| Introduction |
| The purpose of
this website is to present the diversity of ants in Lauderdale County,
Alabama. This site presents the methods and results of my undergraduate
research project at the University of North Alabama. Ants
represent an important element of the biodiversity of Lauderdale County.
Biodiversity
is a term that was first coined by renowned
entomologist and myrmecologist E.O. Wilson and accounts for all the
different life forms that are found on the earth (Wilson 2010). Wilson
states that only ca. 10% of all the earth's species have been identified
(Wilson 2010). Often overlooked or stepped on by passersby, ants live a
relatively unnoticed existence in the presence of human beings.
This project required the development of microscope and hand-eye
coordination skills. As a result I have gained knowledge and
practical skills needed to recognize ants and their habitats. Ants are
biologically diverse, meaning many different species exist on this
earth; 11,700 species of ants have been named, and that number is
thought to be only half of the actual number of ants in the world
(Bolton 2010). Ants have made their home all over the world, in
ecosystems ranging from deserts and tropical forests to woodlands and
coastal plains. Ants occur throughout the state of Alabama. Many ants
are therefore presumed to reside in Lauderdale County, Alabama, but just
how many species exist in the county is not fully known. This project
adds to the knowledge of the diversity of ants in Lauderdale County,
Alabama. -Carolyn Manuel, May 2011 |
Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly
wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the
summer... Proverbs 30:24-25
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