Ascertaining Key Factors Behind the Coexistence of the Native Ant Species Plagiolepis pygmaea with the Invasive Argentine Ant Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
dc.contributor.author
dc.date.accessioned
2013-09-18T07:12:52Z
dc.date.available
2013-09-18T07:12:52Z
dc.date.issued
2009
dc.identifier.issn
0361-6525
dc.identifier.uri
dc.description.abstract
The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, is a world-wide invasive ant species. Its presence has a strong negative impact on ant diversity. The present study attempts to highlight the reasons for the coexistence of this highly dominant species with Plagiolepis pygmaea, the only native ant species that has proved able to resist the invasion in a natural ecosystem in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula. To quantify the aggressiveness level of both species we performed aggressiveness tests on workers in different areas: a) Argentine ant workers from areas with P. pygmaea, b) Argentine ant workers from areas without P. pygmaea, c) P. pygmaea from a non-invaded area and d) P. pygmaea from an invaded area. We also confronted Argentine ant workers with P. pallidula and T. nigerrimum. These aggressiveness tests showed that the coexistence of these two species of ants was not due to a habituation process, since the aggressiveness level observed between the four kinds of confrontations were fairly similar. We also found a lack of aggressiveness between Argentine ant workers and P. pygmaea, and highly submissive behavior in the latter when confronted with the invader. The peaceful character of P. pygmaea together with its markedly submissive behavior may be the main factors behind the coexistence of these species in the study area
dc.format.mimetype
application/pdf
dc.language.iso
eng
dc.publisher
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana
dc.relation.isformatof
Reproducció digital del document publicat a: periodicos.uefs.br
dc.relation.ispartof
Sociobiology, 2009, vol. 53, núm. 2B, p. 559-568
dc.relation.ispartofseries
Articles publicats (D-CCAA)
dc.rights
Attribution 3.0 Spain
dc.rights.uri
dc.subject
dc.title
Ascertaining Key Factors Behind the Coexistence of the Native Ant Species Plagiolepis pygmaea with the Invasive Argentine Ant Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
dc.type
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.rights.accessRights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.embargo.terms
Cap
dc.type.version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.identifier.idgrec
010775