Discovery–dominance trade‐off among widespread invasive ant species

Abstract

Ants are among the most problematic invasive species. They displace numerous native species, alter ecosystem processes, and can have negative impacts on agriculture and human health. In part, their success might stem from a departure from the discovery–dominance trade-off that can promote co-existence in native ant communities, that is, invasive ants are thought to be at the same time behaviorally dominant and faster discoverers of resources, compared to native species. However, it has not yet been tested whether similar asymmetries in behavioral dominance, exploration, and recruitment abilities also exist among invasive species. Here, we establish a dominance hierarchy among four of the most problematic invasive ants (Linepithema humile, Lasius neglectus, Wasmannia auropunctata, Pheidole megacephala) that may be able to arrive and establish in the same areas in the future. To assess behavioral dominance, we used confrontation experiments, testing the aggressiveness in individual and group interactions between all species pairs. In addition, to compare discovery efficiency, we tested the species’ capacity to locate a food resource in a maze, and the capacity to recruit nestmates to exploit a food resource. The four species differed greatly in their capacity to discover resources and to recruit nestmates and to dominate the other species. Our results are consistent with a discovery–dominance trade-off. The species that showed the highest level of interspecific aggressiveness and dominance during dyadic interactions.

Contrasting predation services of predator and omnivore diversity mediated by invasive ants in a tropical agroecosystem

“…Our results are consistent with the correlation between food resource discovery and dominance known in ant ecology (Parr & Gibb 2012). P. megacephala is the fastest explorer and most efficient exploiter among four of the most problematic invasive ant species (not found on Reunion Island): Linepithema humile (Mayr), Lasius neglectus Van Loon et al and Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) (Bertelsmeier, Avril, Blight, Jourdan, & Courchamp 2015). In addition, in this omnivore-poor community, decreasing the richness of intraguild predators could enhance bait egg removal.…”

Southern expansion of the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata within its native range and its relation with clonality and human activity

“…In fact, although laboratory experiments have characterised W . auropunctata as highly aggressive and dominant [ 70 ], in the wild it showed a poor performance in terms of discovery and recruitment [ 71 ] demonstrating that it is a week competitor that relies on the failure of native ants to efficiently exploit and defend food and nesting resources [ 72 ]. Thus, clonality may provide W .…”

Modulation of trail laying in the ant Lasius neglectus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and its role in the collective selection of a food source

“…Within this group, Lasius neglectus (Van Loon, Boomsma, & Andrasfalvy, 1990) is a major pest that has experienced an extraordinarily rapid diffusion over a large part of Europe in the last two decades (Seifert, ; Tartally, Antonova, Espadaler, Csősz, & Czechowski, ; Ugelvig et al, ). Notwithstanding the low level of its individual fighting ability (Frizzi, Bartalesi, & Santini, ; Santarlasci, Martelloni, Frizzi, Santini, & Bagnoli, ), this species fills a top position in ant competitive hierarchies, mainly due to the huge number of nestmates that can be recruited to monopolise resources (Bertelsmeier, Avril, Blight, Jourdan, & Courchamp, ; Paris & Espadaler, ). In general, the abilities to quickly discover and monopolise resources are crucial traits contributing to the success of invasive species, as has also been documented in Solenopsis invicta (Porter & Savignano, ), Linepithema humile (Holway, ), Formica fuscocinerea (Pohl, Ziemen, & Witte, ) Pheidole megacephala and Anoplolepis gracilipes (Ward & Beggs, ).…”