Biodiversity of ants (Hym. Formicidae) in different urban environments, a case study in Shiraz,, Iran

Ants are a major part of the ecosystem as they assist in the decomposition process and improve soil quality. In this study the species richness and biodiversity of these arthropods was assessed in the habitats with varying degrees of human impact in Shiraz, Fars Province, southern Iran. To this end, six habitats including three city parks with the least amount of human destruction (Be’sat, Janat, Babakoohi), two habitats with high amount of manipulation in order to agriculture and urbanization (a field and a destroyed garden) and a natural park without any human manipulation as control, were chosen and sampled bimonthly during 2015 and 2106. A total of 6270 ant workers belonging to 30 species, 12 genera, and three subfamilies were recorded. The most abundant subfamily was Formicinae (16 species) followed by Myrmicinae (12 species), and Dolichoderinae (two species). The biodiversity indices showed a greater diversity in both natural park and urban landscape: Be’sat and Janat parks, with the lowest amount of human effects, respectively as well as Babakoohi and the lowest in the field and destroyed garden. Although a significant difference was observed with the habitats (F</em>= 4.255, P</em>=0.004) and the months (F</em>= 4.327, P</em>=0.002) of sampling, there was not a significant difference between Babakoohi, natural park, Janat and Be’sat parks (P</em>>0.05) nor between field and destroyed garden (P</em>>0.05).