Ant–scale mutualism increases scale infestation, decreases folivory, and disrupts biological control in restored tropical forests

Kulikowski, Andy J.

doi:10.1111/btp.12786

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Ceroplastes scale abundance in our screenhouse (c. 24 ± 3 scales per plant) was much lower than phloem-feeder infestations that reduce plant growth or fitness in other systems (up to 200 aphids per plant, Powell et al, 2009;150-250 aphids per plant, Brightwell & Silverman, 2010; up to 1,000 scales per plant, Kulikowski II, 2020).…”

Section: P Megacephala and Native Ceroplastes Scales Perhaps Becausementioning

confidence: 67%

A soil‐nesting invasive ant disrupts carbon dynamics in saplings of a foundational ant–plant

et al. 2021

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1. Nearly every terrestrial ecosystem hosts invasive ant species, and many of those ant species construct underground nests near roots and/or tend phloem-feeding hemipterans on plants. We have a limited understanding of how these invasive ant behaviours change photosynthesis, carbohydrate availability and growth of woody plants.2. We measured photosynthesis, water relations, carbohydrate concentrations and growth for screenhouse-reared Acacia drepanolobium saplings on which we had manipulated invasive Pheidole megacephala ants and native Ceroplastes sp. hemipterans to determine whether and how soil nesting and hemipteran tending by ants affect plant carbon dynamics. In a field study, we also compared leaf counts of vertebrate herbivore-excluded and -exposed saplings in invaded and non-invaded savannas to examine how ant invasion and vertebrate herbivory are associated with differences in sapling photosynthetic crown size.3. Though hemipteran infestations are often linked to declines in plant performance, our screenhouse experiment did not find an association between hemipteran presence and differences in plant physiology. However, we did find that soil nesting by P. megacephala around screenhouse plants was associated with >58% lower whole-crown photosynthesis, >31% lower pre-dawn leaf water potential, >29% lower sucrose concentrations in woody tissues and >29% smaller leaf areas. In the field, sapling crowns were 29% smaller in invaded savannas than in non-invaded savannas, mimicking screenhouse results. Synthesis. We demonstrate that soil nesting near roots, a common behaviour byPheidole megacephala and other invasive ants, can directly reduce carbon fixation and storage of Acacia drepanolobium saplings. This mechanism is distinct from the disruption of a native ant mutualism by P. megacephala, which causes similar large declines in carbon fixation for mature A. drepanolobium trees. Acacia drepanolobium already has extremely low natural rates of recruitment from the sapling to mature stage, and we infer that these negative effects of invasion on saplings potentially curtail recruitment and reduce population growth in invaded areas. Our results suggest that direct interactions between invasive ants and plant roots in other ecosystems may strongly influence plant carbon fixation and storage.

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Section: P Megacephala and Native Ceroplastes Scales Perhaps Becausementioning

confidence: 67%

A soil‐nesting invasive ant disrupts carbon dynamics in saplings of a foundational ant–plant

et al. 2021

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“…Restored forests varied substantially with respect to isolation from larger patches of remnant forests in the landscape (Kulikowski 2020). Martinson and Fagan (2014) found that isolation of habitat patches negatively affected specialist insect herbivory.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of insect herbivory on seedling mortality in restored and remnant tropical forest

Kulikowski

Zahawi

Holl

2021

Restoration Ecology

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Insect herbivory is one of the major drivers of seedling mortality in the tropics and influences plant abundances and community composition. Anthropogenic disturbance can alter patterns of insect herbivory with potential consequences on plant communities in restored forests. We planted seedlings of early-and later-stage successional tree species in 13-15-year-old restored and remnant tropical forests. We then either excluded insect herbivores or left seedlings exposed to examine how insect herbivory-affected seedling mortality. Early-successional seedlings experienced similar decreases in mortality when insect herbivores were excluded from both restored and remnant forest sites, but this effect was smaller and driven by only a few species in restored forests. Later-successional seedlings experienced a stronger decrease in mortality between open and insect-excluded treatments in remnant than restored sites. Our results suggest that herbivory-driven seedling mortality is lower in restored forests, particularly for later-successional seedlings. Results are encouraging from a restoration perspective because recruitment of later-successional seedlings is a key component of ecosystem recovery. However, if reductions in seedling mortality continue over the long term, this may affect tree community composition as succession progresses.

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“…Third, invasive ants can deter or facilitate herbivory on host plants with consequences for plant growth and overall canopy size (e.g. Savage et al, 2009; Lach & Hoffmann 2011; Kulikowski II 2020), which may combine with changes in leaf carbon exchange rates to affect whole‐plant carbon fixation. Finally, invasive ants could influence ecosystem carbon cycling by displacing the ant defenders of ant‐plants, some of which are dominant primary producers in communities (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mutualism disruption by an invasive ant reduces carbon fixation for a foundational East African ant‐plant

et al. 2021

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Invasive ants shape assemblages and interactions of native species, but their effect on fundamental ecological processes is poorly understood. In East Africa, Pheidole megacephala ants have invaded monodominant stands of the ant‐tree Acacia drepanolobium, extirpating native ant defenders and rendering trees vulnerable to canopy damage by vertebrate herbivores. We used experiments and observations to quantify direct and interactive effects of invasive ants and large herbivores on A. drepanolobium photosynthesis over a 2‐year period. Trees that had been invaded for ≥ 5 years exhibited 69% lower whole‐tree photosynthesis during key growing seasons, resulting from interaction between invasive ants and vertebrate herbivores that caused leaf‐ and canopy‐level photosynthesis declines. We also surveyed trees shortly before and after invasion, finding that recent invasion induced only minor changes in leaf physiology. Our results from individual trees likely scale up, highlighting the potential of invasive species to alter ecosystem‐level carbon fixation and other biogeochemical cycles.

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Ant–scale mutualism increases scale infestation, decreases folivory, and disrupts biological control in restored tropical forests

Abstract: This is the author manuscript accepted for publication and has undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as

Cited by 13 publications

References 57 publications

A soil‐nesting invasive ant disrupts carbon dynamics in saplings of a foundational ant–plant

A soil‐nesting invasive ant disrupts carbon dynamics in saplings of a foundational ant–plant

Effects of insect herbivory on seedling mortality in restored and remnant tropical forest

Mutualism disruption by an invasive ant reduces carbon fixation for a foundational East African ant‐plant

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