Interspecific Spacing between Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) and Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) Colonies along the Invasion Gradient in Texas

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dc.contributor.advisorVeech, Joseph
dc.contributor.authorFlaska, Skyler R.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberSwannack, Todd
dc.contributor.committeeMemberFritts, Sarah
dc.date.accessioned2018-10-08T16:12:55Z
dc.date.available2018-10-08T16:12:55Z
dc.date.issued2018-12
dc.description.abstractInvasive species can be devastating to ecosystems and their impacts on native species are innumerable. The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) invasion is a threat to many native species and is one hypothesized explanation for the observed decrease in the red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) within S. invicta’s invaded range. Understanding how S. invicta affects harvester ants is important given harvester ants’ beneficial role in ecosystems and as prey for certain species. In this study I performed a “space for time substitution” to investigate temporal changes in the ecological interaction between these two species. The goal of my study was to quantitatively characterize the interaction and assess differences across S. invicta’s invasion gradient in Texas using data on interspecific spacing between P. barbatus and S. invicta colonies and density of S. invicta colonies in the vicinity of P. barbatus colonies (compared to neighboring points without colonies). I predicted that interspecific spacing would increase with time since first contact if P. barbatus colonies have developed an avoidance response. I obtained data for 125 P. barbatus colonies at 24 study sites. There was no difference in the spatial interaction between the two species along the invasion gradient. However, my results suggest there is possibly coexistence without an adaptive avoidance response by P. barbatus. Colony size of P. barbatus decreases as the density of fire ant mound increase; however, shorter distances between the species increases P. barbatus colony size. This result may represent a relatively intricate interaction worthy of future research. Overall my results indicate that S. invicta may not negatively impact P. barbatus to the extent commonly thought, although S. invicta likely remains a threat to other native species.
dc.description.departmentBiology
dc.formatText
dc.format.extent46 pages
dc.format.medium1 file (.pdf)
dc.identifier.citationFlaska, S. R. (2018). <i>Interspecific spacing between harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) and red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) colonies along the invasion gradient in Texas</i> (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/7754
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectEcology
dc.subjectEntomology
dc.subjectMyrmecology
dc.subjectLandscape Ecology
dc.subjectBiology
dc.subjectPogonomyrmex barbatus
dc.subjectHarvester ant
dc.subjectSolenopsis invicta
dc.subjectFire Ant
dc.subject.lcshFire ants--Ecology--Texasen_US
dc.subject.lcshAnts--Ecology--Texasen_US
dc.titleInterspecific Spacing between Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) and Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) Colonies along the Invasion Gradient in Texas
dc.typeThesis
thesis.degree.departmentBiology
thesis.degree.disciplineWildlife Ecology
thesis.degree.grantorTexas State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science

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