest site that has been cleared of trees. (41) And still others will move in and take up residence.
By looking at which species populate a deforested area, scientists can determine how "stressed" the land is. (42) Ants are used simply because the>; are so common and comprise so many species.
Where mine sites are being restored, for example, some ant species will recolonize the stripped land more quickly than others. (43) Australian mining company Capricorn Coal Management has been successfully using an
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