Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Abiotic factors affecting the foraging activity and potential displacement of native ants by the invasive African big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala (FABRICIUS, 1793) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Asfiya, W.
    Yeeles, P.
    Lach, L.
    Majer, Jonathan
    Heterick, Brian E.
    Didham, R.
    Date
    2016
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Asfiya, W. and Yeeles, P. and Lach, L. and Majer, J. and Heterick, B. and Didham, R. 2016. Abiotic factors affecting the foraging activity and potential displacement of native ants by the invasive African big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala (FABRICIUS, 1793) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecological News. 22: pp. 43-54.
    Source Title
    Myrmecological News
    Additional URLs
    https://myrmecologicalnews.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=628&Itemid=366
    ISSN
    1994-4136
    School
    Department of Environment and Agriculture
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/23042
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    The African big-headed ant Pheidole megacephala is an invasive non-native species that threatens native ecosystems throughout many regions of world. As it spreads into new areas, P. megacephala becomes abundant and reduces the diversity of other insects, particularly native ants. Although the consequences of P. megacephala invasion have been well studied, the factors correlated with the foraging success of P. megacephala remain unclear. We examined the foraging activity and potential displacement of native ants by P. megacephala in relation to physical conditions in disturbed urban bushland. The foraging activity of P. megacephala was related to both seasonal and daily temperatures. The relative proportion of P. megacephala that recruited to baits was higher during warm seasons, and the abundance of P. megacephala was higher in the morning than in the afternoon, which correlated with the displacement of native ant species at these times. By contrast, native ants dominated baits at either very low or very high temperatures, with almost no co-occurrence of native ants with P. megacephala. In laboratory experiments, high temperatures had a strong negative effect on worker survival of P. megacephala, particularly under low moisture conditions, explaining abiotic preferences observed in the field. A competing native ant species Iridomyrmex chasei had significantly greater survival under high temperature and low moisture conditions. This study thus indicates that abiotic conditions can modify the outcome and dynamics of P. megacephala invasion and foraging interactions with native ants, thereby affecting local community dynamics.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • A comparison of the autecology of two seed-taking ant genera, Rhytidoponera and Melophorus
      Majer, Jonathan; Gove, Aaron; Sochacki, S.; Searle, P.; Portlock, C. (2011)
      Members of the genus Rhytidoponera and, to a lesser extent, certain Melophorus spp. are keystone mutualists for the dispersal of seeds in the southwest of Western Australia, with important ramifications for the ecology ...
    • Impacts of an incursion of African Big-headed ants, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius), in urban bushland in Perth, Western Australia
      Callan, Shea; Majer, Jonathan (2009)
      An incursion of the African Big-headed Ant, Pheidole megacephala, has recently been recorded in bushland in Perth, Western Australia. This unexpected discovery prompted an investigation into the effects of the incursion ...
    • Impacts of an incursion of African Big-headed Ants, Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius), in urban bushland in Perth, Western Australia
      Callan, Shea; Majer, Jonathan (2009)
      An incursion of the African Big-headed Ant, Pheidole megacephala, has recently been recorded in bushland in Perth, Western Australia. This unexpected discovery prompted an investigation into the effects of the incursion ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.