Dissertation Research: The Causes of Argentine Ant Invasions

9520835费纳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在加利福尼亚州北部的入侵来检验关于这些入侵原因的假设。第一个目标是通过在20个独立的入侵前线进行自然轨迹实验，量化不同的生物和非生物因素如何控制入侵速度。这些因素可以异常清晰地加以研究，因为阿根廷蚂蚁的入侵前线被很好地描绘出来，而且进展缓慢。特别重要的是确定本地蚂蚁群落的特征是否控制着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。阿根廷蚂蚁在本地蚂蚁控制的诱饵上的短期引入将被用来检查阿根廷蚂蚁用来取代其他物种的机制。此外，阿根廷蚂蚁的化学防御能力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。这项关于阿根廷蚂蚁入侵的研究应该揭示其他成功的入侵者所共有的竞争机制，以及其他自然群落入侵成功的一些特征。

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.