Variation in Ants’ Chemical Recognition Signals across Vineyard Agroecosystems

first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Variation in Ants’ Chemical Recognition Signals across Vineyard Agroecosystems by Arthur Hais 1ORCID,Luca Pietro Casacci 1ORCID,Patrizia d’Ettorre 2,David Badía-Villas 3,Chloé Leroy 2ORCID andFrancesca Barbero 1,*ORCID 1 Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy 2 Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology (LEEC), UR4443, University Sorbonne Paris Nord, 93430 Villetaneuse, France 3 Department of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Escuela Politécnica Superior, 22071 Huesca, Spain * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(19), 10407; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910407 Submission received: 22 August 2024 / Revised: 14 September 2024 / Accepted: 24 September 2024 / Published: 27 September 2024 (This article belongs to the Section Biochemistry) Downloadkeyboard_arrow_down Browse Figures Versions Notes Abstract Ant evolutionary success depends mainly on the coordination of colony members, who recognize nestmates based on the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile of their epicuticle. While several studies have examined variations in this crucial factor for colony identity, few have investigated the anthropic impact on CHC profiles, and none have focused on Lasius paralienus. Here, we surveyed the changes in L. paralienus CHC assemblages across agroecosystems and assessed whether different vineyard management influences these profiles. Soil sampling within ant nests and in close surroundings was performed to measure microhabitat variations. Our results show that the cuticular chemical composition of Lasius paralienus is mainly affected by the differences between areas, with an existing but unclear anthropic influence on them. Normalized soil respiration partially explains these interarea variations. Irrespective of the conventional or organic management, human activities in agroecosystems mostly impacted L. paralienus linear alkanes, a specific class of CHCs known to play a major role against dehydration, but also affected the abundance of compounds that can be pivotal for maintaining the colony identity. Our findings suggest that vineyard practices primarily affect features of the ant cuticle, potentially enhancing microclimate adaptations. Still, the potential effects as disruptive factors need further investigation through the implementation of behavioral bioassays.