THE IMPORTANCE OF HARVESTER ANT MESSOR-CAPENSIS NEST-MOUNDS AS GERMINATION SITES IN THE SOUTHERN KAROO, SOUTH-AFRICA

Harvester ant Messor capensis nest-mounds are frequently disturbed by aardvarks Orycteropus afer. Soils from ant nest-mounds contain significantly more viable seeds than the soils of inter-mound spaces, probably due to the disturbance and subsequent burial of ant seed-stores by aardvarks. This provides a pool of seed that may germinate under suitable conditions. Significantly more seedlings germinated on disturbed and undisturbed nest-mounds than in inter-mound spaces. The numbers of seedlings on disturbed nest-mounds and undisturbed nest-mounds may differ significantly between years, depending on frequency and the amount of rainfall. Many viable seeds are ingested accidentally by aardvarks while eating ants and may be dispersed to other nutrient rich sites.