No evidence for dominance–discovery trade-offs in Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) assemblages

Understanding the mechanisms that allow species coexistence across spatial scales is of great interest to ecologists. Many such proposed involve trade-offs between in different life-history traits, with distinct being expected be prevalent at varying temporal and scales. The dominance–discovery trade-off posits differ their ability find use resources quickly, contrast monopolize those resources, a mechanism analogous competition-colonization trade-off. We investigated occurrence this structuring genus Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) assemblages Atlantic Forest remnants. According trade-off, consistent interspecific variation should observed along axis discovery dominance. established 55 sampling units two sites, each unit consisting sardine bait monitored for 3 h. There was no distinction among or dominate food sources, suggesting does not explain coexistence. low levels aggression could prevent establishment dominance hierarchies, whereas order arrival sources resource partitioning through priority effects.