Resilience of ant communities (Hymenoptera: formicidae) to moderate urban disturbance in a mediterranean peri-urban landscape

Abstract Human activities alter the biotic and abiotic characteristics of the environment, affecting species richness, population abundances and community composition. Nevertheless, these activities intensify as we move from forested areas to the center of urban cities, with peri-urban areas presenting intermediate trends. In this study, we investigate the role of anthropogenic disturbance to ant community composition and diversity in the peri-urban forest of Agia Paraskevi (Attica), Greece. Sampling was conducted during a full year (June 2022 - May 2023) using pitfall traps, both in natural areas and in areas under human influence. Pitfalls from four months (i.e. January, April, July and October) were chosen to represent each season, with specimens being curated and identified to the species level. Overall, our findings suggest that ant communities in peri-urban forests exhibit resilience to moderate anthropogenic disturbance, with differences in species diversity, community composition and abundances being not statistically significant between disturbed and undisturbed sites. These results are consistent with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, highlighting that peri-urban forests can act as important reservoirs of biodiversity within urban landscapes. At the same time, the absence of non-native species highlights the need for long-term monitoring and management strategies that promote microhabitat diversity while mitigating the ecological risks associated with urbanization.