Chronicle of an impact foretold: the fate and effect of the introduced Formica paralugubris ant

Frizzi, Filippo; Masoni, Alberto; Quilghini, Giovanni; Ciampelli, Paola; Santini, Giacomo

doi:10.1007/s10530-018-1797-x

Cited by 21 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…As long as 175 years ago, recommendations were made in Germany to encourage the use and multiplication of ant nests as desirable measures against forest pests (Gosswald, 1951). This potential for Palearctic mound‐building wood ants ( Formica paralugubris ) to protect forests from pest insects led to extensive artificial introduction programs in Germany, Poland, European Russia, Italy and Canada during the last century, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s (Pavan, 1976; Otto, 2005; Seifert, 2016; Frizzi et al ., 2018). These introductions were successful, but they were highly controversial.…”

Section: Management Of Social Insects To Enhance Ecosystem Services Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These introductions were successful, but they were highly controversial. While no hard data on their effectiveness as biological control agents was gathered, there is scientific evidence of non‐target effects on local fauna (Seifert, 2016; Frizzi et al ., 2018). There is no doubt that wood ants are important stabilising elements of their native temperate and boreo‐montane woodland ecosystems due to their control of populations of herbivorous insects (Sorvari, 2016).…”

Section: Management Of Social Insects To Enhance Ecosystem Services Amentioning

confidence: 99%

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The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps

et al. 2020

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Social insects, i.e. ants, bees, wasps and termites, are key components of ecological communities, and are important ecosystem services (ESs) providers. Here, we review the literature in order to (i) analyse the particular traits of social insects that make them good suppliers of ESs; (ii) compile and assess management strategies that improve the services provided by social insects; and (iii) detect gaps in our knowledge about the services that social insects provide. Social insects provide at least 10 ESs; however, many of them are poorly understood or valued. Relevant traits of social insects include high biomass and numerical abundance, a diversity of mutualistic associations, the ability to build important biogenic structures, versatile production of chemical defences, the simultaneous delivery of several ESs, the presence of castes and division of labour, efficient communication and cooperation, the capacity to store food, and a long lifespan. All these characteristics enhance social insects as ES providers, highlighting their potential, constancy and efficiency as suppliers of these services. In turn, many of these traits make social insects stress tolerant and easy to manage, so increasing the ESs they provide. We emphasise the need for a conservation approach to the management of the services, as well as the potential use of social insects to help restore habitats degraded by human activities. In addition, we stress the need to evaluate both services and disservices in an integrated way, because some species of social insects are among the most problematic invasive species and native pests. Finally, we propose two areas of research that will lead to a greater and more efficient use of social insects as ES providers, and to a greater appreciation of them by producers and decision‐makers.

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Section: Management Of Social Insects To Enhance Ecosystem Services Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Management Of Social Insects To Enhance Ecosystem Services Amentioning

confidence: 99%

The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps

et al. 2020

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“…Nests of F. paralugubris, a native Alpine species (see 2016), were translocated from the 50s of the XX century mainly from the Alps (particularly from Brescia and Bergamo provinces) to the Apennines for "biological control" of some native phytophagous species considered "harmful for the forest" (PAVAN, 1959;ADLUNG, 1966;see BARONI URBANI, 1971;EICHORN, 1981;RONCHETTI et al, 1987;FRIZZI et al, 2018;MASONI et al, 2018) (Fig. II).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

First Record of Monotoma Conicicollischevrolat, 1837(coleoptera Monotomidae) in the Apennines:introduction or Simple Overlooking?

Cianferoni¹,

Frizzi²,

Santini³

2019

Redia

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The myrmecophilous beetle Monotoma conicicollis Chevrolat, 1837 (Cucujoidea: Monotomidae) is recorded for the first time in the Apennines in a nest of Formica paralugubris Seifert, 1996 (Formicidae). Since nests of this ant species were translocated from Alps in the past, two possible scenarios about the occurrence of this beetle are discussed: a simple overlooking of M. conicicollis, already occurring (in association with other Formica spp.) in the Apennines prior the introduction of F. paralugubris, or its introduction together with the ant.

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“…For example, some species have been incorporated into integrated pest management programs to control sweet potato and banana weevils in Cuba or apple plantations in Denmark (15,57,58). In forests, red wood ants can shape the invertebrate community of trees by reducing their species richness through different interactions at multi-trophic levels that also includes the predation on forest pests (2,25,94,89). Additionally, the supercolonies of the red wood ants…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, in European spruce forests, the large-scale windthrow is usually connected with outbreaks of I. typophagus and results in extensive loss of trees (95). Such outbreaks of the pest species are caused mostly by the changes in the natural or semi-natural environment that can be linked to anthropogenic activities, having a strong impact also on the insect communities (42,25,80,92,97).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wood Ants: Important Components of the Forest "Immunity System"

Trigos-Peral

Juhász

Kiss

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Climate change is one of the major threats to biodiversity, but its impact varies among the species. Bark beetles (Ips spp.), as well as other wood-boring pests of European forests, show escalating numbers in response to the changes driven by climate change and seriously affect the survival of the forests through the massive killing of trees. Many methods were developed to control these wood-boring beetles, however, their implementation can be detrimental for other forest specialists. Ants are widely used for biological pest-control, so in our study, we aimed to test the effect of F. polyctena on the control of the wood-boring beetles. The results show that the proportion of infested trees is significantly reduced by the increase of the number of F. polyctena nests, with a strong effect on Ips species. We also show that the boring beetle community is shaped by different biotic and abiotic factors, including the presence of F. polyctena nests. However, the boring beetle infestation was not related to the latitude, altitude and age of the forests. Based on our results, we assert the effectiveness of the red wood ants as biological pest control and the importance of their conservation to keep the health of the forests.

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Chronicle of an impact foretold: the fate and effect of the introduced Formica paralugubris ant

Cited by 21 publications

References 62 publications

The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps

The ecosystem services provided by social insects: traits, management tools and knowledge gaps

First Record of Monotoma Conicicollischevrolat, 1837(coleoptera Monotomidae) in the Apennines:introduction or Simple Overlooking?

Wood Ants: Important Components of the Forest "Immunity System"

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