Urbanization strengthens vertical stratification of ant nutrient preferences in a temperate forest ecosystem

Resource and nutrient availability varies spatially and influences animal foraging patterns. Under the compensation hypothesis, animals should preferentially forage for the most limiting nutrient in the environment. Animal nutrient preferences have been well studied in the tropics, where terrestrial and arboreal fauna are clearly differentiated and limited by different nutrients. In temperate forests, vertical stratification of the fauna may be less pronounced and its role in foraging ecology is poorly understood. Here, we examine nutrient preference patterns over a vertical gradient in temperate forests and nearby urban centers in North Carolina, USA. Using a bait-choice experiment and novel bait design, we measured ant community nutrient preferences in the canopy and on the ground of 83 trees across 14 sites and assessed ant diversity and community composition. Ant diversity did not differ across the vertical strata or habitat types, but species turnover altered community composition ..., , , # Data from: Urbanization strengthens vertical stratification of ant nutrient preferences in a temperate forest ecosystem

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cvdncjt9n](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.cvdncjt9n)

### bait\_unpool.csv

This dataset was used for the diversity and community composition analyses and contains the following information for each individual sample collected:

| **column** | **detail** |
| :------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| sample\_code | unique code identifying each individual bait vial collected; consists of site-tree-bait station-nutrient-round (1 for 4hr or 2 for 8hr) |
| specimen\_code | unique code identifying each pinned individual ...