Biologists from the Julius Maximilian University and the University of Würzburg counted how many ants
For their work, the researchers selected andbrought together more than 500 scientific studies on ant populations. It was known that ants were found almost everywhere except the extreme polar regions, but previously scientists did not know exactly how these insects were distributed.
It turned out that the highest density of antsobserved in the tropics, with most of all in forested and arid regions. Much less often, ants can be found in areas subject to strong human influence.
Researchers note that the number andAnt dispersal plays an important role in the development of ecosystems. For example, from one hectare of land, ants move on average up to 13 tons of soil per year. This has a significant impact on nutrient cycling and plant seed dispersal.
In future studies, scientists hope to understand what environmental factors affect the spread of ants.
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Cover image: Erik Frank, Uni Würzburg