R-code and data from: Effects of macro- and micro-nutrients on momentary and season-long feeding responses by select species of ants

This data set described here is supplementary to an article titled: “Effects of macro- and micro-nutrients on momentary and season-long feeding responses by select species of ants”. Few studies have examined how various macro- and micro-nutrient types shape foraging responses in ants. We tested short term and season-long foraging responses of the ant species C. modoc and M. rubra to various micro- and macro-nutrients. We also tested if these findings were similar in other species, L. niger and F. aserva. The full methodology, results, and their interpretation can be found in the publication.

Abstract from article:
"Few studies have investigated the relative contribution of specific nutrients to momentary and season-long foraging responses by ants. Using western carpenter ants, Camponotus modoc, and European fire ants, Myrmica rubra, as model species, we: (1) tested preferential consumption of various macro- and micro-nutrients; (2) compared consumption of preferred macro-nutrients; (3) investigated seasonal shifts (late May to mid-September) in nutrient preferences; and (4) tested whether nutrient preferences of C. modoc and M. rubra pertain to black garden ants, Lasius niger, and thatching ants, Formica aserva. In laboratory and field experiments, we measured nutrient consumption by weighing Eppendorf tubes containing aqueous nutrient solutions before and after feeding by ants. Laboratory colonies of C. modoc favored nitrogenous urea and essential amino acids (EAAs), whereas M. rubra colonies favored sucrose. Field colonies of C. modoc and M. rubra preferentially consumed EAAs and sucrose, respectively, with no sustained shift in preferred macro-nutrient over the course of the foraging season. The presence of a less preferred macro-nutrient in a nutrient blend did not diminish the blend’s ‘appeal’ to foraging ants. Sucrose and EAAs singly and in combination were equally consumed by L. niger, whereas F. aserva preferred EAAs. Baits containing both sucrose and EAAs were consistently consumed by the ants studied in this project and should be considered for pest ant control."

We have uploaded our data and scripts as an R studio project. Code used to wrangle data, analyze data and generate plots can be accessed in the project folder by opening the project file. The project contains:

---Data
Data files of laboratory and field experiments to assess ant consumption on various nutrients.

---Outputs
Plots and csv files generated from data analysis.

---Scripts
Scripts of R code used to wrangle data, conduct analyses, and generate outputs.

本数据集为一篇题为"宏量与微量营养元素对特定蚂蚁物种瞬时及全季觅食取食响应的影响"的学术文章的补充配套数据。目前针对各类宏量营养素（macro-nutrient）与微量营养素（micro-nutrient）如何调控蚂蚁觅食行为的相关研究仍较为有限。本研究测试了蚁种C. modoc（Camponotus modoc，西部木工蚁）与M. rubra（Myrmica rubra，欧洲火蚁）对不同宏量、微量营养素的短期及全觅食季觅食响应；同时还验证了该实验结果是否同样适用于另外两个蚁种：L. niger（Lasius niger，黑花园蚁）与F. aserva（Formica aserva，铺草蚁）。完整的实验方法、结果及解读可参阅该正式发表的学术文章。

该文章的摘要如下：
"目前鲜有研究探讨特定营养元素对蚂蚁瞬时及全季觅食取食响应的相对贡献。本研究以西部木工蚁（Camponotus modoc）与欧洲火蚁（Myrmica rubra）作为模式物种，开展了四项实验：（1）测试蚂蚁对不同宏量、微量营养素的偏好性取食情况；（2）比较蚂蚁对优选宏量营养素的取食量；（3）探究蚂蚁营养偏好随季节（5月下旬至9月中旬）的动态变化；（4）验证C. modoc与M. rubra的营养偏好是否同样适用于黑花园蚁（Lasius niger）与铺草蚁（Formica aserva）。
本研究通过称量蚂蚁取食前后装有水溶性营养溶液的Eppendorf管（Eppendorf tube）的重量，在实验室与野外实验中量化了蚂蚁的营养取食量。结果显示，实验室环境下的C. modoc蚁群偏好含氮尿素与必需氨基酸（essential amino acids, EAAs），而M. rubra蚁群则偏好蔗糖。野外环境下的C. modoc与M. rubra蚁群分别优先取食必需氨基酸与蔗糖，且在整个觅食季中未出现偏好宏量营养素的持续性偏移。当营养混合配方中加入低偏好性宏量营养素时，并未降低该配方对觅食蚂蚁的"吸引力"。黑花园蚁对单独或混合使用的蔗糖与必需氨基酸取食量无显著差异，而铺草蚁则优先取食必需氨基酸。本研究中测试的蚂蚁均会持续取食同时含有蔗糖与必需氨基酸的诱饵，该类诱饵可考虑应用于有害蚂蚁的防治工作中。"

本研究已将全部数据与代码打包为RStudio（RStudio）项目文件。通过打开项目文件即可访问项目文件夹中用于数据清洗、数据分析及绘图的相关代码。该项目包含以下内容：
---Data
用于评估蚂蚁对各类营养素取食水平的实验室与野外实验数据文件。
---Outputs
由数据分析生成的图表与CSV格式文件。
---Scripts
用于数据清洗、数据分析及生成输出结果的R语言代码脚本。