Differentiated impacts of the feeding-habits of three ant species on carbon mineralization in tropical forest soils

Ants affect carbon mineralization probably through their modifications on spatiotemporal heterogeneity in soil nutrients. However, it is still unclear whether the impacts of belowground-nesting ants on carbon mineralization varied with species. For this study, three belowground-nesting ants (i.e., honeydew harvester Pheidole capellini , predatory Odontoponera transversa , and saprophagous Pheidologeton affinis ) were considered to identify the effects on soil carbon mineralization in the tropical Xishuangbanna (Yunnan, southern China). P. capellini had the greatest carbon mineralization (1.9 times) in the nest soils compared with control soils, followed by O. transversa (1.5 times) and P. affinis (1.3 times). Ants had different modifications on the changes of carbon mineralization as well as soil nutrient availability. The highest increased levels (24.7–298.5%) of carbon and nitrogen pools were observed in P. capellini nests compared with control soils. Soil carbon and nitrogen pools together affected soil carbon mineralization dynamics. Total organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, and readily oxidizable carbon were the key factors regulating soil organic carbon mineralization, followed by total, ammonium and dissolved nitrogen. Our results suggested that carbon mineralization differed among ant species, which was tightly linked with the effects of different feeding guilds on nutrient availability in tropical forest soils. • P. capellini showed the greatest increase in the level of carbon and nitrogen pools. • Honeydew-harvester ants had the greatest increase in C mineralization rates. • Ant-mediated effects on C mineralization varied with feeding guilds. • Ants differed in effect on C mineralization via the different modifications on soils.