Species energy and Thermal Performance Theory predict 20‐yr changes in ant community abundance and richness

In an era of rapid climate change, and with it concern over insect declines, we used two theories to predict 20‐yr changes in 34 North American ant communities. The ecosystems, from deserts to hardwood forests, were first surveyed in the 1990s. When resurveyed in 2016–2017, they averaged 1°C warmer with 200 g C·m −2 ·yr −1 higher plant productivity. Ant colony abundance changed from −49% to +61%. Consistent with Thermal Performance Theory,...