Above- and belowground herbivory alters the outcome of intra- and interspecific competition between invasive and native Alternanthera species

Biological Invasions - Effects of herbivory on competition between invasive and native plants have seldom been examined from an above-belowground integrated perspective. We examined the...     

Asymmetric dispersal and colonization success of Amazonian plant-ants queens

Background

The dispersal ability of queens is central to understanding ant life-history evolution, and plays a fundamental role in ant population and community dynamics, the maintenance of genetic diversity, and the spread of invasive ants. In tropical ecosystems, species from over 40 genera of ants establish colonies in the stems, hollow thorns, or leaf pouches of specialized plants. However, little is known about the relative dispersal ability of queens competing for access to the same host plants.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We used empirical data and inverse modeling—a technique developed by plant ecologists to model seed dispersal—to quantify and compare the dispersal kernels of queens from three Amazonian ant species that compete for access to host-plants. We found that the modal colonization distance of queens varied 8-fold, with the generalist ant species (Crematogaster laevis) having a greater modal distance than two specialists (Pheidole minutula, Azteca sp.) that use the same host-plants. However, our results also suggest that queens of Azteca sp. have maximal distances that are four-sixteen times greater than those of its competitors.

Conclusions/Significance

We found large differences between ant species in both the modal and maximal distance ant queens disperse to find vacant seedlings used to found new colonies. These differences could result from interspecific differences in queen body size, and hence wing musculature, or because queens differ in their ability to identify potential host plants while in flight. Our results provide support for one of the necessary conditions underlying several of the hypothesized mechanisms promoting coexistence in tropical plant-ants. They also suggest that for some ant species limited dispersal capability could pose a significant barrier to the rescue of populations in isolated forest fragments. Finally, we demonstrate that inverse models parameterized with field data are an excellent means of quantifying the dispersal of ant queens.     

Semi-claustral colony founding in the seed-harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus: a comparative analysis of colony founding strategies

The evolution of queens that rear their first brood solely using body reserves, i.e. fully claustral, is viewed as a major advance for higher ants because it eliminated the need for queens to leave the nest to forage. In an apparently unusual secondary modification, the seed-harvester ant Pogonomyrmex californicus displays obligate queen foraging, i.e. queens must forage to garner the resources necessary to survive and successfully rear their first brood. I examined the potential benefits of queen foraging by comparing ecological and physiological traits between P. californicus and several congeners in which the queen can rear brood using only body reserves. The primary advantage of foraging appears to lie in providing the queens of P. californicus with the energy to raise significantly more brood than possible by congeners that use only body reserves; the workers reared in the first brood were also heavier in mass than that predicted by their head width. Other correlates of queen foraging in P. californicus relative to tested congeners included a significantly lower total fat content for alate queens, a small queen body size, and a low queen to worker body mass ratio. Queens also forage in several other well-studied species of Pogonomyrmex, suggesting the possibility that queen foraging may be more common than previously thought in higher ants.     

The interspecific competition between Humulus scandens and Alternanthera philoxeroides

Bioinvasion has become a serious environmental problem in the world in general and is considered the second biggest threat to biodiversity. Alternanthera philoxeroides is widely distributed and causes the most serious threat to biodiversity in China. The traditional physical or biological control methods are not effective in controlling the invasion and extension of A. philoxeroides. In the present paper, some physiological characteristics of Humulus scandens and A. philoxeroides were investigated in the field and laboratory. The results showed that H. scandens is more competitive than A. philoxeroides, the competitive rate (CR) of H. scandens against A. philoxeroides was 9.834. Additionally, the leaf, stem, and root biomass of A. philoxeroides decreased significantly when the two species co-occurred. Thus, the invasive abilities of these two invasive plants are different and H. scandens strongly inhibited the growth of A. philoxeroides. Moreover, as an annual herb, H. scandens can be easily eliminated by harvesting before its seeds mature. The result suggests that sowing seeds of H. scandens in the habitats invaded by A. philoxeroides could be an ideal biological control method.     

Foraging site use and interspecific competition between bluegills and golden shiners

Synopsis Laboratory experiments examined the foraging performances of a dietary generalist, bluegill,Lepomis macrochirus, and a dietary specialist, golden shiner,Notemigonus crysoleucas, as they fed from devices simulating four foraging sites (bottom substrate, water column, submerged macrophytes, and water surface). Fishes foraged in monospecific and mixed-species groups of two and four individuals. For monospecific groups, foraging rates of bluegills did not differ among the four sites, but golden shiners had significantly higher rates on bottom and midwater sites than on plant and surface sites. The size of monospecific groups did not affect foraging rates of either species. In mixed-species trials, bluegills removed more food items than golden shiners from plant and surface sites in two- and four-fish groups and from bottom sites in two-fish groups. Bluegills' foraging performances improved with experience, golden shiners' performances did not. Experimental results are discussed with respect to interactions between bluegills and golden shiners in natural assemblages.     

Independent colony founding by ergatoid queens in the ant genus Pogonomyrmex: queen foraging provides an alternative to dependent colony founding

Ant queens exhibit two primary strategies to initiate nests, independent colony founding (ICF) by solitary queens and dependent colony founding (DCF) when the queen starts a nest with a group of workers that disperse on foot from the parent nest. Numerous ant species have wingless (ergatoid) queens, and it is generally assumed that these species exhibit obligate DCF because their lack of wing musculature provides them with few resources to divert towards producing their first brood of workers. Thus, ICF by ergatoid queens is viewed as maladaptive because these queens need to take additional dangerous foraging trips to garner sufficient food to rear their first brood of workers. Contrary to this prediction, I document ICF by ergatoid queens for three species of harvester ants in the genus Pogonomyrmex (subfamily Myrmicinae), P. cunicularius cunicularius, P. cunicularius pencosensis, and P. huachucanus. Queens of P. huachucanus were obligate foragers, i.e., no minim workers could be produced without external food, and one queen of P. cunicularius pencosensis was observed foraging in the field. Abundant and/or predictable food resources likely select for the evolution of semi-claustral nest founding and ICF by these ergatoid queens. Under these conditions, foraging time would be minimized and the number and size of minim workers would be maximized. These benefits should increase founding success, which could compensate for loss of long-range dispersal. Overall, this study demonstrates that care should be taken before concluding that ant colonies employ DCF based solely on queen morphology.     

Summer drought alters plant-mediated competition between foliar- and root-feeding insects

Summer droughts are predicted to increase in severity and frequency in the United Kingdom, due to climate change. Few studies have addressed the impacts of drought on interactions between species, and the majority have focussed on increases in CO₂ concentration and changes in temperature. Here, the effect of experimental summer drought on the strength of the plant‐mediated interaction between leaf‐mining Stephensia brunnichella larvae and root‐chewing Agriotes larvae was investigated. Agriotes larvae reduced the abundance and performance of S. brunnichella feeding on a mutual host plant, Clinopodium vulgare, as well as the rate of parasitism of the leaf‐miner. The interaction did not, however, occur on plants subjected to a severe drought treatment, which were reduced in size. Changes to summer rainfall, due to climate change, may therefore reduce the occurrence of plant‐mediated interactions between insect herbivores.     

米氏凯伦藻与东海原甲藻共培养条件下的种群竞争

米氏凯伦藻(Karenia mikimotoi)与东海原甲藻(Prorocentrum donghaiense)为有害赤潮生物,两者经常形成复合型赤潮.该文设置东海原甲藻的起始密度为400 cells·mL-1,米氏凯伦藻分别为200 cells·mL-1、400 cells·mL-1和800 cells·mL-1,通过共培养实验,初步研究米氏凯伦藻和东海原甲藻的种间关系.结果表明:共培养条件下,受到东海原甲藻的影响,米氏凯伦藻的生长受到抑制.米氏凯伦藻不同的起始密度对东海原甲藻的生长有不同的影响,较低的起始密度(200 cells·mL-1、400cells·mL-1)促进东海原甲藻的生长,使其增长率提高,生长曲线达到拐点的时间提前;高的起始密度(800 cells·mL-1)对东海原甲藻的生长有一定的抑制作用,使其增长率降低,生长曲线达到拐点的时间推迟.     

Detection of interspecific competition in parasite communities

Matrices of correlation coefficients between the abundances or intensities of all pairs of helminth species, across all individual hosts in a sample, are regularly used to detect possible cases of interspecific competition in parasite communities. In these matrices, however, the range of possible values that any correlation coefficient can take is not -1 to 1, contrary to what is generally assumed. The number and magnitude of other correlation coefficients in a matrix will constrain the values that any given correlation can achieve. This property of matrices, and of inter-related natural variables, is explained and illustrated with 2 examples from real helminth communities. As a rule, the presence of many negative correlations in a matrix raises the lower value that any of them can possibly achieve. This has important but previously overlooked implications for the interpretation of correlation coefficients, and the detection of competition in natural parasite communities.     

A newly-discovered mode of colony founding among fire ants

Summary Queen ants start new colonies either unassisted by workers (independent founding), assisted by workers from their natal nest (dependent founding), or assisted by the workers of other species (dependent, socially parasitic). The monogyne form of the fire ant,Solenopsis invicta, founds independently in summer, but in the fall it also produces a few sexuals some of which overwinter, then fly and mate in early spring. These overwintered queens lack the nutritional reserves and behaviors for independent colony founding. Rather, they seek out unrelated, mature, orphaned colonies, enter them and exploit the worker force to found their own colony through intraspecific social parasitism. Success in entering orphaned colonies is higher when these lack overwintered female alates of their own. When such alates are present, orphaning causes some to dealate and become uninseminated replacement queens, usually preventing entry of unrelated, inseminated replacement queens. Such colonies produce large, all-male broods. Successful entry of a parasitic queen robs the host colony of this last chance at reproductive success. Only overwintered sexuals take part in this mode of founding.     

Depletion of reserves in ant queens during claustral colony founding

Summary Gynes in the claustrally-founding speciesCrematogaster opuntiae andCamponotus festinatus accumulate large amounts of protein and lipid between the time of eclosion and mating. During colony founding, protein is depleted from both the thorax and abdomen and lipid from the abdomen. The abdomen, and specifically its accumulated storage protein, provides an amino acid store equivalent to or larger than that of flight muscle. The importance of this second major protein reserve in the evolution of claustral colony founding should be considered.     

Effects of individual variability on the outcome of competition between cladoceran species

Simulation modeling was performed to study the impact of individual variability on the population dynamics of particular cladoceran populations and the outcome of interspecific competition at low and high temperatures. The study was performed on one species of small size (Ceriodaphnia quadrangula O.F. Müller) and one species of large size (Simocephalus vetulus O.F. Müller). Laboratory experiments were performed to estimate the average values of principal demographic parameters of these species and their coefficients of variability at two temperatures, 18 and 27°C. Population dynamics of the two species in mono- and mixed cultures was simulated with and without accounting for individual variability using available published data and our own data on demographic parameters. Individual variability was shown to help populations survive unfavorable trophic conditions and to give competitive advantage over populations in which all individuals of the same age are identical. Individual variability decreased with rising temperatures due to probable acceleration of physiological processes.     

Numerical modeling of interspecific competition between filamentous and nonfilamentous periphyton on a flat channel bed

Interspecific competition between filamentous and nonfilamentous periphyton usually results in predominance of filamentous periphyton in natural shallow river streams. The mechanisms of this interspecific competition must be known to understand the growth characteristics and primary productivity of stream periphyton communities. In the present study, a numerical simulation model is presented to describe the growth and interspecific competition between filamentous and nonfilamentous periphyton on a flat channel bed, in which the processes of the interspecific competition are an integral part of the modeling of growth strategies. The temporal growth of each kind of periphyton is calculated by balancing primary production, immigration, respiration, and detachment. For the modeling of primary production and respiration, transportation of nutrients and other substances inside the biofilm is estimated using diffusion equations including the effect of turbulent diffusivity near the channel bed surface. In estimating the immigration rate, different immigration functions for filamentous and nonfilamentous periphyton are used in order to represent the different effect of turbulent flow on the immigration strategy of each type of periphyton. A series of numerical computations under different hydraulic conditions shows that the degree of dominance of filamentous periphyton increases with time, and the net primary production of periphyton increases with increasing friction velocity.     

The role of interspecific competition in the biogeography of island lizards

There is increasing evidence that interspecific competition has set important constraints on the distribution, abundance and evolution of island lizards. This is surprising not because competition is rare but because for a biogeographic pattern caused by species interactions to be detectable, it must be strong enough to override the many physical and historical differences that exist among real islands. Moreover, the direct pairwise links between species, once embedded in the complicated network of species interactions in entire communities, may become diluted and confused by the indirect interactions of still other species, particularly predators. Nevertheless, if competition is strong and if communities are simple (as they are on many species-poor islands), competition leaves its fingerprint on the ecological and evolutionary trajectories taken by island lizards.     

Seasonally fluctuating resources and temporal variability of interspecific competition

Summary The influence of seasonal availability of two critical resources (food and substrates from which food was harvested) on interspecific competition between striped surfperch (Embiotoca lateralis) and black surfperch (Embiotoca jacksoni) was examined. There was a strong depth-related gradient in density of prey and in cover of foliose algae; both declined with increasing bottom depth. Density of prey was reduced 5–10 fold during the winter season, but cover of substrates remained constant throughout the year. Although both fishes co-occurred throughout the same depth range, striped surfperch were more common in shallow habitats and black surfperch were more abundant deeper. Local abundance and distribution patterns of both surfperch species did not change seasonally. Stepwise regression analyses suggested that availability of favored substrates was a proximate influence on local patterns of surfperch distribution and abundance, and that interspecific competition depressed abundance of the two species to the same degree. Removal experiments conducted during the cold-water season revealed that interspecific competition influenced depth distribution of black surfperch but not striped surfperch. Seasonal change in density of prey was accompanied by marked changes in overlap in use of foraging substrates by the surfperches. The pattern of change in interspecific overlap suggested that surfperch competed for food only when prey were seasonally scarce. There was no difference in the agonistic tendencies of the two fishes, and the absolute and relative frequency of interspecific chases was independent of food level. These results have important implications regarding the impact of temporal variability of interspecific competition in natural communities. In the surfperch system, competition was characterized by constant and time-varying elements that had symmetrical and asymmetrical effects and involved both interference and exploitation mechanisms.