Global change drivers synergize with the negative impacts of non-native invasive ants on native seed-dispersing ants

Warren, Robert J.; Frankson, Paul T.; Mohan, Jacqueline E.

doi:10.1007/s10530-022-02943-y

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…Given that we controlled temperature but not non‐native ant access, the S. invicta increase and native ant decrease with warming could simply be correlative with each responding differently with warming. That said, native ant abundance tended to increase with S. invicta abundance, likely indicative of similar responses with resource availability, but that correlation weakened in the warmest plots, suggesting that S. invicta impacts above and beyond that of the artificial warming, which is consistent with previous ant research in the plots (Warren II et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…(b) Continuous interaction plot showing native ant richness as a function of experimental warming (control: +0 C; medium: +3 C; high: +5 C) and Solenopsis invicta abundance.temperature but not non-native ant access, the S. invicta increase and native ant decrease with warming could simply be correlative with each responding differently with warming. That said, native ant abundance tended to increase with S. invicta abundance, likely indicative of similar responses with resource availability, but that correlation weakened in the warmest plots, suggesting that S. invicta impacts above and beyond that of the artificial warming, which is consistent with previous ant research in the plots(Warren II al., 2022).Conversely, B. chinensis exhibited a far narrower phenological foraging window with far fewer workers than S. invicta. Yet, where B. chinensis foraged most, native ant abundance and species richness dropped.…”

supporting

confidence: 88%

“…Solenopsis invicta likely arrived at the study site 2–3 decades before B. chinensis , and one possibility is that the native ant species initially responded negatively to the S. invicta invasion but have recovered whereas we are seeing the front‐end effects of B. chinensis invasion. Brachyponera chinensis appears to extirpate ant species sharing a similar niche where it is well established, such as the native plant seed‐dispersing Aphaenogaster rudis (Rodriguez‐Cabal et al, 2012; Warren II et al, 2020, 2022). Indeed, using tuna baits in some of the same plots used here, Warren II et al (2022) found a similar negative relationship between B. chinensis and A. rudis in forested plots ( A. rudis was not found in the edge plots where S. invicta occurs in either study).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Brachyponera chinensis appears to extirpate ant species sharing a similar niche where it is well established, such as the native plant seed‐dispersing Aphaenogaster rudis (Rodriguez‐Cabal et al, 2012; Warren II et al, 2020, 2022). Indeed, using tuna baits in some of the same plots used here, Warren II et al (2022) found a similar negative relationship between B. chinensis and A. rudis in forested plots ( A. rudis was not found in the edge plots where S. invicta occurs in either study). As such, given the B. chinensis impact at low numbers, the negative effects may increase with time as the species population grows at the study site, though warming did not appear to exacerbate those effects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Warming promotes non‐native invasive ants while inhibiting native ant communities

Merchlinsky,

Frankson,

Gitzen

et al. 2023

Ecological Entomology

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Abstract1. Non‐native species may be the cause of native species declines or an effect of habitat degradations that promote the former and damage the latter. Social insects are extraordinarily successful organisms, and non‐native social insects, such as ants, often are very successful invaders of novel habitats.2. The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) and the Asian needle ant (Brachyponera chinensis) are widespread non‐native invaders in the eastern United States that bring ecological, economic and social impacts, but their putative effects on native ant communities may be concomitant with habitat degradation rather than inherent in their invasion.3. Given this gap in understanding, our goal was to examine how experimental warming influenced native and non‐native ant communities. Specifically, we hypothesised that (a) non‐native ant abundance and species richness will increase in warmed plots and that (b) warming‐induced increases in the non‐native ant populations will correspond with decreases in native ant abundance and species richness.4. To test these hypotheses, we used three levels of experimental forest edge soil warming (warming targeted at +0, +3, and +5°C above ambient soil temperature) in a mixed deciduous forest in the Georgia (USA) Piedmont. We used repeated pitfall trapping to investigate how the experimental warming influenced the composition of native and non‐native ant communities with a focus on how warming combined with S. invicta and B. chinensis invasion impacted native ant communities.5. Our results suggest that experimental warming promoted the non‐native invasive ants, particularly S. invicta and B. chinensis. We also found that B. chinensis somewhat inhibited native ant communities, but not because of warming. The warmed environment benefited both non‐native invasive ants at the expense of native ants but, given that B. chinensis negatively impacted the native ants with far fewer workers than S. invicta, B. chinensis may pose a greater threat to native ant communities than S. invicta in a warmer world.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

supporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Warming promotes non‐native invasive ants while inhibiting native ant communities

Merchlinsky,

Frankson,

Gitzen

et al. 2023

Ecological Entomology

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“…These species are responsible for the decline in native plant populations and the consequent disruption of the frugivorous interaction between birds and plants, facilitating the invasion of other exotic plants [ 48 ]. Other mechanisms include displacing or affecting dispersal behaviors and visitation rates of native dispersers [ 4 , 12 , 13 , 18 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 ], modifying patterns of habitat selection by seed dispersers [ 19 , 57 ], predation of native dispersers [ 58 ], competition for dispersal services by exotic plants [ 59 , 60 ], and reduction in seed dispersal network complexity [ 61 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological Impacts of Exotic Species on Native Seed Dispersal Systems: A Systematic Review

Cordero

Gálvez

Fontúrbel

2023

Plants

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Exotic species are one of the main threats to biodiversity, leading to alterations in the structure and functioning of natural ecosystems. However, they can sometimes also provide ecological services, such as seed dispersal. Therefore, we assessed the ecological impacts of exotic species on native dispersal systems and the mechanisms underlying the disruption of mutualistic plant–disperser interactions. Exotic species negatively affect dispersal mutualisms by (i) altering dispersal behavior and visitation rates of native dispersers, (ii) predating native dispersers, (iii) transmitting forest pathogens, and (iv) predating seeds. Conversely, positive impacts include the dispersal of native plants, forest regeneration, and native habitat restoration via (i) increasing the visitation rates of frugivorous birds, (ii) facilitating the colonization and establishment of native forest trees, (iii) enhancing forest species seedling survival, and (iv) facilitating seed rain and seedling recruitment of early and late successional native plants. The reviewed studies provide similar results in some cases and opposite results in others, even within the same taxa. In almost all cases, exotic species cause negative impacts, although sometimes they are necessary to ensure native species’ persistence. Therefore, exotic species management requires a comprehensive understanding of their ecological roles, since the resulting effects rely on the complexity of native–exotic species interactions.

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Ant-observer: A new approach for automatic acquisition and autonomous analyses of individual species abundance and interactions

Hu,

Bogar,

et al. 2024

Ecological Informatics

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Global change drivers synergize with the negative impacts of non-native invasive ants on native seed-dispersing ants

Cited by 4 publications

References 66 publications

Warming promotes non‐native invasive ants while inhibiting native ant communities

Warming promotes non‐native invasive ants while inhibiting native ant communities

Ecological Impacts of Exotic Species on Native Seed Dispersal Systems: A Systematic Review

Ant-observer: A new approach for automatic acquisition and autonomous analyses of individual species abundance and interactions

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