Foraging Behavior of the Argentine Ant in a California Citrus Grove1

Markin, George P.

doi:10.1093/jee/63.3.740

Cited by 85 publications

(77 citation statements)

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“…Despite L. humile having been described as an aggressive and very disruptive ant species for biological control (Markin, 1970), in our study we found no significant effects on the community structure of natural enemies. The same can be deduced for the native to the Mediterranean species in our study, L. grandis and P. pallidula.…”

Section: Species Richness Diversity and Community Structure Of Predacontrasting

confidence: 95%

Ants in citrus: impact on the abundance, species richness, diversity and community structure of predators and parasitoids

Calabuig

Garcia‐Marí

Pekas

2015

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

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Although ants act as plant biotic defences, in agricultural ecosystems they are often associated with outbreaks of honeydew-producing pests mainly due to the protection they offer to the plant feeders in exchange for honeydew. In such an interaction ants may alter the abundance, diversity and community structure of predators and parasitoids. In the present study, we conducted ant-exclusion experiments in three commercial citrus orchards, each one dominated by one ant species (Pheidole pallidula, Lasius grandis or Linepithema humile) during two consecutive years (2011 and 2012). We then compared the abundance, species richness, diversity and community structure of predators and parasitoids between the antallowed and ant-excluded treatments. A total of 176,000 arthropods belonging to 81 taxa were captured and identified. Regarding abundance, our results showed a species specific response between treatments. When examining functional groups, in the ant-allowed treatment, seven species of predators decreased and four increased in abundance, whereas four species of parasitoids decreased and 18 increased in abundance. The species richness (S) was significantly lower for predators and higher for parasitoids in the ant-allowed treatment. The Shannon diversity index (H) was not different between treatments in the case of predators, whereas in the case of parasitoids diversity was significantly higher in the antallowed treatment. Finally, the community structure of predators and parasitoids was not significantly different between treatments. These results suggest that ants in the citrus agroecosystem are not associated with a dramatic decrease in natural enemy abundance or biodiversity; on the contrary ants were associated with increased parasitoid species richness and diversity. Despite the fact that ants have no negative impact on the abundance and diversity of predators and parasitoids at the community level their impact on specific natural enemy species, mainly predators, may explain the highest pest densities associated with ants in citrus.

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Section: Species Richness Diversity and Community Structure Of Predacontrasting

confidence: 95%

Ants in citrus: impact on the abundance, species richness, diversity and community structure of predators and parasitoids

Calabuig

Garcia‐Marí

Pekas

2015

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

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“…Incomplete dietary information greatly hinders an understanding of the community-wide effects of ant invasions. Invasive ants forage extensively on liquids (11,14,15), so observational data on diets are of limited use, because the exact composition of consumed or stored liquids remains unknown (e.g., the relative proportions of nectar, honeydew, and hemolymph). For these reasons, we use stable isotope analysis, an approach of demonstrated value in quantifying trophic relationships in ants (13,16,17).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Trophic ecology of invasive Argentine ants in their native and introduced ranges

Tillberg

Holway

LeBrun

et al. 2007

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

173

202

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Although the ecological effects of invasions often become obvious soon after introduced species become established, more gradual effects may take years to manifest and can thus require long-term data for quantification. We analyzed an 8-year record of stable isotope data on Argentine ants ( biological invasions ͉ stable isotopes ͉ food webs B iological invasions threaten biodiversity and drain economic resources. Despite the importance of species introductions, the short-term and small-scale nature of most invasive species research is a recognized limitation of this field (1). Additionally, confounding environmental factors can obscure links between the spread of invasive species and decline of natives (2). Spatiotemporal fluctuations in the population sizes of introduced species (3) that result from changes in resource use or availability (4) can greatly alter the extent to which invaders disrupt ecosystems. Because a better understanding of such variation will inform both ecological theory and management strategies, there is an urgent need for long-term studies as well as for research that investigates ecological interactions in the native ranges of introduced species.One underappreciated source of variation regarding introduced species concerns dietary flexibility and shifts in trophic position between native and introduced populations. This form of ecological plasticity may enhance invasion success in a number of ways. Species capable of extracting required nutrients from multiple trophic levels might establish in a broader range of environments compared with more specialized consumers. Furthermore, theory predicts diminishing biomass at higher trophic levels, suggesting that species feeding at lower trophic levels might attain greater abundance (5).In this study we examine the direct effects of Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) invasions on native ant diversity and then quantify how dietary flexibility in this widespread invader affects spatiotemporal variation in its trophic position. Invasive ants provide an ideal system to test how trophic flexibility contributes to invasion success. With many species introductions, it can be difficult to separate the effects of the invader from covarying factors, such as habitat disturbance, that might also negatively affect natives (2, 6). Because Argentine ants aggressively displace above-ground foraging native ants (7), changes in the diet of L. humile that occur during and just after invasion can be linked to native ant displacement. Second, invasive ants, such as L. humile, are highly omnivorous and frequently form nonspecialized associations with honeydew-producing Hemiptera (7-10). Greater use of honeydew and other plant-based resources in introduced populations might result in a decrease in trophic position (relative to that of native populations), such that invasive ants would persist at higher densities than if they were acting as carnivores (7,11,12). Similar arguments have been proposed to explain the great abundance of ants in tropical rainforest canopies ...

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“…The phorid that attacks A. cephalotes waits beside conspicuous colony entrances for ants to emerge, which makes it difficult for vulnerable castes of A. cephalotes to leave the nest without encountering parasitoids. In contrast to A. cephalotes, Linepithema tend to make shallow, mobile nests with widely scattered, often hidden colony entrances (Markin, 1970). This difference in nest ecology means that Linepithema workers may be less likely than Atta workers to be pinned underground by phorids stationed beside a nest entrance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Ecological interactions among ants in the genus Linepithema, their phorid parasitoids, and ant competitors

Orr

Dahlsten

Benson

2003

Ecological Entomology

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Abstract. 1. Many ant species abandon foraging and retreat underground when parasitoids in the dipteran family Phoridae are present. Although the influence of phorids on ant foraging is well documented, their influence on interspecific competition is less studied. This study examined whether phorids influenced the competitive ability of host ants in the genus Linepithema at two sites in Brazil.2. The phorid Pseudacteon lontrae attacked Linepithema piliferum at one site, while the phorid Pseudacteon pusillus attacked an unknown Linepithema (Linepithema sp.) at the other site. Phorid parasitoids of Linepithema were far more common than phorids of other ant species.3. Despite a high abundance of phorids, it was difficult to conclude that they influenced competition. Captures in pitfall traps indicated that host Linepithema were most active during times of day when phorids were inactive.4. Camponotus rufipes and Brachymyrmex sp., the most common competitors of Linepithema sp. (60% of all interactions), dominated Linepithema sp. during the day regardless of phorids. Remaining ant species could not be evaluated individually because they interacted with Linepithema sp. infrequently.5. Ectatomma brunneum was the most common competitor of L. piliferum (58% of all interactions). The high abundance of phorids at this site made it impossible to evaluate interactions between E. brunneum and L. piliferum in the absence of phorids.6. Phorids seldom influenced exploitative competition by causing host Linepithema to abandon the bait when no ant competitors were present.

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Foraging Behavior of the Argentine Ant in a California Citrus Grove1

Cited by 85 publications

References 0 publications

Ants in citrus: impact on the abundance, species richness, diversity and community structure of predators and parasitoids

Ants in citrus: impact on the abundance, species richness, diversity and community structure of predators and parasitoids

Trophic ecology of invasive Argentine ants in their native and introduced ranges

Ecological interactions among ants in the genus Linepithema, their phorid parasitoids, and ant competitors

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