Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

 

A DISTRIBUTIONAL STUDY OF THE ANT FAUNA OF GREGORY CANYON, BOULDER, COLORADO Public Deposited

https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/7p88ch58z
Abstract
  • An intensive study of the ant fauna of the Gregory Canyon area, near Boulder, Colorado was performed to determine what ant species are present. An attempt has been made to discern any distributional pattern for each species and to correlate it with the geographical distribution of the species.

    There have been no previous specialized investigations of this type on the ant fauna in this area. H.F. Borchert (1956) reported a generalized survey of the ants of five moist canyon bottoms of this region which included Gregory Canyon. Forty-three different species and subspecies were found to inhabit the study area. Of this number, 39.5 per cent have insufficient collection records to determine their distributional pattern. About 18.6 per cent of all species were found to inhabit all three areas of the canyon. Their widespread geographical occurrence indicates their tolerance of most environmental conditions and their ability to invade most regions. Approximately 18.6 per cent of the reported species were found on the north-facing slope or both north slope and canyon bottom. These species generally are found over the northern United States and seem to prefer the cooler, more moist portions of the study area, which correspond to boreal habitats at higher elevations and further north in the United States and Canada. Of the reported species, 18.6 per cent inhabited the south-facing slope or the south slope and the canyon bottom. The majority of these species have southern or southwestern geographical ranges. Two species comprising 4.6 per cent of the total were restricted to the canyon bottom where environmental conditions are somewhat ameliorated by surrounding slopes.

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  • 1958
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  • 2021-02-10
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