Life-history strategies as a tool to identify conservation constraints: A case-study on ants in chalk grasslands

► We grouped species into strategies based on life-history trait combinations. ► Differences in occurrence of strategies in the field revealed two main bottlenecks. ► Current habitat isolation strongly limits the distribution of poor dispersers. ► Current autumn management causes too cold conditions during nest founding. ► Life-history strategies are a valuable tool providing mechanistic understanding.