U.S.-Argentina Collaborative Research Program: Factors Promoting Coexistence Between Sympatric Native Populations of Argentine Ants and Fire Ants

0305660 Holway/Suarez美国-阿根廷奖将支持博士。大卫A。霍尔韦，加州大学，圣地亚哥和安德鲁苏亚雷斯，伊利诺伊大学，厄巴纳-香槟分校，谁将与帕特里夏J. Folgarait博士在阿根廷布宜诺斯艾利斯国立基尔梅斯大学合作。 研究人员正在研究促进阿根廷蚂蚁和火蚁在广泛的本土同域区共存的因素。 这项工作是一个新的贡献，它探讨了广泛和重要的入侵者之间的竞争相互作用的性质和重要性，这些类群的发展和共存的地区。 大多数关于入侵物种的研究都集中在引入的种群上，而不是在它们的原生区域开始研究它们。 因此，这个项目将提供关于为什么这些物种成为成功的入侵者的基本理解。Uidoss. Pis拥有阿根廷蚂蚁入侵的原因和后果的专业知识。 Folgarait博士将她在火蚁及其蚤蝇方面的专业知识带到了这个项目中，并全面了解了阿根廷的蚂蚁社区。 双方的学生将参与这项国际合作。

0305660Holway/SuarezThis U.S.-Argentina award will support Drs. David A. Holway, University of California, San Diego and Andrew Suarez, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, who will work in collaboration with Dr. Patricia J. Folgarait at Universidad Nacional de Quilmes in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The researchers are working on factors promoting coexistence between sympatric, native populations of Argentina ants and fire ants across an extensive region of native-range sympatry. This work represents a novel contribution in that it examines the nature and importance of competitive interactions between widespread and important invaders in areas where these taxa evolved and coexist together. Most research on invasive species focuses on introduced populations, rather than starting to study them at the beginning in their native regions. This project will therefore provide the basic understanding on why these species become successful invaders.The U.S. Pis have expertise on the causes and consequences of Argentine ant invasions. Dr. Folgarait brings her expertise in fire ants and their phorids to this project as well as a comprehensive understanding of the ant communities of Argentina. Students from both sides will be involved in this international collaboration.