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

0305660Holway/ suarez这项美国-阿根廷奖将支持加州大学圣地亚哥分校的David A. Holway和伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的Andrew Suarez，他们将与阿根廷布宜诺斯艾利斯国立奎尔梅斯大学的Patricia J. Folgarait博士合作。研究人员正在研究促进阿根廷蚂蚁和火蚁共存的因素，这些蚂蚁和火蚁在广泛的本地栖息地共存。这项工作代表了一个新颖的贡献，因为它研究了在这些分类群共同进化和共存的地区，广泛和重要的入侵者之间竞争相互作用的性质和重要性。大多数关于入侵物种的研究都集中在引进种群上，而不是在它们的原生地区开始研究它们。因此，该项目将为这些物种成为成功入侵者的原因提供基本的理解。美国的Pis在阿根廷蚂蚁入侵的原因和后果方面拥有专业知识。Folgarait博士为这个项目带来了她在火蚁及其近亲方面的专业知识，以及对阿根廷蚂蚁群落的全面了解。双方的学生都将参与这一国际合作。

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.