Dissertation Research: The Causes of Argentine Ant Invasions

小行星9520835 生物入侵为研究自然群落的组织提供了极好的机会。 这项研究使用阿根廷蚂蚁入侵北方加州，以测试有关这些入侵的原因的假设。 第一个目标是通过在20个独立的入侵前沿进行自然轨迹实验，量化不同的生物和非生物因素如何控制入侵率。 由于阿根廷蚂蚁的入侵前沿轮廓分明，而且推进缓慢，因此可以异常清晰地检查这些因素。 特别重要的是确定本地蚂蚁群落的特征是否决定了阿根廷蚂蚁的传播速度。 第二个目标是确定阿根廷蚂蚁取代本地蚂蚁的竞争机制。 短期引进阿根廷蚂蚁在诱饵控制本地蚂蚁将被用来检查阿根廷蚂蚁取代其他物种的机制。 此外，阿根廷蚂蚁的化学防御的排斥性将在实验室实验中进行测试。 生物入侵是大多数生态群落的共同特征。 阿根廷蚂蚁入侵的这项研究应该揭示竞争机制，是共同的其他成功的入侵者，以及一些功能，在其他自然社区的入侵成功。

9520835 FEENER Biological invasions provide excellent opportunities to study the organization of natural communities. This research uses Argentine ant invasions in northern California to test hypotheses concerning the causes of these invasions. The first objective is to quantify how different biotic and abiotic factors control the rate of invasions by conducting a natural trajectory experiment at 20 independent invasion fronts. These factors can be examined with unusual clarity because the invasion fronts of Argentine ants are well delineated and advance slowly. Of particular importance is determining if features of native ant communities govern the rate of spread of Argentine ants. The second objective is to determine the competitive mechanisms whereby Argentine ants displace native ants. Short-term introductions of Argentine ants at baits controlled by native ants will be used to examine mechanisms used by Argentine ants to supplant other species. In addition, the repellency of chemical defenses of the Argentine ants will be tested in laboratory experiments. Biological invasions are a common feature of most ecological communities. This study of invasion by Argentine ants should reveal competitive mechanisms that are common to other successful invaders, as well as some of the features governing invasion success in other natural communities.