Distribution Patterns of Ant Species in Simianshan Nature Reserve, Chongqing

In order to understand the distribution pattern and diversity of ants in Simian Mountain, the sample survey method was used to investigate ants in Simian Mountain Nature Reserve. The results showed that there was a total of 57 species of ants belonged to 32 genera and 7 subfamilies in Simianshan Nature Reserve, among which 19 species are new records in Chongqing. From the perspective of vertical distribution, more than half of the ant species are only distributed at 1 altitude which implied their narrow vertical distribution range; the ant species and individual density showed a decreasing trend with increasing altitude, but the individual ant density in the lowest altitude sample plot on the east slope decreased irregularly; the diversity index, evenness index and dominance index have no obvious changes model with the increase of altitude. However, the diversity index and evenness index of the 2 lowest altitude plots on the east slope and the west slope are the lowest, while the dominance index is the highest. From the perspective of horizontal distribution, the number of species and individual density of ants on the east slope are higher than those on the west slope; the diversity index and evenness index on the east slope are lower than those on the west slope, while the dominance index is higher than that on the west slope. The similarity coefficient of ant communities showed that the east slope and the west slope are moderately similar, but it is very dissimilar between different plots on the same slope; The similarity coefficient of ant communities between the east slope and west slope plots at the same altitude increased from extremely dissimilar to moderately similar as the altitude increased. Overall, the distribution pattern and species diversity of ants in Simianshan Nature Reserve are closely related to altitude, slope aspect, and human interference.