03/10/2022
There are at least 20 quadrillion ants on Earth according to a new study that says that staggering figure likely underestimates the total population of the insects, which are an essential part of ecosystems around the world.
But nearly two-thirds of them are found in only two types of ecosystems: tropical forests and savannahs.
Some studies have already attempted to estimate the global ant population, but they resulted in a number far smaller than 20 quadrillion, which is 20 million billion.
Based on the estimated number of ants in the world, the total global biomass of the insects is thought to be 12 megatons of dry carbon — more than that of wild birds and mammals combined and 20 percent of that of humans, according to the latest study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Determining the global population of ants is essential for measuring the consequences of changes to their habitat — including those caused by the climate crisis.
Ants play a significant role on the planet, dispersing seeds, hosting organisms and serving as either predators or prey.
There are more than 15,700 named species and subspecies of ants that are found all over the planet, and probably an equal number that have yet to be described.
