Herbivory has been identified as a potent evolutionary force, but its ecological impacts have
been frequently underestimated. Leaf‐cutting ants represent one of the most important …

Leaf‐cutter ants are a prominent feature in Neotropical ecosystems, but a comprehensive
assessment of their effects on ecosystem functions is lacking. We reviewed the literature and …

Comprising a substantial part of living biomass on earth, ants are integral to the functioning
of terrestrial ecosystems. More than 12,000 species have been described to date, and it is …

Plant-animal interactions have become a focus of ecological research, with the processes of
herbivory being of special interest. This volume examines the interactions of leaf-cutting ants …

Leaf-cutting ants, being the principal herbivores and ecosystem engineers in the Neotropics,
have been considered to be a keystone species in natural ecosystems and agroecosystems …

Leaf-cutter ants belonging to the genus Atta are important ecosystem engineers and
conspicuous bioturbators in Neotropical regions acting as superorganisms. The Atta ants …

Edge‐mediated changes in species composition are known to result in modified species
interactions. Because of the crucial trophic position of herbivores and their far‐reaching …

Leaf-cutting ants (genera Atta and Acromyrmex) have been denoted key species of
American rain-forest ecosystems (Fowler et al. 1989) because of their multifarious effects on …

Atta leaf-cutter ants are the prime herbivore in the Neotropics: differently sized foragers
harvest plant material to grow a fungus as a crop. Efficient foraging involves complex …

The role played by Atta species as ecosystem engineers remains poorly investigated
despite previous evidence that their nests can impact plant assemblages. 2. In a large …