Las hormigas (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) asociadas a pulgones (Hemiptera, Aphididae) en la provincia de Valencia

Suay-Cano, V. A.; Tinaut, Alberto; Selfa, Jesús

doi:10.3989/graellsia.2002.v58.i1.264

Cited by 12 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This occurs in non ant-tended aphid species (Skinner and Whittaker 1981;Sunderland 1988;Bristow 1991). However, this is very unlikely in the present study as all aphid species in citrus canopies are ant-tended (Suay-Cano et al 2002;García Prieto et al 2005), and during the five years of study we never witnessed any ant predating on aphids.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

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Effects of the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs on aphid abundance in an organic citrus grove

Piñol

Espadaler

Cañellas³

et al. 2008

BioControl

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Based on the well-known mutualism between ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae), we conducted a five-year experiment of ant-exclusion from the canopies of citrus trees as a possible method of biological control of aphids. However, our results showed that the exclusion of ants from the canopies increased, instead of reducing, aphid abundance. To explain this unexpected result, we reasoned that the exclusion of ants from the canopies might also have excluded crawling insects that prey on aphids, such as the European earwig (Forficula auricularia L., Dermaptera: Forficulidae). Such a possibility is supported by the negative relationship between aphid density and the abundance of earwigs, consistent with a top-down control of aphids by earwigs. In contrast, the abundance of other aphid predators (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae, and Heteroptera) had no such negative effect on aphid density but a positive one, suggesting a bottom-up control, and showed no differences between control and ant-excluded trees. Thus, the most likely explanation for the increase in aphid abundance in the ant-excluded trees is the absence of earwigs from the canopies of the experimental trees, providing further evidence of the major role that earwigs play as control agents of aphids in cultivated trees.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…In addition, about 30 more vagrant (and non citrus feeding) aphid species were found during the five years of the study (data not shown). All seven named species of aphids are ant-tended to some degree (Suay-Cano et al 2002;García Prieto et al 2005).…”

Section: Aphid and Ant Speciesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Effects of the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs on aphid abundance in an organic citrus grove

Piñol

Espadaler

Cañellas³

et al. 2008

BioControl

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“…There are other variables that may also affect the distribution of ants. In this respect, feeding habits should be considered because many species of ants establish a close relationship with R. sphaerocarpa , either attending aphids (for example the arboreal Camponotus lateralis (Olivier, 1792), or T. nigerrimum , one of the most abundant species) (Suay‐Cano et al . 2002), or feeding on their seeds, such as M. barbarus and M. bouvieri (Hensen 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant community structure under Retama sphaerocarpa shrubs in a semi‐arid environment

Carpintero

Reyes-López

Luque³

2011

Entomological Science

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The Tabernas Desert (Spain) is an emblematic area as it constitutes, strictly speaking, the only European desert. Under the canopy of one of the dominant shrub species, Retama sphaerocarpa, there are different microhabitat conditions that encourage the growing of a dense understory of herbs (fertile islands). However, these changes may not be enough to be also reflected in the fauna. Studying ants as bioindicators, we found higher densities of individuals and species richness below the canopy than outside it. However, while the density of individuals increased from outside the canopy to the inner position under the shrubs, species richness increased from the inner to the border position under the canopy and abruptly decreased outside it. This is because the inner positions were usually monopolized by dominant ants with populous nests that feed on aphid honeydew, such as Monomorium subopacum or Tapinoma nigerrimum. Granivorous species (genus Messor) were usually found in intermediate positions under the canopy, taking advantage of the better microclimatic conditions but close to the grass for feeding. Among the most abundant species, the only one found mainly outside the influence of the retama shrubs was the thermophilic insectivorous Cataglyphis ibericus.

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“…The higher abundance of aphids in ant-excluded than in control trees is more difficult to explain for three reasons: (i) the most abundant ant in the canopies was Lasius grandis, an aphid-tending specialist (Paris & Espadaler, 2009); (ii) all aphid species (the most abundant ones were Aphis spiraecola Patch and A. gossypii Glover) found in the grove are ant tended (Suay-Cano et al, 2002); and (iii) carnivores as a whole and several groups of arthropods that contain important aphid predators were also more abundant in ant-excluded trees. The most likely explanation for this phenomenon is the concurrent exclusion of earwigs with ants.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant versus bird exclusion effects on the arthropod assemblage of an organic citrus grove

Piñol

Espadaler

Cañellas³

et al. 2010

Ecological Entomology

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1. Predation-exclusion experiments have highlighted that top-down control is pervasive in terrestrial communities, but most of these experiments are simplistic in that they only excluded a single group of predators and the effect of removal was evaluated on a few species from the community. The main goal of our study was to experimentally establish the relative effects of ants and birds on the same arthropod assemblage of canopy trees.2. We conducted 1-year long manipulative experiments in an organic citrus grove intended to quantify the independent effects of bird and ant predators on the abundance of arthropods. Birds were excluded with plastic nets whereas ants were excluded with sticky barriers on the trunks. The sticky barrier also excluded other ground dwelling insects, like the European earwig Forficula auricularia L.3. Both the exclusion of ants and birds affected the arthropod community of the citrus canopies, but the exclusion of ants was far more important than the exclusion of birds. Indeed, almost all groups of arthropods had higher abundance in ant-excluded than in control trees, whereas only dermapterans were more abundant in bird-excluded than in control trees. A more detailed analysis conducted on spiders also showed that the effect of ant exclusion was limited to a few families rather than being widespread over the entire diverse spectrum of spiders.4. Our results suggest that the relative importance of vertebrate and invertebrate predators in regulating arthropod populations largely depends on the nature of the predator-prey system.

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Las hormigas (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) asociadas a pulgones (Hemiptera, Aphididae) en la provincia de Valencia

Cited by 12 publications

References 8 publications

Effects of the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs on aphid abundance in an organic citrus grove

Effects of the concurrent exclusion of ants and earwigs on aphid abundance in an organic citrus grove

Ant community structure under Retama sphaerocarpa shrubs in a semi‐arid environment

Ant versus bird exclusion effects on the arthropod assemblage of an organic citrus grove

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