"Little things that run the world"
In an important new study, ecologists from the University of Hong Kong have successfully mapped global biogeographic regions for ants, marking the first time an insect group has been included in such a comprehensive biodiversity framework. Their research highlights the ecological significance of ants and their distribution across nine biogeographic realms.
Traditionally, biogeographic mapping has focused on vertebrates and plants, leaving insects, which constitute over 55% of all described species, largely uncharted. Led by Dr Benoit Guénard from the University’s School of Biological Sciences, the team compiled data from over 16,000 ant species using advanced bioinformatics and machine learning techniques. This effort sheds light on the distribution patterns of these ecologically dominant insects, which are crucial for conservation planning.
The study, published in Nature Communications with Runxi Wang as the first author, reveals notable similarities between the biogeographic regions of ants and plants, underscoring their close evolutionary relationships. Ants play vital roles in seed dispersal and plant protection, indicating a co-evolutionary history that spans millions of years. This research not only enhances our understanding of insect biodiversity but also calls for broader efforts to include more insect groups in future biogeographic studies.
By integrating ants into the biodiversity map, the researchers provide a valuable tool for global conservation strategies, emphasising the need to protect, in the words of the famous biologist EO Wilson, these “little things that run the world.”