Impact of invasive little fire ants Wasmannia auropunctata on rainforest soil fauna: implications for conservation of the endangered flightless kagu of New Caledonia

Abstract

The little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, is an invasive species known to negatively affect many native species in its introduced range. Here, we studied the effect of little fire ant presence on the biomass of soil fauna in rainforest of New Caledonia to assess if little fire ants have an impact on an endangered endemic flightless bird, the kagu, Rhynochetos jubatus. The average biomass of soil fauna (except for millipedes) was lower in 53 sample plots with little fire ants than in 597 sample plots without little fire ants and the biomass decreased with increasing density of little fire ant nests. Millipedes on the contrary seemed to be positively impacted as their average biomass was higher in areas with fire ants than in areas without, but even millipede biomass decreased with increasing nest density of fire ants. Kagu density decreased with increasing area of rainforest invaded by little fire ants, suggesting, given their observed negative impact on soil fauna biomass, that they may limit food resources for kagu. Little fire ants might therefore transform rainforest into a less suitable habitat for the kagu by reducing the biomass of their prey and thus have a negative impact for kagu conservation.

Extent and early impacts of France’s first established population of the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata

“…Like the Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta, its environmental impacts seem to be more pronounced than those of other invasive ants (Gruber et al 2022). Wasmannia auropunctata invasion is systematically followed by a reduction in biodiversity, initially through a major decrease in ants and other invertebrates (Vonshak et al 2010, Jourdan et al 2022. Foraging ants also prey on vertebrates, to which they constitute a severe threat (Jourdan et al 2001).…”