BAH! – Brazilian Ant Habitat-use Guilds

Brazil is the world center of ant biodiversity. Yet obtaining ecological information about ant species across the country is a challenging task, as data are often scattered in field books, scientific papers, and online databases.

To make this information easier to access, we developed BAH! – Brazilian Ant Habitat-use Guilds, a platform that aggregates ecological data on Brazilian ants into a single, open-access resource. Our database focuses on habitat-use guilds, a key concept in myrmecology that supports research in ecology, conservation, and bioindication.

Habitat-use guilds

• Forest specialists – species restricted to forest habitats.
• Generalists – species able to inhabit both forests and open areas.
• Open-habitat specialists – species found exclusively in open environments.

These guilds respond differently to ecological gradients and land-use changes, making them powerful tools for community ecology and environmental monitoring.

Why BAH! matters

Until now, a major limitation for researchers and students has been the lack of a centralized, quickly accessible source of habitat-use information for ants. With BAH!, that gap is finally being filled.

Our mission

We currently provide updated habitat-use information for hundreds of Brazilian ant species, and our goal is to expand the platform to include data on microhabitats, biome occurrence, and ecosystem functions.