ORCID Profile
0000-0001-5137-5185
Current Organisations
James Cook University
,
University of California
,
Boston University
,
Cornell University
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Community Ecology | Plant Physiology | Ecological applications | Ecological Impacts of Climate Change | Ecology | Invertebrate Biology | Ecological Applications | Horticultural crop protection (incl. pests diseases and weeds) | Biosecurity science and invasive species ecology | Sociology and social studies of science and technology | Behavioural Ecology |
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Ecosystem Adaptation to Climate Change | Control of Animal Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species in Forest and Woodlands Environments | Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas in Forest and Woodlands Environments | Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Forest and Woodlands Environments | Forest and Woodlands Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity
Related Links
Publications
Increased risk of lymphoid and nonlymphoid malignancies in patients with lymphomatoid papulosis
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-1999
DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19991001)86:7<1240::AID-CNCR19>3.0.CO;2-X
Strategies of the invasive tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata) to minimize inbreeding costs
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-03-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-019-41031-5
Abstract: How invasive species overcome challenges associated with low genetic ersity is unclear. Invasive ant populations with low genetic ersity sometimes produce sterile diploid males, which do not contribute to colony labour or reproductive output. We investigated how inbreeding affects colony founding and potential strategies to overcome its effects in the invasive tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata . Our genetic analyses of field s les revealed that 13–100% of males per colony (n = 8 males per 10 colonies) were diploid, and that all newly mated queens (n = 40) were single-mated. Our laboratory experiment in which we assigned newly mated queens to nests consisting of 1, 2, 3, or 5 queens (n = 95 ± 9 replicates) revealed that pleometrosis (queens founding their nest together) and diploid male larvae execution can compensate for diploid male load. The proportion of diploid male producing (DMP) colonies was 22.4%, and DMP colonies produced fewer pupae and adult workers than non-DMP colonies. Pleometrosis significantly increased colony size. Queens executed their diploid male larvae in 43.5% of the DMP colonies, and we hypothesize that cannibalism benefits incipient colonies because queens can redirect nutrients to worker brood. Pleometrosis and cannibalism of diploid male larvae represent strategies through which invasive ants can successfully establish despite high inbreeding.
Invasive ants: Unwanted partners in ant-plant interactions?
Publisher: JSTOR
Date: 2003
DOI: 10.2307/3298529
Contrasting effects of an invasive ant on a native and an invasive plant
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-01-2010
Development and testing of a standardized method to estimate honeydew production
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 15-08-2018
Benefits of tree mixes in carbon plantings
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-09-2013
DOI: 10.1038/NCLIMATE1862
High invasive ant activity drives predation of a native butterfly larva
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2016
DOI: 10.1111/BTP.12284
Epidemiology of lymphomatoid papulosis
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-12-1992
DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19921215)70:12<2951::AID-CNCR2820701236>3.0.CO;2-7
Abstract: Lymphomatoid papulosis is a rare skin disease with malignant potential. Its epidemiology is largely unknown. A case-control study of lymphomatoid papulosis was done to characterize the patient population and investigate the risk factors for its development. Fifty-seven patients with biopsy-proven lymphomatoid papulosis and 67 in idually matched control subjects who were recruited among relatives and acquaintances of the patients answered a standard questionnaire over the telephone. Among patients with lymphomatoid papulosis, 3 had a history of Hodgkin disease, 3 had non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 10 had mycosis fungoides none of the control subjects reported such histories. No significant differences were observed between patients and control subjects in regard to residence or travel history or exposures to various physical, chemical, and biologic agents. A higher, although not statistically significant, percentage of patients than control subjects reported a history of radiation therapy and nonlymphoid malignant lesions. No differences were found between patients and control subjects in regard to other medical conditions or family medical history. Patients with lymphomatoid papulosis have a significantly increased frequency of prior or coexisting lymphoproliferative disorders, an increased frequency of nonlymphoid malignant lesions, and exposure to radiation therapy.
NAVKIDS2 trial: a multi-centre, waitlisted randomised controlled trial of a patient navigator intervention in children with chronic kidney disease — statistical analysis plan and update to the protoco
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-09-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S13063-022-06783-Y
Abstract: This update summarises key changes made to the protocol since the publication of the original protocol for the NAVKIDS 2 trial of patient navigators for children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experiencing social disadvantage and provides the statistical analysis plan (SAP) which has not previously been published. The original protocol was published in BMC Nephrology ( 0.1186/s12882-019-1325-y ) prior to the commencement of trial recruitment. During the course of the trial, some key methodological changes needed to be made including changes to eligibility criteria (addition of patients with CKD stages 1–2, broadening of financial status eligibility criterion, addition of patients living in rural/remote areas, modification of age eligibility to 0–16 years, addition of limits related to the language spoken by family, guidance regarding families with multiple eligible children), changes to sites, reduction of s le size, addition of virtual options for consent and study procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, removal of staggered recruitment across sites, addition of outcomes, and changes to the timing and number of assessments. This update summarises the changes made and their rationale and provides the detailed plan for statistical analysis of the trial. These changes have been finalised prior to the completion of study follow-up and the commencement of data analysis. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12618001152213 . Prospectively registered on 12 July 2018
An Epiphytic Ant-Plant Mutualism Structures Arboreal Ant Communities
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-07-2019
DOI: 10.1093/EE/NVZ083
Abstract: Arboreal ant communities are primarily structured by interactions among ant species, food availability, and physical structures within the environment. Epiphytes are a common feature of tropical forests that can provide ants with both food and nesting space. To date, little work has examined what role epiphytic ant-plants play in structuring arboreal ant communities. We surveyed ant species inhabiting the Australian epiphytic ant-plant Myrmecodia beccarii Hook.f. (Gentianales: Rubiaceae) and how arboreal ant communities are structured in relation to M. beccarii presence on trees. Myrmecodia beccarii was inhabited by the ant Philidris cordata Smith, F. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on the majority of Melaleuca viridiflora Sol. Ex Gaertn. (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) trees with ant-occupied ant-plants at our two sites. Dominant arboreal ant species at both study sites exhibited discrete, nonoverlapping distributions, and C-score analysis detected an ant mosaic at one site. The distribution of P. cordata was limited by the distribution of ant-plants for both sites. Philidris cordata dominance on trees was also determined by the presence of M. beccarii occupied by P. cordata at both sites. We suggest that by providing P. cordata with nesting space M. beccarii plays a role in structuring these arboreal ant communities.
Interference and exploitation competition of three nectar-thieving invasive ant species
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-2005
Invasive terrestrial invertebrate detection in water and soil using a targeted eDNA approach
Publisher: Pensoft Publishers
Date: 03-04-2202
DOI: 10.3897/NEOBIOTA.83.98898
Abstract: Terrestrial invasive invertebrates can rapidly colonise new areas, causing detrimental effects on bio ersity, economy and lifestyle. Targeted environmental DNA (eDNA) methods could constitute an early detection tool given their sensitivity to small numbers of in iduals. We hypothesised that terrestrial runoff would transport eDNA from the land into adjacent waterbodies and used the invasive yellow crazy ant ( Anoplolepis gracilipes ) as a model species to test this hypothesis. We collected water s les from four waterbodies adjacent (& 10 m from the creek edge) to infestations following rainfall events for eDNA analysis. We also collected soil s les from areas of known infestations and tested five eDNA extraction methods to determine their efficiency to extract eDNA from soil. Water s les resulted in positive yellow crazy ant eDNA lification (20–100% field replicates across all sites), even at one site located 300 m away from where ants had been detected visually. Soil s les resulted in a higher percentage of false negatives when s led from ant transit areas than from nest entrances. Unpurified DNA extracts from soil also resulted in false negative detections and only after applying a purification step of DNA extracts, did we detect yellow crazy ant eDNA in 40–100% of field replicates across all methods and sites. This is the first study to empirically show that eDNA from a terrestrial invertebrate can be successfully isolated and lified from adjacent or downstream waterbodies. Our results indicate that eDNA has the potential to be a useful method for detecting terrestrial invertebrates from soil and water.
Argentine ants displace floral arthropods
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-08-2008
Fauna and Novel Ecosystems
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-01-2013
Are invasive ants better plant-defense mutualists? A comparison of foliage patrolling and herbivory in sites with invasive yellow crazy ants and native weaver ants
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-12-2011
Islands: Where Novelty is the Norm
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-01-2013
Origins of the Novel Ecosystems Concept
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-01-0001
Previous diet affects the amount but not the type of bait consumed by an invasive ant
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-03-2019
DOI: 10.1002/PS.5365
Abstract: Recent research on multiple invasive ant species has revealed the importance of carbohydrates for achieving high activity levels and outcompeting native ants. However, comparatively little is known about the role of diet and macronutrient preferences for uptake of insecticidal baits used to control invasive ants. We tested whether diet affected yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes Fr Smith) survival and behavior, and whether bait preference would be complementary to past diet. We found that colonies fed only crickets for 28 days had fewer live workers and queens, and less brood per live queen than colonies fed crickets + honeydew but did not differ significantly from colonies fed only honeydew. Colonies that had been fed only crickets were more active (as assessed by interaction with a novel object), retrieved 16-17 times more bait per worker overall, and consumed more of the six bait types than cricket + honeydew and honeydew-only fed colonies. However, prior diet did not affect bait choice. The two highest sugar bait formulations combined accounted for most of the bait consumed across all treatments (cricket-only 74.8% ± 28.1 cricket + honeydew 69.2% ± 12.4 honeydew-only 62.5% ± 30.4). Yellow crazy ant colonies fare better without protein than without carbohydrates. Yellow crazy ants ate the most bait when fed only crickets but did not choose baits complementary to their previous diet. Baits in a sugar-rich carrier may be most effective for the control of yellow crazy ants, regardless of the relative availability of macronutrients. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.
Origin, behaviour, and genetics of reproductive workers in an invasive ant
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 11-02-2021
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-107293/V2
Abstract: Background: Worker reproduction has an important influence on the social cohesion and efficiency of social insect colonies, but its role in the success of invasive ants has been neglected. We used observations of 233 captive colonies, laboratory experiments, and genetic analyses to investigate the conditions for worker reproduction in the invasive Anoplolepis gracilipes (yellow crazy ant) and its potential cost on interspecific defence. We determined the prevalence of worker production of males and whether it is triggered by queen absence whether physogastric workers with enlarged abdomens are more likely to be reproductive, how normal workers and physogastric workers compare in their contributions to foraging and defence and whether worker-produced males and males that could have been queen- or worker-produced differ in their size and heterozygosity. Results: Sixty-six of our 233 captive colonies produced males, and in 25 of these, some males could only have been produced by workers. Colonies with more workers were more likely to produce males, especially for queenless colonies. The average number of days between the first appearance of eggs and adult males in our colonies was 54.1± 10.2 (mean ± SD, n=20). In our laboratory experiment, queen removal triggered an increase in the proportion of physogastric workers. Physogastric workers were more likely to have yolky oocytes (37-54.9%) than normal workers (2-25.6%), which is an indicator of fertile or trophic egg production. Physogastric workers were less aggressive during interspecific aggression tests and foraged less than normal workers. The head width and wing length of worker-produced males were on average 4.0% and 4.3% greater respectively than those of males of undetermined source. Our microsatellite DNA analyses indicate that 5.5% of worker-produced males and 14.3% of males of undetermined source were heterozygous, which suggests the presence of diploid males and/or genetic mosaics in A. gracilipes . Conclusions: Our experimental work provides crucial information on worker reproduction in A. gracilipes and its potential cost to colony defence. The ability of A. gracilipes workers to produce males in the absence of queens may also contribute to its success as an invasive species if intranidal mating can take place between virgin queens and worker-produced males.
Woody plant richness does not influence invertebrate community reassembly trajectories in a tree diversity experiment
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-01-2017
DOI: 10.1002/ECY.1662
Abstract: Understanding the relationship between plant ersity and ersity at higher trophic levels is important from both conservation and restoration perspectives. Although there is strong evidence for bottom-up maintenance of bio ersity, this is based largely on studies of simplified grassland systems. Recently, studies in the TreeDivNet global network of tree ersity experiments have begun to test whether these findings are generalizable to more complex ecosystems, such as woodlands. We monitored invertebrate community reassembly over 5 yr of experimental woodland restoration at the TreeDivNet Ridgefield site in southwest Australia, testing the effects of woody plant species richness and herb-layer manipulation on invertebrate community structure and ant species composition. From 2010 to 2014, we s led ground-dwelling invertebrates using pitfall traps in herbicide vs. no-herbicide subplots nested within each of 10 woody plant treatments varying in richness from zero (bare controls) to eight species, which produced a total of 211, 235 invertebrates, including 98, 979 ants belonging to 74 species. In mixed model analyses, the presence of woody plants was an important driver of faunal community reassembly (relative to bare control plots), but faunal responses to woody plant treatment combinations were idiosyncratic and unrelated to woody plant richness across treatments. We also found that a herbicide-induced reduction in herbaceous plant cover and richness had a positive effect on ant richness and caused more rapid convergence of invertebrate community composition toward the composition of a woodland reference site. These findings show that woody plant richness did not have direct positive effects on the ersity and community reassembly trajectories of higher trophic levels in our woodland system. From a management perspective, this suggests that even low- ersity restoration or carbon sequestration plantings can potentially lead to faunal reassembly outcomes that are comparable to more complex re-planting designs.
The Ridgefield Multiple Ecosystem Services Experiment: Can restoration of former agricultural land achieve multiple outcomes?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2012
Supplementary material 1 from: Lach L, Hoffmann BD, Moir ML (2020) Native and non-native sources of carbohydrate correlate with abundance of an invasive ant. NeoBiota 63: 155-175. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.63.57925
Publisher: Pensoft Publishers
Date: 17-12-2020
Ants As Mutualists
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 18-11-2010
Alien invertebrate animals in South Africa
Publisher: CRC Press
Date: 13-06-2002
A mutualism with a native membracid facilitates pollinator displacement by Argentine ants
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2007
DOI: 10.1890/06-1767.1
Abstract: The loss of bio ersity and associated ecosystem services are major threats posed by the spread of alien invasive species. Invasive ants are frequently associated with declines in the ersity of ground-dwelling arthropods but also may affect plants through their attraction to floral nectar and tending of hemipterans. Protea nitida is a tree native to the South African fynbos that hosts a native membracid, Beaufortiana sp., which is tended by ants. Here I compare Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) to native ants in their attraction to P. nitida inflorescences in the presence and absence of the membracid, and their effects on other floral arthropod visitors, seed set, and ovule predation. Argentine ant discovery of inflorescences increased at least 13-fold when membracids were present on the branch, whereas native ant discovery of inflorescences was only doubled by membracid presence at one site in one study year and was unaffected in the other three site-years. Excluding Argentine ants from inflorescences resulted in an increase in several arthropod taxa and potential pollinators native ant exclusion had no positive effects. Thus the mutualism between Argentine ants and the membracid is facilitating pollinator deterrence by the ants. Though Argentine ants were not associated with a decline in P. nitida seed set or ovule predation, declines in generalist insect pollinators may have ramifications for the 83% of fynbos plants that are insect pollinated. Pitfall traps showed that Argentine ants were not more abundant than native ants in non-invaded sites. Focusing only on abundance on the ground and displacement of ground-dwelling arthropod fauna may lead to an underestimate of the effects of invasive ants on their adopted communities.
Food preference and reproductive plasticity in an invasive freshwater snail
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2000
Herbivory-induced extrafloral nectar increases native and invasive ant worker survival
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-01-2009
Consistent patterns of fungal communities within ant-plants across a large geographic range strongly suggest a multipartite mutualism
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-2021
DOI: 10.1007/S11557-021-01690-Z
Abstract: In recent decades, multipartite mutualisms involving microorganisms such as fungi have been discovered in associations traditionally thought of as bipartite. Ant-plant mutualisms were long thought to be bipartite despite fungi being noticed in an epiphytic ant-plant over 100 years ago. We sequenced fungal DNA from the three distinct domatium chambers of the epiphytic ant-plant Myrmecodia beccarii to establish if fungal communities differ by chamber type across five geographic locations spanning 675 km. The three chamber types serve different ant-associated functions including ‘waste’ chambers, where ant workers deposit waste ‘nursery’ chambers, where the brood is kept and ‘ventilation’ chambers, that allow air into the domatium. Overall, fungi from the order Chaetothyriales dominated the chambers in terms of the proportion of operational taxonomic units (OTUs 13.4%) and sequence abundances of OTUs (28% of the total) however a large portion of OTUs (28%) were unidentified at the order level. Notably, the fungal community in the waste chambers differed consistently from the nursery and ventilation chambers across all five locations. We identified 13 fungal OTUs as ‘common’ in the waste chambers that were rare or in very low sequence abundance in the other two chambers. Fungal communities in the nursery and ventilation chambers overlapped more than either did with the waste chambers but were also distinct from each other. Differences in dominance of the common OTUs drove the observed patterns in the fungal communities for each of the chamber types. This suggests a multipartite mutualism involving fungi exists in this ant-plant and that the role of fungi differs among chamber types.
Consequences of Ant Invasions
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 18-11-2010
Managing the whole landscape: Historical, hybrid, and novel ecosystems
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2014
DOI: 10.1890/130300
Origin, behaviour, and genetics of reproductive workers in an invasive ant
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-03-2023
DOI: 10.1186/S12983-021-00392-2
Abstract: Worker reproduction has an important influence on the social cohesion and efficiency of social insect colonies, but its role in the success of invasive ants has been neglected. We used observations of 233 captive colonies, laboratory experiments, and genetic analyses to investigate the conditions for worker reproduction in the invasive Anoplolepis gracilipes (yellow crazy ant) and its potential cost on interspecific defence. We determined the prevalence of worker production of males and whether it is triggered by queen absence whether physogastric workers with enlarged abdomens are more likely to be reproductive, how normal workers and physogastric workers compare in their contributions to foraging and defence and whether worker-produced males and males that could have been queen- or worker-produced differ in their size and heterozygosity. Sixty-six of our 233 captive colonies produced males, and in 25 of these, some males could only have been produced by workers. Colonies with more workers were more likely to produce males, especially for queenless colonies. The average number of days between the first appearance of eggs and adult males in our colonies was 54.1 ± 10.2 (mean ± SD, n = 20). In our laboratory experiment, queen removal triggered an increase in the proportion of physogastric workers. Physogastric workers were more likely to have yolky oocytes (37–54.9%) than normal workers (2–25.6%), which is an indicator of fertile or trophic egg production. Physogastric workers were less aggressive during interspecific aggression tests and foraged less than normal workers. The head width and wing length of worker-produced males were on average 4.0 and 4.3% greater respectively than those of males of undetermined source. Our microsatellite DNA analyses indicate that 5.5% of worker-produced males and 14.3% of males of undetermined source were heterozygous, which suggests the presence of diploid males and/or genetic mosaics in A. gracilipes . Our experimental work provides crucial information on worker reproduction in A. gracilipes and its potential cost to colony defence. The ability of A. gracilipes workers to produce males in the absence of queens may also contribute to its success as an invasive species if intranidal mating can take place between virgin queens and worker-produced males.
Using plant distributions to predict the current and future range of a rare lizard
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-01-2201
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.12050
Dominance–diversity relationships in ant communities differ with invasion
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-06-2018
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.14331
Abstract: The relationship between levels of dominance and species richness is highly contentious, especially in ant communities. The dominance-impoverishment rule states that high levels of dominance only occur in species-poor communities, but there appear to be many cases of high levels of dominance in highly erse communities. The extent to which dominant species limit local richness through competitive exclusion remains unclear, but such exclusion appears more apparent for non-native rather than native dominant species. Here we perform the first global analysis of the relationship between behavioral dominance and species richness. We used data from 1,293 local assemblages of ground-dwelling ants distributed across five continents to document the generality of the dominance-impoverishment rule, and to identify the biotic and abiotic conditions under which it does and does not apply. We found that the behavioral dominance- ersity relationship varies greatly, and depends on whether dominant species are native or non-native, whether dominance is considered as occurrence or relative abundance, and on variation in mean annual temperature. There were declines in ersity with increasing dominance in invaded communities, but ersity increased with increasing dominance in native communities. These patterns occur along the global temperature gradient. However, positive and negative relationships are strongest in the hottest sites. We also found that climate regulates the degree of behavioral dominance, but differently from how it shapes species richness. Our findings imply that, despite strong competitive interactions among ants, competitive exclusion is not a major driver of local richness in native ant communities. Although the dominance-impoverishment rule applies to invaded communities, we propose an alternative dominance- ersification rule for native communities.
Native and non-native sources of carbohydrate correlate with abundance of an invasive ant
Publisher: Pensoft Publishers
Date: 17-12-2020
DOI: 10.3897/NEOBIOTA.63.57925
Abstract: Invasive species threaten many ecological communities and predicting which communities and sites are invasible remains a key goal of invasion ecology. Although invasive ants often reach high abundances in association with plant-based carbohydrate resources, the source and provenance of these resources are rarely investigated. We characterized carbohydrate resources across ten sites with a range of yellow crazy ant abundance in Arnhem Land, Australia and New Caledonia to determine whether yellow crazy ant ( Anoplolepis gracilipes ) abundance and trophic position correlate with carbohydrate availability, as well as the relative importance of native and non-native sources of carbohydrates to ant diet. In both locations, measures of yellow crazy ant abundance strongly positively correlated with carbohydrate availability, particularly honeydew production, the number of tended hemipterans, and the number of plants with tended hemipterans. In Arnhem Land, 99.6% of honeydew came from native species, whereas in New Caledonia, only 0.2% of honeydew was produced by a native hemipteran. More honeydew was available in Australia due to three common large-bodied species of Auchenorrhyncha honeydew producers (treehoppers and leafhoppers). Yellow crazy ant trophic position declined with increasing yellow crazy ant abundance indicating that in greater densities the ants are obtaining more of their diet from plant-derived resources, including honeydew and extrafloral nectar. The relationships between yellow crazy ant abundance and carbohydrate availability could not be explained by any of the key environmental variables we measured at our study sites. Our results demonstrate that the positive correlation between yellow crazy ant abundance and honeydew production is not contingent upon the provenance of the hemipterans. Native sources of carbohydrate may play an underappreciated role in greatly increasing community invasibility by ants.
Genome-wide SNPs reveal the social structure and invasion pathways of the invasive tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata)
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 21-07-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.07.20.500883
Abstract: Elucidating invasion pathways of invasive species is often challenging because invasive populations frequently have low genetic ersity caused by genetic bottlenecks during introduction events. Genome-wide sequencing such as Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing (RADseq) can overcome these challenges by generating thousands of genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers. The tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata , is a global invader with low genetic ersity in its introduced range, making RADseq one of the best available methods to investigate its population genetics. We used double digest RADseq to generate 3,834 SNPs to compare the genetic ersity of S. geminata in its introduced range to its most likely source of introduction, determined the invasion pathways among populations at an unprecedented level of detail for this species, and determined the social structure of S. geminata workers collected in 13 locations worldwide. We found that introduced S. geminata went through a strong genetic bottleneck. We also identified multiple secondary introduction events among S. geminata populations, indicating that the bridgehead effect is an important driver in the global spread of this species. We found that all colonies in the introduced range were polygyne (i.e., with more than one queen) which may increase their invasion success and potential to cause adverse effects.
Synthesis and Perspectives
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 18-11-2010
Native turncoats and indirect facilitation of species invasions
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 24-01-2018
Abstract: At local scales, native species can resist invasion by feeding on and competing with would-be invasive species. However, this relationship tends to break down or reverse at larger scales. Here, we consider the role of native species as indirect facilitators of invasion and their potential role in this ersity-driven ‘invasion paradox’. We coin the term ‘native turncoats’ to describe native facilitators of non-native species and identify eight ways they may indirectly facilitate species invasion. Some are commonly documented, while others, such as indirect interactions within competitive communities, are largely undocumented in an invasion context. Therefore, we use models to evaluate the likelihood that these competitive interactions influence invasions. We find that native turncoat effects increase with the number of resources and native species. Furthermore, our findings suggest the existence, abundance and effectiveness of native turncoats in a community could greatly influence invasion success at large scales.
Epiphytic ant‐plant obtains nitrogen from both native and invasive ant inhabitants
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-04-2022
DOI: 10.1111/BTP.13104
Abstract: Ant‐plants have been extensively used as model systems in the study of the evolution and ecology of mutualisms. Using a 15 N isotope labeling experiment, we found that both a native ant mutualist ( Philidris cordata ) and an invasive ant ( Pheidole megacephala ) provide nitrogen to the Australian ant‐plant Myrmecodia beccarii .
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Pollen Foraging Reflects Benefits Dependent on Individual Infection Status
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-01-2018
DOI: 10.1007/S00248-018-1147-7
Abstract: Parasites often modify host foraging behavior, for ex le, by spurring changes to nutrient intake ratios or triggering self-medication. The gut parasite, Nosema ceranae, increases energy needs of the European or Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), but little is known about how infection affects foraging behavior. We used a combination of experiments and observations of caged and free-flying in idual bees and hives to determine how N. ceranae affects honey bee foraging behavior. In an experiment with caged bees, we found that infected bees with access to a high-quality pollen were more likely to survive than infected bees with access to a lower quality pollen or no pollen. Non-infected bees showed no difference in survival with pollen quality. We then tested free-flying bees in an arena of artificial flowers and found that pollen foraging bees chose pollen commensurate with their infection status twice as many infected bees selected the higher quality pollen than the lower quality pollen, while healthy bees showed no preference between pollen types. However, healthy and infected bees visited sucrose and pollen flowers in the same proportions. Among hive-level observations, we found no significant correlations between N. ceranae infection intensity in the hive and the proportion of bees returning with pollen. Our results indicate that N. ceranae-infected bees benefit from increased pollen quality and will selectively forage for higher quality while foraging for pollen, but infection status does not lead to increased pollen foraging at either the in idual or hive levels.
Evaluation of Road Infrastructure Projects: A Life Cycle Sustainability-Based Decision-Making Approach
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 27-03-2021
DOI: 10.3390/SU13073743
Abstract: Economic growth, social wellbeing, and infrastructure are strongly interrelated and jointly contribute to national development. Therefore, evaluation and selection of a road infrastructure project direly need a comprehensive sustainability assessment integrating holistic decision criteria. This study presents an elaborate life cycle sustainability-based project evaluation tool, comprising an assessment framework, an integration model, and a decision framework. In the first phase, a life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) framework for road infrastructure is established using mixed methods. In the second phase, interviews are conducted to obtain pairwise comparisons among impact categories and subjective reasoning of their priorities. Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is adopted to develop the LCSA integration model. The minimum threshold limits of impact categories are evaluated and integrated into the proposed decision framework. Further, thematic and cross-sectional analyses are performed on the interview findings to rationalize the proposed decision framework. The findings include a detailed and customized project assessment framework, an integration model, and a decision framework for the assessment of different project alternatives. This study helps policy- and decision-makers in selecting the project alternative by maximizing sustainability in road infrastructure projects. Insights into environmental and social externalities and their quantitative interpretation throughout the life of the road are also achieved.
A global database of ant species abundances
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.1002/ECY.1682
Abstract: What forces structure ecological assemblages? A key limitation to general insights about assemblage structure is the availability of data that are collected at a small spatial grain (local assemblages) and a large spatial extent (global coverage). Here, we present published and unpublished data from 51 ,388 ant abundance and occurrence records of more than 2,693 species and 7,953 morphospecies from local assemblages collected at 4,212 locations around the world. Ants were selected because they are erse and abundant globally, comprise a large fraction of animal biomass in most terrestrial communities, and are key contributors to a range of ecosystem functions. Data were collected between 1949 and 2014, and include, for each geo-referenced s ling site, both the identity of the ants collected and details of s ling design, habitat type, and degree of disturbance. The aim of compiling this data set was to provide comprehensive species abundance data in order to test relationships between assemblage structure and environmental and biogeographic factors. Data were collected using a variety of standardized methods, such as pitfall and Winkler traps, and will be valuable for studies investigating large-scale forces structuring local assemblages. Understanding such relationships is particularly critical under current rates of global change. We encourage authors holding additional data on systematically collected ant assemblages, especially those in dry and cold, and remote areas, to contact us and contribute their data to this growing data set.
Parasitized honey bees are less likely to forage and carry less pollen
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.JIP.2015.06.003
Abstract: Research into loss of pollination capacity has focused primarily on documenting pollinator declines and their causes with comparatively little attention paid to how stressors may affect pollinating behavior of surviving pollinators. The European honey bee, Apis mellifera is one of the world's most important generalist pollinators, and Nosema apis is a widespread microsporidian gut parasite of adult A. mellifera. We in idually fed 960 newly eclosed A. mellifera workers either a sucrose solution or 400 N. apis spores in a sucrose solution and tagged them with a unique radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to monitor their foraging behavior. We found spore-fed bees were less likely to forage than those fed sugar only. Those that did forage started foraging when they were older and stopped foraging when they were younger than bees fed sugar only. However, inoculated and non-inoculated bees did not significantly differ in the number of foraging trips taken per day, the total hours foraged over their lifetime, or homing ability. Inoculated returning foragers were 4.3 times less likely to be carrying available pollen than non-inoculated returning foragers and the number of pollen grains carried was negatively correlated with the number of N. apis spores. In an arena of artificial flowers, inoculated bees had a tendency (p=0.061) to choose sugar flowers over pollen flowers, compared to non-inoculated bees which visited pollen and sugar flowers equally. These results demonstrate that even a relatively low dose of a widespread disease of A. mellifera may adversely affect bees' ability to pollinate.
The causes and consequences of ant invasions
Publisher: Annual Reviews
Date: 11-2002
DOI: 10.1146/ANNUREV.ECOLSYS.33.010802.150444
Abstract: ▪ Abstract Invasions by non-native ants are an ecologically destructive phenomenon affecting both continental and island ecosystems throughout the world. Invasive ants often become highly abundant in their introduced range and can outnumber native ants. These numerical disparities underlie the competitive asymmetry between invasive ants and native ants and result from a complex interplay of behavioral, ecological, and genetic factors. Reductions in the ersity and abundance of native ants resulting from ant invasions give rise to a variety of direct and indirect effects on non-ant taxa. Invasive ants compete with and prey upon a ersity of other organisms, including some vertebrates, and may enter into or disrupt mutualistic interactions with numerous plants and other insects. Experimental studies and research focused on the native range ecology of invasive ants will be especially valuable contributions to this field of study.
A global review of socioeconomic and environmental impacts of ants reveals new insights for risk assessment
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-03-2022
DOI: 10.1002/EAP.2577
Abstract: Risk assessments are fundamental to invasive species management and are underpinned by comprehensive characterization of invasive species impacts. Our understanding of the impacts of invasive species is growing constantly, and several recently developed frameworks offer the opportunity to systematically categorize environmental and socioeconomic impacts of invasive species. Invasive ants are among the most widespread and damaging invaders. Although a handful of species receives most of the policy attention, nearly 200 species have established outside their native range. Here, we provide a global, comprehensive assessment of the impacts of ants and propose a priority list of risk species. We used the Socioeconomic Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (SEICAT), Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) and Generic Impact Scoring System (GISS) to analyze 642 unique sources for 100 named species. Different methodologies provided generally consistent results. The most frequently identified socioeconomic impacts were to human health. Environmental impacts were primarily on animal and plant populations, with the most common mechanisms being predation and competition. Species recognized as harmful nearly 20 years ago featured prominently, including Wasmannia auropunctata (little fire ant, electric ant), Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant), Anoplolepis gracilipes (yellow crazy ant), and Pheidole megacephala (African big‐headed ant). All these species except W. auropunctata have been implicated in local extinctions of native species. Although our assessments affirmed that the most serious impacts have been driven by a small number of species, our results also highlighted a substantial number of less well publicized species that have had major environmental impacts and may currently be overlooked when prioritizing prevention efforts. Several of these species were ranked as high or higher than some of the previously recognized “usual suspects,” most notably Nylanderia fulva (tawny crazy ant). We compared and combined our assessments with trait‐based profiles and other lists to propose a consensus set of 31 priority species. Ever‐increasing global trade contributes to growing rates of species introductions. The integrated approaches we used can contribute to robust, holistic risk assessments for many taxa entrained in these pathways.
Invasion biology and Ant-plant systems in Australia
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date: 17-08-2017
Climate mediates the effects of disturbance on ant assemblage structure
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 07-06-2015
Abstract: Many studies have focused on the impacts of climate change on biological assemblages, yet little is known about how climate interacts with other major anthropogenic influences on bio ersity, such as habitat disturbance. Using a unique global database of 1128 local ant assemblages, we examined whether climate mediates the effects of habitat disturbance on assemblage structure at a global scale. Species richness and evenness were associated positively with temperature, and negatively with disturbance. However, the interaction among temperature, precipitation and disturbance shaped species richness and evenness. The effect was manifested through a failure of species richness to increase substantially with temperature in transformed habitats at low precipitation. At low precipitation levels, evenness increased with temperature in undisturbed sites, peaked at medium temperatures in disturbed sites and remained low in transformed sites. In warmer climates with lower rainfall, the effects of increasing disturbance on species richness and evenness were akin to decreases in temperature of up to 9°C. Anthropogenic disturbance and ongoing climate change may interact in complicated ways to shape the structure of assemblages, with hot, arid environments likely to be at greatest risk.
Revision of the genus Calofulcinia Giglio-Tos (Mantodea: Nanomantidae: Fulciniinae) in Australia
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 29-05-2202
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5296.3.2
Abstract: The genus Calofulcinia comprises several species of small, cryptic mantis, three of which have been described from Australia. The genus is infrequently recorded and is thus very poorly known, and even basic questions of species delimitation and distribution have remained virtually unknown since the descriptions of these taxa. We here redescribe and figure the three known Australian species of Calofulcinia in full and provide a detailed key to Australian species. We record significant range extensions for all three species, and provide the first detailed behavioural and ecological records for the genus. In addition, we group the Australian species into a Robust Group (C. paraoxypila) and a Gracile Group (C. australis and C. oxynota), we detail the occurrence of colour polymorphism within the genus, and finally we discuss the apparent microhabitat specificity of Calofulcinia spp. (mosses and lichens) and their preference for cool, moist environments with reference to our changing climate.
A novel bee host cannot detect a microbial parasite, in contrast to its original host
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-04-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S00040-022-00860-W
Abstract: Organisms that can detect parasites may have a greater likelihood of avoiding exposure to them. We would expect hosts that share an evolutionary history with a parasite to be more likely to detect and avoid it compared to novel hosts. Nosema ceranae is a gut parasite of the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana , that has relatively recently been detected in the western honey bee, Apis mellifera . Using a Proboscis Extension Response assay, we found that A. cerana was significantly more likely than A. mellifera to avoid sucrose solutions with concentrations above 1 × 10 6 N . ceranae spores per mL. However, neither species avoided the sucrose solutions with lower N. ceranae concentrations, similar to those detected on flowers.
Invasive ant establishment, spread, and management with changing climate
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
A comparison of floral resource exploitation by native and invasive Argentine ants
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-11-2013
Losses from Aquatic Weeds
Publisher: CRC Press
Date: 09-05-2002
Invasive terrestrial invertebrate detection in water and soil using a targeted eDNA approach
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 05-12-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.11.29.518289
Abstract: Terrestrial invasive invertebrates can rapidly colonize new areas, causing detrimental effects on bio ersity, economy, and lifestyle. Targeted environmental DNA (eDNA) methods could constitute an early detection tool given their sensitivity to small numbers of in iduals. We hypothesized that terrestrial runoff would transport eDNA from the land into adjacent water bodies and used the invasive yellow crazy ant ( Anoplolepis gracilipes ) as a model species to test this hypothesis. We collected water s les from four waterbodies adjacent to infestations following rainfall events for eDNA analysis. We also collected soil s les from areas of known infestations and tested five eDNA extraction methods to determine their efficiency to extract eDNA from soil. Water s les resulted in positive yellow crazy ant eDNA lification (20–100% field replicates across all sites), even at one site located 300 m away from where ants had been detected visually. Soil s les resulted in a high percentage of false negatives when s led from ant transit areas than from nest entrances. Unpurified DNA extracts from soil also resulted in false negative detections, and only after applying a purification step of DNA extracts, we detected yellow crazy ant eDNA in 40–100% of field replicates across all methods and sites. This is the first study to empirically show that eDNA from a terrestrial invertebrate can be successfully isolated and lified from adjacent or downstream waterbodies. Our results indicate that eDNA has the potential to be a useful method for detecting terrestrial invertebrates from soil and water.
Invasive ants reduce abundance of small rainforest skinks
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-01-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10531-022-02360-6
Abstract: Invasive ants are among the world’s most damaging invasive species, often directly or indirectly affecting native fauna. Insecticidal baits are the main method for suppressing or eradicating invasive ant populations, but their use must be considered against potential for unintended effects on native organisms. The invasive yellow crazy ant ( Anoplolepis gracillipes ) is widespread in the tropics, particularly on islands, where they have displaced a range of invertebrates. Effects of this ant on vertebrates, and in continental ecosystems generally, are less studied. We investigated the effects of yellow crazy ants and bait application on rainforest skinks and their invertebrate prey. We compared skink and skink prey abundance across four replicated rainforest site categories: high and low yellow crazy ant sites had both been baited but differed in yellow crazy ant activity control sites had never had yellow crazy ants or been baited and buffer sites had never had yellow crazy ants but had been baited. We recorded significantly lower abundance of two small skink species ( Lygisaurus laevis and Saproscincus tetradactylus ) in high yellow crazy ant sites compared to all other site categories. The differences persisted even after baiting reduced yellow crazy ant activity by 97.8% ± 0.04% (mean ± SD). A larger rainforest skink species ( Carlia rubrigularis ) was not negatively affected by yellow crazy ant invasion. Skink prey abundance was significantly lower in high yellow crazy ant sites compared to control sites and low yellow crazy ant sites, but not compared to buffer sites. These differences did not persist following baiting. We found no evidence that baiting negatively affects skinks or their invertebrate prey. Our data suggest that yellow crazy ants, but not the bait used to treat them, pose a direct threat to small rainforest skinks.
Invasive ants in Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-10-2008
Low reduction of invasive ant colony productivity with an insect growth regulator
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-12-2021
DOI: 10.1002/PS.6181
Environmental and economic costs of nonindigenous species in the United States
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 2000
Options for reducing uncertainty in impact classification for alien species
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2021
DOI: 10.1002/ECS2.3461
Abstract: Impact assessment is an important and cost‐effective tool for assisting in the identification and prioritization of invasive alien species. With the number of alien and invasive alien species expected to increase, reliance on impact assessment tools for the identification of species that pose the greatest threats will continue to grow. Given the importance of such assessments for management and resource allocation, it is critical to understand the uncertainty involved and what effect this may have on the outcome. Using an uncertainty typology and insects as a model taxon, we identified and classified the causes and types of uncertainty when performing impact assessments on alien species. We assessed 100 alien insect species across two rounds of assessments with each species independently assessed by two assessors. Agreement between assessors was relatively low for all three impact classification components (mechanism, severity, and confidence) after the first round of assessments. For the second round, we revised guidelines and gave assessors access to each other’s assessments which improved agreement by between 20% and 30% for impact mechanism, severity, and confidence. Of the 12 potential reasons for assessment discrepancies identified a priori, 11 were found to occur. The most frequent causes (and types) of uncertainty (i.e., differences between assessment outcomes for the same species) were as follows: incomplete information searches (systematic error), unclear mechanism and/or extent of impact (subjective judgment due to a lack of knowledge), and limitations of the assessment framework (context dependence). In response to these findings, we identify actions that may reduce uncertainty in the impact assessment process, particularly for assessing speciose taxa with erse life histories such as Insects. Evidence of environmental impact was available for most insect species, and (of the non‐random original subset of species assessed) 14 of those with evidence were identified as high impact species (with either major or massive impact). Although uncertainty in risk assessment, including impact assessments, can never be eliminated, identifying, and communicating its cause and variety is a first step toward its reduction and a more reliable assessment outcome, regardless of the taxa being assessed.
Floral visitation patterns of two invasive ant species and their effects on other hymenopteran visitors
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-01-2008
Introduced and Invasive Species
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2020
Pathogen spillover from Apis mellifera to a stingless bee
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 07-08-2019
Abstract: Pathogen spillover from managed bees is increasingly considered as a possible cause of pollinator decline. Though spillover has been frequently documented, evidence of the pathogen's virulence in the new host or mechanism of transmission is rare. Stingless bees (Apocrita: Meliponini) are crucial pollinators pan-tropically and overlap with managed honeybees ( Apis mellifera ) in much of their range. Nosema ceranae is the most prevalent disease of adult A. mellifera. We used laboratory experiments and field surveys to investigate the susceptibility of stingless bees ( Tetragonula hockingsi ) to N. ceranae , infection prevalence and transmissibility via flowers. We found that 67% of T. hockingsi fed sucrose with N. ceranae had detectable spores in their ventriculus, and they died at 2.96 times the rate of sucrose-only fed bees. Five of six field hives harboured bees with N. ceranae present at least once during our five-month survey, with prevalence up to 20%. In our floral transmission experiment, 67% of inflorescences exposed to infected A. mellifera yielded N. ceranae spores, and all resulted in T. hockingsi with N. ceranae spores in their guts. We conclude that N. ceranae is virulent in T. hockingsi under laboratory conditions, is common in the local T. hockingsi population and is transmissible via flowers.
Ant Ecology
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 18-11-2010
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Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP200103100
Start Date: 06-2020
End Date: 05-2024
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Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100709
Start Date: 05-2013
End Date: 05-2016
Amount: $375,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityIndustrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC230100027
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End Date: 12-2027
Amount: $5,000,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity