Effects of Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on Hatching Turtles and Prevalence of Fire Ants on Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches in Florida

Allen, Craig R.; Forys, Elizabeth A.; Rice, Kenneth G.; Wojcik, Daniel P.

doi:10.2307/3496175

Cited by 86 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Therefore, the second nest laid on the top of a pre-existing nest may increase the possibility of predation for the first one (Allen et al, 2001). Several studies indicate that the eggs are very vulnerable to predation by insects [Phoridae and Sarcophagidae (Acuna-Mesen & Hanson, 1990;Trauth & Mullen, 1990); Sarcophagidae (McGowan et al, 2001a,b)].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Impact of density‐dependent nest destruction on emergence success of Guianan leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)

Caut

Hulin

Girondot

2006

Animal Conservation

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To assess the impact of nest covering on a leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea nesting beach in French Guiana, we used field study data and a modelling approach. Field results showed that the covering of a pre-existing nest by a new one causes the destruction of the older nest under some conditions of time and covering area, and almost always causes the destruction of the new nest. We then used field results to parameterize a theoretical model of the nesting beach. This allowed us to obtain a 'critical carrying capacity for the beach': the number of nests deposited for which the number of successful nests is maximum; when this number increases, the number of successful nests decreases. With these results, we then concluded that density-dependent nest destruction plays a role in the functioning of the nesting beach. These results are essential for our understanding of nest-site selection at the scale of the beach and its consequences.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Impact of density‐dependent nest destruction on emergence success of Guianan leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)

Caut

Hulin

Girondot

2006

Animal Conservation

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“…Solenopsis invicta is implicated in the majority of these cases and is also the most widely studied (Drees 1994;Allen et al 2000;Legare and Eddleman 2001;Holway et al 2002;Tschinkel 2006). Invasive ants are known to negatively affect oviparous animals by causing nest site abandonment (Feare 1999), increasing energy expenditure of parent birds (Smith et al 2007), and reducing hatching success (Giuliano et al 1996), growth rates (Giuliano et al 1996;Allen et al 1997), and survival (Drees 1994;Moulis 1996;Mueller et al 1999;Allen et al 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Detrimental effects of two widespread invasive ant species on weight and survival of colonial nesting seabirds in the Hawaiian Islands

2008

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Invasive ants are a significant conservation concern and can have far-reaching effects in ecosystems they invade. We used the experimental control of ant numbers on two pairs of small (\5 ha) offshore islets dominated by either the big-headed ant, Pheidole megacephala or the tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata to investigate the influence of these species on seabird hatching success, fledging success and weight. Limited unpublished observations of both ant species attacking nesting seabirds exist, but the frequency of attacks or how they affect seabird growth and survival are unknown. Islandwide treatments with hydramethylnon resulted in the eradication of P. megacephala and the temporary reduction of S. geminata densities. No difference in hatching success, growth, or fledging success of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus), a common colonial nesting seabird in the Hawaiian Islands was observed on the pair of islets dominated by P. megacephala. On islets dominated by S. geminata, ant control resulted in a temporary increase in fledging success. Injury frequency increased dramatically on the untreated islet (8.3-100%) while remaining the same on the treated islet (27-38%). Severely injured chicks (i.e., chicks that lost [20% of tissue on their feet) weighed significantly less than uninjured chicks and did not fledge. It is unclear if the chicks were being preyed upon or stung in defense of nearby ant colonies. Radical changes in invasive ant populations have been noted, and booming ant populations could cause short-term, but widespread damage to seabird colonies. The negative effects of invasive ants on seabirds may be difficult to detect, and therefore unknown or underestimated throughout the world where the two groups overlap.

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“…This exotic pest was inadvertently introduced into the U.S.A. from South America about 75 years ago. Since that time, it has spread throughout the southern states in the U.S.A. S. invicta is of profound economic importance in the U.S.A. because: 1) it is an aggressive stinging insect causing mass envenomation incidents and hypersensitivity reactions in humans, 2) it occurs primarily in human-modified habitats, 3) it constructs large mounds that are unsightly and capable of damaging farm machinery, 4) it feeds on several important cultivated plants and tends homopterans that are also plant pests, and 5) it negatively affects populations of native ants and other ground-dwelling animals (Lofgren et al, 1975;Lofgren, 1986;Porter and Savignano, 1990;Allen et al, 1994Allen et al, , 1998Allen et al, , 2000Allen et al, , 2001Vinson, 1994Vinson, , 1997Giuliano et al, 1996;Carroll and Hoffman, 2000;Gotelli and Arnett, 2000;Kaspari, 2000;Kemp et al, 2000;Kopachena et al, 2000;Eubanks, 2001;Forys et al, 2001;Wojcik et al, 2001;Morrison, 2002). These pest attributes of S. invicta presumably are attributable largely to the fact that the introduced populations have almost none of the competitors and natural enemies that normally act to suppress their populations, with the effect that population densities in the U.S.A. are orders of magnitude greater than in the native South American range (Porter et al, 1992(Porter et al, , 1997Morrison, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population genetic structure of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, in Taiwan

Yang

Shoemaker

et al. 2007

Insect. Soc.

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We generated and analyzed microsatellite genotypic data and mtDNA sequence data from the fire ant Solenopsis invicta collected from two separate infested areas (Taoyuan and Chiayi) in Taiwan to infer the population and colony structure of these recently established populations. These genetic analyses revealed the following patterns: 1) Relatedness among worker nestmates was significantly greater than zero for both social forms from both populations; 2) No significant isolation by distance was found among nests within each social form from either population; 3) Significant mtDNA but no nuclear differentiation occurs between sympatric social forms in Taoyuan; 4) Molecular signatures of genetic bottlenecks associated with recent introductions are evident in both populations; and 5) The two sampled populations, Taoyuan and Chiayi, are highly genetically differentiated at both the nuclear or mtDNA genomes and most likely derive from two separate introductions into Taiwan. While results from these analyses generally were consistent with predictions based on the known biology of these ants and similar studies of S. invicta in the U.S.A. and South America, some patterns likely reflect the recent introduction and human-mediated inadvertent transport of ants in Taiwan. This is the first study to investigate the population and colony structure of fire ants in Taiwan and results from our study represent an important contribution to the ongoing efforts aimed at eradicating this invasive pest in Taiwan.

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Effects of Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on Hatching Turtles and Prevalence of Fire Ants on Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches in Florida

Cited by 86 publications

References 5 publications

Impact of density‐dependent nest destruction on emergence success of Guianan leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)

Impact of density‐dependent nest destruction on emergence success of Guianan leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)

Detrimental effects of two widespread invasive ant species on weight and survival of colonial nesting seabirds in the Hawaiian Islands

Population genetic structure of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, in Taiwan

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