The interaction between the coastal brown ant, <i>Pheidole megacephala</i> (Fabricius), and other invertebrate fauna of Mt Coot‐tha (Brisbane, Australia)

Heterick, Brian E.

doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.1997.tb00661.x

Cited by 30 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…An increase in ant biomass (primarily of the invasive species) following invasion is well known (e.g. Porter and Savignano 1990), but ®ndings here are not consistent with those found for P. megacephala in Queensland (Heterick 1997), where there was no real change in total ant numbers. This is probably because that study concerned dry sclerophyllous vegetation, which is not optimal P. megacephala habitat.…”

Section: Impacts On Native Ants and Other Invertebratescontrasting

confidence: 53%

“…This is comparable to the reductions wrought on non-ant arthropod abundance by S. invicta in the southern United States (Porter and Savignano 1990). Heterick (1997), however, found no signi®cant dierence in total invertebrate abundance in the presence of P. megacephala in his Queensland study. Invertebrate taxa diered in their sensitivity to P. megacephala, resulting in marked compositional changes in the invertebrate assemblages.…”

Section: Impacts On Native Ants and Other Invertebratesmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…It has achieved a pantropical distribution (Wilson and Taylor 1967), where its ability to displace native ant species (Haskins and Haskins 1965;Lieberburg et al 1975;Majer 1985;Heterick 1997), and to interfere with agricultural production (Bach 1991;Jahn and Beardsley 1994), is well documented. Since its introduction into North Queensland about a century ago (Tryon 1912), its range within Australia has expanded to include sub-tropical southern Queensland (Majer 1985;Heterick 1997), warm-temperate coastal New South Wales (Nikitin 1979;Fox and Fox 1982), the mediterranean Perth region of Western Australia (Majer 1994), and the Darwin region of the Top End of the Northern Territory in monsoonal northwestern Australia (Reichel and Andersen 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of an introduced ant on native rain forest invertebrates: Pheidole megacephala in monsoonal Australia

1999

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Pheidole megacephala is an exotic ant species that has severely affected native invertebrate biodiversity throughout the tropics. Its impacts have been documented extensively in relatively depauperate invertebrate communities, but not in species-rich habitats such as tropical rain forests. Here we describe the local distribution of P. megacephala and its impacts on native invertebrate assemblages in and around a rain forest patch at Howard Springs, in Australia's monsoonal tropics. P. megacephala was found to be confined to a single area of approximately 25 ha, with its distribution centered on drainage lines and the rain forest. Significant but weak correlations were found between its abundance and vegetative canopy cover (positive) and distance from the rain forest (negative). In the most heavily infested area within the rain forest, the abundance of P. megacephala was 37-110 times that of total native ant abundance found within uninfested plots, as measured by pitfall traps. The abundance and richness of native ants and other invertebrates were significantly reduced in litter samples, pitfall catches and foliage beats where P. megacephala was present, inversely relative to the abundance of P. megacephala. Only two individuals of a single native ant species were found within the most infested plot, with native ant richness being reduced to about half in the least infested plot. The most persistent functional groups of native ants in infested plots were Cryptic species, which forage primarily within soil and leaf litter, and Opportunists, which exhibit highly generalised foraging behaviour. The highest abundance of P. megacephala corresponded with a 42-85% decrease in the abundance of other native invertebrates. Insect larvae were totally absent from foliage beats collected at the most heavily infested plot. P. megacephala was found overall to be expanding its range, averaging 12 m range expansion in the dry season and contracting 7 m in the wet season. It is able to spread into surrounding savanna habitats by occupying relatively sheltered microsites, such as beneath logs and at the bases of trees. However, it is unlikely to attain high population densities in open savanna habitats because of its relative intolerance of desiccation, and the prevalence of behaviourally dominant native ant species. Howard Springs is currently the only rain forest patch in monsoonal Australia known to be infested by P. megacephala, but clearly this ant is a serious potential threat to the region's rain forest invertebrate fauna.

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Section: Impacts On Native Ants and Other Invertebratescontrasting

confidence: 53%

Section: Impacts On Native Ants and Other Invertebratesmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of an introduced ant on native rain forest invertebrates: Pheidole megacephala in monsoonal Australia

1999

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“…The forested eastern slope of 'Eua, too steep for cultivation, however, had not been invaded by P. megacephala. In Australia, P. megacephala is most often dominant in disturbed areas (e.g., Majer 1985, Heterick 1997, Heterick et al 2000 but has also invaded some areas of intact forest (Hoffmann et al 1999, Vanderwoude et al 2000.…”

Section: Beneficial Aspectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biology and Impacts of Pacific Island Invasive Species. 3. The African Big-Headed Ant, Pheidole megacephala (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Wetterer¹

2007

Pacific Science

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“…In its introduced range, the BigHeaded Ant is a serious threat to biodiversity (Haskins and Haskins 1965;Heterick 1997;Hoffmann et al 1999;Lieberburg et al 1975;Majer 1985), a pest to agriculture (Bach 1991;Jahn and Beardsley 1994), and a domestic nuisance (Schagen . . .. .…”

Section: Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Christmas Island (Indian Ocean): identification and distribution

Framenau¹,

Thomas²

2008

Rec West Aust Mus

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-The composition of the Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) ant fauna is reviewed, leading to the recognition of 52 walshi. None of the 52 species reported here are considered endemic. In general, the Christmas Island ant fauna is composed of species that are regarded as worldwide tramps, or that are widespread in the Indo-Australian region. However, Christmas Island may fall within the native range of some of these species. We provide a key to the ant species of Christmas Island (based on the worker caste), supplemented by comprehensive distribution maps of these ants on Christmas Island and a short synopsis of each species in relation to their ecology and world-wide distribution. Because of the large number of world-wide tramp ants on Christmas Island, this key may also prove applicable for introduced species resident on other oceanic islands.

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The interaction between the coastal brown ant, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius), and other invertebrate fauna of Mt Coot‐tha (Brisbane, Australia)

Cited by 30 publications

References 9 publications

Impact of an introduced ant on native rain forest invertebrates: Pheidole megacephala in monsoonal Australia

Impact of an introduced ant on native rain forest invertebrates: Pheidole megacephala in monsoonal Australia

Biology and Impacts of Pacific Island Invasive Species. 3. The African Big-Headed Ant, Pheidole megacephala (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Christmas Island (Indian Ocean): identification and distribution

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