Biomass and Ecological Function of Ant Communities in The Tropical Rain Forest of Xishuangbanna,China

Through sampleplot investigation method,individual numbers and biomass of ant community in Xishuangbanna are determined,and daily and annual amount of soil and organic matters transported by ants are calculated separately.Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius) nests on 45.5% crowns of rubber trees and the latter is well protected.The total area of Xishuangbanna District is 19.690 km2,in which Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve occupied 12.7%.The individual number of ants in this area is quite considerable.The total individual number of ants in Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve is 5.2×1012,the respective biomass is 1.04×104 t,which equal to the total biomass of 3467 Asian elephants.And the annual amount of soil and organic matters they transported is 1.5×108 t.The total individual number of ants in the whole Xishuangbanna District is 5.2×1013,and the respective biomass is 1.04×105 t,which equal to the total biomass of 34667 Asian elephants.The annual amount of soil and organic matters transported by these ants is 1.5×109 t.