Domatia survey of Vachellia erioloba

These data were collected during field work conducted at Kuzikus Wildlife Reserve (23°13'S, 18°24'E, elevation 1340m) in Namibia (for full site description see Campbell et al. 2013, African Journal of Ecology 51:590-598). Surveys were completed in April, September and October 2011 for ant occupants within swollen-thorn domatia of camelthorn trees, <em>Vachellia erioloba</em>. Using secateurs, branches were removed from trees and thorns opened in the field to examine the contents. Thorns were surveyed from the tip of the branch inwards towards the trunk. We recorded microsite data on branch and thorn variables, and for the contents of a thorn we recorded ant species, an estimate of number of ants at each life stage (workers, alates, queens, and brood) and other thorn occupants.

本数据集采集自纳米比亚库济库斯野生动物保护区（Kuzikus Wildlife Reserve，南纬23°13′，东经18°24′，海拔1340米）的野外调查工作，完整样地描述参见Campbell等（2013）发表于《非洲生态学杂志》（*African Journal of Ecology*）第51卷：590-598页的研究。2011年4月、9月及10月，研究人员针对骆驼荆棘树（*Vachellia erioloba*）的膨大刺状栖居结构内的栖息蚂蚁开展了调查。使用整枝剪从树上截取枝条，于野外将刺部剖开以检视内部内容物，刺部调查从枝条尖端向树干方向依次进行。我们记录了枝条与刺部相关变量的微生境数据，并针对单个刺部的内部内容物，记录了蚂蚁物种、各虫态（工蚁、有翅繁殖蚁、蚁后及幼体）的数量估算值，以及其他刺部栖息生物。