Habitat simplification affects functional group structure along with taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of temperate-zone ant assemblages over a ten-year period

Study site The study was conducted in the temperate natural protected area of Flor del Bosque State Park (FBSP). The FBSP consists of 699.2 ha and is located in Puebla, Mexico (19°01'N, 98° 20'W, 2,225–2,400 m.a.s.l.). The climate is temperate-subhumid with an annual average temperature of 14 to 16 °C and average annual precipitation of 750 to 950 mm. The rainy season occurs during the summer, and the dry season from November to April. The soil type is mainly lithosol and cambisol (Costes-Quijano et al., 2006). Its vegetation is composed of oak forest (41.71% of the park's surface), secondarily induced grassland (16.25%), and abandoned eucalyptus plantations (1.52%); the remaining 40.52% of the surface consists of thorny scrub and urban areas (Costes Quijano et al., 2006). Ant sampling Ant sampling was conducted in FBSP at six sampling events during the dry and rainy seasons, covering ten years. The sampling years were 2007, 2009, 2015, 2016, and 2017 (Table 1). Oak forests and induced grasslands were included in each sampling event. Pitfall traps were placed in transects. S1 shows the coordinates of transects used in this study. The number of transects, pitfall traps, and distances between them varied depending on the year, but samplings generally kept the same basic characteristics (type of trap, vegetation type, season, Table 1). At each site, 10-20 pitfall traps were placed per transect (spaced 5-20 m apart). Pitfall traps remained in the ground for 48-96 h. In total, data was obtained from 1,080 pitfalls during the ten-year period. Ants collected from pitfall traps were stored in 70% ethanol and taken to the laboratory for identification. Ants were identified to the genus level using taxonomic keys. Specimens were sent to the following specialists for their identification: L. Quiroz, J. E. Valenzuela, G. R. Pérez-Toledo (Instituto de Ecología, A.C.), and W. Mackay (the University of Texas, Laboratory for Environmental Biology Centennial Museum). Ant specimens are kept in the UDLAP Formicidae and IEXA collections. The Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT) (Bureau of Environment and Natural Resources) approved the collection permit for this study SGPA/DGV/06901/15. Costes-Quijano, R., Meza, A. R., Macías-Juárez, A., Berriel-Mastreta, C. A., Cortés-Atílano, B., Martínez-Romero, L. E., & Hernández-Bautista, R. (2006). Plan de manejo parque ecológico recreativo General Lázaro Cárdenas Flor del Bosque. Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. Gobierno Del Estado de Puebla, Puebla.