In the framework of a collaboration between the two most important olive biodiverisad research projects currently in Europe, Olivares Vivos + (Life Program) and Soil O-live (Eu Soil Mission, Horizon Europe), a training workshop focused on taxonomic aspects of Mediterranean ants has been held today. The researcher of the Life Olivares Vivos + project, Teresa Salido, has been responsible for providing this training to researchers of the European project Soil O-Live. The workshop was held in online format and participants from different laboratories in Spain, Greece and Italy, among others, have been connected to it.
The workshop is a cross-cutting activity with the Life Olivares Vivos + project in which researchers have been able to get notions to identify ants at the taxonomic level of genus, enough to use this group of insects as indicators of soil conservation status.
For Antonio Manzaneda, professor of Ecology at the University of Jaén and coordinator of Soil O-Live, knowing this information is very useful in the study of soils: “Ants are excellent bioinidcators of soil health, since most ant species, when nesting in the soil, are very sensitive to aggressive agricultural practices and very sensitive to improvements in tillage. However, it is surprising that they are not yet included.
For her part, the researcher Teresa Salido has provided material with dichotomous keys for use and management in field work.
Thank you very much, Teresa Salido and the team that makes up the Life Olivares Vivos + project!
