Biodiversity of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Golf Course and Lawn Turf Habitats in Kentucky

The composition of ant communities in four suburban turf habitats, fairways, primary roughs, and naturalized roughs of golf courses, and low-maintenance lawns, was assessed by pitfall trapping. Relationships between ant diversity, species richness, and abundance, and overall abundance of other predatory arthropods also were examined. Two species, Lasius neoniger Emery and Solenopsis molesta (Say) represented 31.7 and 49% of the total ants captured across all habitats. Lasius neoniger predominated in fairways and naturalized roughs (57.9 and 52.7% of total ants captured, respectively), whereas S. molesta was most the abundant ant in primary roughs and lawns (66.7 and 43.8% of the total, respectively). Besides ants, the predominant predatory arthropods captured were mesostigmatid mites, spiders, Staphylinidae, Histeridae, and Carabidae. Ant species richness was greatest in low-maintenance lawns (18 species captured), and least in golf course fairways (13 species). Relatively similar numbers of ant species in fairways and roughs, compared to less intensively managed sites, nevertheless suggests that ants are relatively well adapted to golf course habitats. Management practices that conserve ant species diversity and abundance may contribute to stability of turfgrass ecosystems.