So, Wai Yan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 244-270). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.vi / Table of contents --- p.viii / List of figures --- p.xii / List of tables --- p.xiv / List of plates --- p.xvii / List of appendices --- p.xviii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- General Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- General Information of Hong Kong Climate and Vegetation --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Grasslands in Hong Kong --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Shrublands in Hong Kong --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Woodlands in Hong Kong --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Plantations in Hong Kong --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2 --- Quarries and Landfills in Hong Kong --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Quarries in Hong Kong --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Landfills in Hong Kong --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3 --- Ants as Bioindicators --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- The Use of Bioindicators --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- The Use of Ants as Bioindicators --- p.19 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Ant Functional Groups --- p.21 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Ants in Hong Kong --- p.22 / Chapter 1.4 --- Research Objectives --- p.24 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Ant Communities in Natural and Semi-natural Habitats in Hong Kong --- p.25 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.25 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Abiotic Factors --- p.25 / Chapter 2.1.1.1 --- Habitat complexity --- p.25 / Chapter 2.1.1.2 --- Elevation --- p.26 / Chapter 2.1.1.3 --- Soil properties --- p.27 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Biotic Factors --- p.30 / Chapter 2.1.2.1 --- Interaction with plants --- p.30 / Chapter 2.1.2.2 --- Interaction among ants --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.2.3 --- Interaction with other fauna --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Objectives --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Study Sites --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Ant Sampling --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Pitfall trapping --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Litter extraction --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- Visual search --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.2.4 --- Baiting --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Ant Examination --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Other Samplings --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.4.1 --- Soil sampling --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.4.2 --- Vegetation measurements --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Data Analysis --- p.47 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results --- p.50 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Vegetation and Soil Properties --- p.50 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- "Species Diversity, Abundance and Frequency of Occurrence" --- p.63 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Ant Community --- p.72 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Ant Species Analysis --- p.75 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- Functional Group Analysis --- p.78 / Chapter 2.3.6 --- Correlation of Ant Community with Vegetation and Soil Properties --- p.81 / Chapter 2.4 --- Discussion --- p.84 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Ant Species Richness in Different Habitats --- p.84 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Relationship of Ant Community and Vegetation and Soil Properties --- p.89 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Indicator Species --- p.91 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Changes in Community Structure --- p.92 / Chapter 2.4.5 --- Ant Functional Groups --- p.93 / Chapter 2.5 --- Conclusions --- p.95 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Ant Community on Rehabilitated Lands in Hong Kong --- p.97 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.97 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- "Restoration, Rehabilitation and Reallocation" --- p.97 / Chapter 3.1.1.1 --- Restoration --- p.97 / Chapter 3.1.1.2 --- Rehabilitation --- p.97 / Chapter 3.1.1.3 --- Reallocation --- p.98 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Ants as Biodiversity Indicators and Ecological Indicators of Disturbed Lands --- p.99 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Factors Affecting Ant Community Structure on Rehabilitated Lands during Succession --- p.102 / Chapter 3.1.3.1 --- Dominance-controlled and founder-controlled model --- p.103 / Chapter 3.1.3.2 --- Time since last disturbance --- p.104 / Chapter 3.1.3.3 --- Proximity to undisturbed sites --- p.104 / Chapter 3.1.3.4 --- Habitat created --- p.105 / Chapter 3.1.3.5 --- Presence of invasive and weed species --- p.105 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Objectives --- p.106 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.107 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Study Sites --- p.107 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Ant Sampling --- p.111 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Other Samplings --- p.116 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Soil sampling --- p.116 / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Vegetation measurements --- p.116 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Data Analysis --- p.116 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.119 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Vegetation and Soil Properties --- p.119 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- "Species Diversity, Abundance and Frequency of Occurrence" --- p.140 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Ant Community --- p.153 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Ant Species Analysis --- p.159 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Functional Groups --- p.161 / Chapter 3.3.6 --- "Correlation of Ant Communities with Vegetation, Soil Properties and Rehabilitation Age" --- p.162 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.167 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Patterns of Ant Richness on Rehabilitated Quarries and Landfills --- p.169 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Ant Communities on Rehabilitated Quarries and Landfills --- p.173 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Species Analysis --- p.176 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Functional Groups --- p.177 / Chapter 3.5 --- Conclusions --- p.178 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Ant Community Study-A Cost Effectiveness Analysis --- p.180 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.180 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Ant Sampling Methods --- p.181 / Chapter 4.1.1.1 --- Pitfall trapping --- p.181 / Chapter 4.1.1.2 --- Litter extraction by Winkler sack or Berlese funnel --- p.183 / Chapter 4.1.1.3 --- Baiting --- p.184 / Chapter 4.1.1.4 --- Direct sampling/Visual search --- p.185 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Increasing the Cost Effectiveness of Inventory --- p.185 / Chapter 4.1.2.1 --- Simplifying ant identification --- p.186 / Chapter 4.1.2.2 --- Other simplification methods --- p.187 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Objectives --- p.188 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.188 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Study Sites --- p.188 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Ant Sampling --- p.189 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Pitfall trapping --- p.190 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Litter extraction --- p.190 / Chapter 4.2.2.3 --- Visual search (direct sampling) --- p.191 / Chapter 4.2.2.4 --- Baiting --- p.191 / Chapter 4.2.2.5 --- Ant examination --- p.192 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Data Analysis --- p.192 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.193 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Genus and Species Richness --- p.194 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Ant Community Structure --- p.204 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.212 / Chapter 4.5 --- Conclusions --- p.224 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- General Conclusions --- p.225 / Chapter 5.1 --- Ant Fauna on Natural Habitats --- p.225 / Chapter 5.2 --- Ant Fauna on Man-made Habitats --- p.227 / Chapter 5.3 --- Simplification of Ant Sampling --- p.229 / Chapter 5.4 --- Ants as Bioindicators --- p.230 / Chapter 5.5 --- Further Studies --- p.232 / Appendices --- p.233 / References --- p.244