Abstract
Chemical properties (total and available P concentration; oxidizable C concentration; available K, Na, and Ca concentration; and pH) were quantified for 33 nests of the ant Myrmica ruginodis and in surrounding soil in young spruce forest stands. All properties, except total P, were significantly higher in the nests than in the surrounding soil.
Total P was not higher in nests than in surrounding soil across all nests because nests had higher total P than surrounding soil if the soil contained low concentrations of total P but nests had lower total P than surrounding soil if the soil contained high concentrations of total P. The effect of nests on total P in the surrounding soil corresponded with effects of nests on oxidizable carbon (an indicator of organic matter) in the surrounding soil (concentrations of oxidizable carbon and total P were closely correlated).
Available P concentrations were much higher in nests than in surrounding soil.