Geoinformation monitoring of bioindicator ants in forest growing conditions examining of the Republic of Mordovia

Kozlova Anastasia Alexandrovna

The article considers application of geoinformation and statistical methods in examining of forest growing conditions of phytocenoses in the Republic of Mordovia and the intensity of Formica ants` influence as a biotic environmental factor. Presumably, completeness and yield class of forest cultures in the examined area are determined, inter alia, by ants` dispersal patterns in phytocenoses. In the current research, data reflecting the state of the forest and the localization of anthills in certain settlements of the republic were uploaded to a digital map based on the ArcGIS geoinformation platform and processed with spatial analysis tools to visualize the population structure of Formica ants. To determine the statistical significance of ants` presence, the data was analyzed using StatTech program, which permits to assess the randomness or regularity of their dispersal in the republic on the base of Pearson`s chi-square, median and quartile methods. The results of the research lead to conclusions about the direct role of ants in the forest community formation and necessity of their use in environmental monitoring of specially protected natural areas. In addition, the current research empathizes the importance of using digital mapping based on geographic information systems in addition to classical statistics.

Keywords:geoinformation systems; digital mapping; «chi-square» method; Republic of Mordovia; forest growing conditions; bioindicators; ants; Formica.