Soil water movement related to distance from three Pogonomyrmex salinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nests in south-eastern Idaho

Three ant nests and one intervegetation reference area received water application through rain simulation. While there were between-nest differences in the spatial patterns of water infiltration, two features were evident at all nests. First, there was a noticeable delay of volumetric increase to the nest soil profile, and second, there was a bimodal distribution of percolation as a function of distance from the nest. Two areas of greater infiltration formed around nests: one surrounding the mound and another c. 2•5 m from the mound centre. The reference area showed a different spatial pattern with little infiltration occurring centrally