scholarly journals Does the decline of red wood ants after clear-cutting favour epigeic arthropods?

2011 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal ZMIHORSKI
Keyword(s):  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants

scholarly journals Consequences of Climate Change-Induced Habitat Conversions on Red Wood Ants in a Central European Mountain: A Case Study

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1677
Author(s):  
Orsolya Juhász ◽  
Ágnes Fürjes-Mikó ◽  
Anna Tenyér ◽  
Anna Ágnes Somogyi ◽  
Dianne Joy Aguilon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Bark Beetle ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Coniferous Forests ◽  
Central European ◽  
Formica Polyctena ◽  
Clear Cutting ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants

The consequences of anthropogenic climate change are one of the major concerns of conservation biology. A cascade of negative effects is expected to affect various ecosystems, one of which is Central European coniferous forests and their unique biota. These coniferous forests are the primary habitat of many forest specialist species such as red wood ants. Climate change-induced rising of temperature allows trees to skip winter hibernation, making them more vulnerable to storms that cause wind felling, and in turn, promotes bark beetle infestations that results in unscheduled clear-cuttings. Red wood ants can also be exposed to such habitat changes. We investigated the effects of bark beetle-induced clear-cutting and the absence of coniferous trees on colonies of Formica polyctena, including a mixed-coniferous forest as a reference. Our aim was to investigate how these habitat features affect the nest characteristics and nesting habits of F. polyctena. Our results indicate that, in the absence of conifers, F. polyctena tend to use different alternatives for nest material, colony structure, and food sources. However, the vitality of F. polyctena colonies significantly decreased (smaller nest mound volumes). Our study highlights the ecological flexibility of this forest specialist and its potential to survive under extreme conditions.

scholarly journals Moving apart together: co-movement of a symbiont community and their ant host, and its importance for community assembly

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Parmentier ◽  
R. Claus ◽  
F. De Laender ◽  
D. Bonte
Keyword(s):  
Community Assembly ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Spatial Dynamics ◽  
Joint Movement ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Ant Nests ◽  
Mobile Species ◽  
Directional Movement ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Red Wood Ant

Abstract Background Species interactions may affect spatial dynamics when the movement of one species is determined by the presence of another one. The most direct species-dependence of dispersal is vectored, usually cross-kingdom, movement of immobile parasites, diseases or seeds by mobile animals. Joint movements of species should, however, not be vectored by definition, as even mobile species are predicted to move together when they are tightly connected in symbiont communities. Methods We studied concerted movements in a diverse and heterogeneous community of arthropods (myrmecophiles) associated with red wood ants. We questioned whether joint-movement strategies eventually determine and speed-up community succession. Results We recorded an astonishingly high number of obligate myrmecophiles outside red wood ant nests. They preferentially co-moved with the host ants as the highest densities were found in locations with the highest density of foraging red wood ants, such as along the network of ant trails. These observations suggest that myrmecophiles resort to the host to move away from the nest, and this to a much higher extent than hitherto anticipated. Interestingly, functional groups of symbionts displayed different dispersal kernels, with predatory myrmecophiles moving more frequently and further from the nest than detritivorous myrmecophiles. We discovered that myrmecophile diversity was lower in newly founded nests than in mature red wood ant nests. Most myrmecophiles, however, were able to colonize new nests fast suggesting that the heterogeneity in mobility does not affect community assembly. Conclusions We show that co-movement is not restricted to tight parasitic, or cross-kingdom interactions. Movement in social insect symbiont communities may be heterogeneous and functional group-dependent, but clearly affected by host movement. Ultimately, this co-movement leads to directional movement and allows a fast colonisation of new patches, but not in a predictable way. This study highlights the importance of spatial dynamics of local and regional networks in symbiont metacommunities, of which those of symbionts of social insects are prime examples.

scholarly journals Foraging loads of red wood ants:Formica aquilonia(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in relation to tree characteristics and stand age

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heloise Gibb ◽  
Jon Andersson ◽  
Therese Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Large Diameter ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Small Diameter ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Resource Quality ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Colony Level

Background.Foraging efficiency is critical in determining the success of organisms and may be affected by a range of factors, including resource distance and quality. For social insects such as ants, outcomes must be considered at the level of both the individual and the colony. It is important to understand whether anthropogenic disturbances, such as forestry, affect foraging loads, independent of effects on the quality and distribution of resources. We asked if ants harvest greater loads from more distant and higher quality resources, how individual efforts scale to the colony level, and whether worker loads are affected by stand age.Methods.First, we performed a fine-scale study examining the effect of distance and resource quality (tree diameter and species) on harvesting of honeydew by red wood ants,Formica aquilonia, in terms of crop load per worker ant and numbers of workers walking up and down each tree (ant activity) (study 1). Second, we modelled what the combination of load and worker number responses meant for colony-level foraging loads. Third, at a larger scale, we asked whether the relationship between worker load and resource quality and distance depended on stand age (study 2).Results.Study 1 revealed that seventy percent of ants descending trees carried honeydew, and the percentage of workers that were honeydew harvesters was not related to tree species or diameter, but increased weakly with distance. Distance positively affected load mass in both studies 1 and 2, while diameter had weak negative effects on load. Relationships between load and distance and diameter did not differ among stands of different ages. Our model showed that colony-level loads declined much more rapidly with distance for small diameter than large diameter trees.Discussion.We suggest that a negative relationship between diameter and honeydew load detected in study 1 might be a result of crowding on large diameter trees close to nests, while the increase in honeydew load with distance may result from resource depletion close to nests. At the colony level, our model suggests that very little honeydew was harvested from more distant trees if they were small, but that more distant larger trees continued to contribute substantially to colony harvest. Although forestry alters the activity and foraging success of red wood ants, study 2 showed that it does not alter the fundamental rules determining the allocation of foraging effort.

scholarly journals Wood Ants: Important Components of the Forest "Immunity System"

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gema Trigos-Peral ◽  
Orsolya Juhász ◽  
Péter János Kiss ◽  
Gábor Módra ◽  
Anna Tenyér ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Biological Pest Control ◽  
European Forests ◽  
Biotic And Abiotic Factors ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Boring

Abstract Climate change is one of the major threats to biodiversity, but its impact varies among the species. Bark beetles (Ips spp.), as well as other wood-boring pests of European forests, show escalating numbers in response to the changes driven by climate change and seriously affect the survival of the forests through the massive killing of trees. Many methods were developed to control these wood-boring beetles, however, their implementation can be detrimental for other forest specialists. Ants are widely used for biological pest-control, so in our study, we aimed to test the effect of F. polyctena on the control of the wood-boring beetles. The results show that the proportion of infested trees is significantly reduced by the increase of the number of F. polyctena nests, with a strong effect on Ips species. We also show that the boring beetle community is shaped by different biotic and abiotic factors, including the presence of F. polyctena nests. However, the boring beetle infestation was not related to the latitude, altitude and age of the forests. Based on our results, we assert the effectiveness of the red wood ants as biological pest control and the importance of their conservation to keep the health of the forests.

Seasonal Changes in Sugar and Amino Acid Preference in Red Wood Ants of The Formica rufa Group

Sociobiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 144
Author(s):  
Natalia E.L. Madsen ◽  
Joachim Offenberg
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Sugar Solution ◽  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group ◽  
Mutualistic Relationship

Red wood ants of the Formica rufa group are important ecosystem engineers throughout the Northern Hemisphere with potential to be commercially produced and used as predatory agents in biological control programs. However, in order to do that, their mutualistic relationship with aphids needs to be disrupted. This may be achieved by developing artificial sugar-based solutions with a composition that makes them more attractive than aphid honeydew. The present field study investigated Formica rufa’s preference for several sugar and amino acid sources, as well as potential seasonal changes in these preferences. Red wood ants consistently preferred sucrose to monosaccharides and were most attracted to solutions containing an amino acid source, albeit seasonal differences were observed with regard to which amino acid sources were most preferred. Recruitment to offered sugar solutions was highest during July, when colony requirements were high, and during October, when alternative food sources were scarce. Since ant preference for sugar solution constituents seems to be species-specific and show seasonal dynamics, artificial food aimed at disrupting ant-aphid mutualisms should be tailored to individual species and seasons.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document