红火蚁入侵和未入侵生境中蚂蚁的觅食强度

采用诱饵诱集法,对华南地区3种典型的红火蚁入侵和未入侵生境中蚂蚁对4种诱饵（蜂蜜、花生油、火腿肠和黄粉虫幼虫）的搜寻时间、召集时间及召集数量进行研究,并分析了红火蚁入侵对蚂蚁觅食强度的影响.结果表明：草坪红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对黄粉虫幼虫和花生油的搜寻时间极显著或显著短于对照区（红火蚁非入侵区）;荒草地红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对4种诱饵的搜寻时间与对照区的差异均不显著,在花生油上的召集时间显著长于对照区;荔枝园红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对4种诱饵的搜寻时间及召集时间与对照区均无显著差异.诱饵设置30 min时,草坪红火蚁入侵区,花生油、黄粉虫幼虫、火腿肠上的红火蚁工蚁数量均显著多于本地蚂蚁工蚁数量;荒草地红火蚁入侵区,花生油上的红火蚁工蚁数量明显多于本地蚂蚁工蚁数量,其余诱饵上红火蚁工蚁数量与本地蚂蚁工蚁数量的差异不显著;荔枝园红火蚁入侵区,4种诱饵上红火蚁工蚁数量与本地蚂蚁工蚁数量的差异均不显著.     

福建兴化湾黑脸琵鹭觅食生境的鱼类和虾类组成

黑脸琵鹭(Platalea minor)的食物主要由鱼类和虾类组成,对其觅食生境中潜在食物的分析有助于对该濒危物种的保护。福建兴化湾是我国大陆黑脸琵鹭最重要的越冬地之一,对湾内越冬黑脸琵鹭的观察发现,黑脸琵鹭白天在养殖塘休息,黄昏则飞到离养殖塘约8km处的滩涂觅食至黎明返回。在黑脸琵鹭觅食的滩涂共采集到42种鱼类和6种虾类。根据对体长、生活习性和数量状况的分析,认为其中的19种鱼类和6种虾类为黑脸琵鹭的潜在食物,以鲻科鱼类最为重要。建议对黑脸琵鹭的保护应重视其觅食滩涂生境中鱼类和虾类资源的保护。     

华南地区桑园和荒地两种生境中红火蚁觅食工蚁的食物组成

【目的】红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren是世界最危险的有害入侵生物之一,2004年入侵我国华南地区,并给农林业安全、生态安全带来极大危害。调查并明确田间红火蚁觅食工蚁的食物种类及数量,不仅为评估红火蚁猎食对生态环境中节肢动物群落的影响,而且为红火蚁防治饵剂的改进提供科学依据。【方法】本研究采用蚁道剖析法,对华南地区桑园和荒地两种生境中红火蚁觅食工蚁搬运的固体残片取样和鉴定;依搬运工蚁及其固体残片尺寸进行测量分级并称重,以分析工蚁多态性与固体食物大小的关系;采用薄层色谱法和氨基酸分析法测定嗉囊液体样品的营养成分及含量。【结果】在华南地区桑园和荒地中,红火蚁觅食工蚁搬运回巢的固体食物包括固体的动物残片和植物种子,其中动物残片属于3门7纲21个类群(包括14个昆虫目),昆虫纲动物所占比例为总固体食物的45.53%~46.10%。工蚁偏好搬运长1.400±0.043 mm~2.306±0.063 mm和宽0.723±0.028 mm~1.261±0.051 mm的固体残片,其重量在0.203~0.413 mg之间。红火蚁觅食工蚁嗉囊液体由多种氨基酸、果糖和葡萄糖组成,在桑园和荒地采集到的红火蚁嗉囊液体样本中的氨基酸总含量分别为1 544.31 mg/L和861.48 mg/L,氨基酸种类分别为33种和32种,其中31种氨基酸为共有的。【结论】华南地区桑园和荒地中,红火蚁固体食物组成均以昆虫纲动物为主;参与固体残片搬运觅食蚁的80%属于中型工蚁,搬运较大型固体残片的大型工蚁仅占5%;红火蚁工蚁嗉囊液体含有丰富的氨基酸和单糖。     

蚂蚁觅食与搬运行为对阜平黄堇和小花黄堇种子散布的影响

蚂蚁是无脊椎动物中重要的种子传播者,蚂蚁散布影响植物种子的传播和扩散,进而会影响种苗的空间分布格局。在野外研究了蚂蚁觅食及搬运行为对阜平黄堇(Corydalis wilfordii Regel)和小花黄堇(C.racemosa(Thunb.)Pers.)种子散布的影响。结果显示,双针棱胸蚁和束胸平结蚁是两种植物种子的共同搬运者,前者行使群体募集,后者行使简单协作募集。在搬运阜平黄堇种子时,双针棱胸蚁在原地或搬运途中取食油质体后抛弃的种子约占种子总数的56%,而拖至蚁巢的种子约占种子总数的44%,平均搬运距离为(1.85±0.24)m,搬运效率为(43.8±7.5)粒/h;而束胸平结蚁将完整种子全部直接搬运至蚁巢,平均搬运距离为0.45 m,搬运效率为(7.3±2.2)粒/h。在搬运小花黄堇种子时,双针棱胸蚁和束胸平结蚁均将完整种子全部直接搬运至蚁巢,平均搬运距离分别为(6.27±4.40)m和(6.65±1.64)m,搬运效率分别为(34.2±6.5)粒/h和(10.6±3.2)粒/h。这说明行使群体募集的蚂蚁比行使简单协作募集的蚂蚁有较高的搬运效率,蚂蚁散布导致阜平黄堇和小花黄堇种子到达蚁巢的数量和搬运距离不同,而这种不同与相应搬运蚂蚁的觅食对策、搬运行为和种子特征有关。阜平黄堇种子比小花黄堇种子大,但阜平黄堇的油质体质量比小于小花黄堇的油质体质量比,讨论了种子特征对蚂蚁散布的影响。     

3种城市生境间蚂蚁群落组成的比较研究——以四川省南充市城区为例

作为重要的人为影响因素,城市化改变了自然生境的景观结构,并影响到动物群落的组成。蚁科Formicidae动物种类繁多,且易于捕获,是研究城市中不同土地利用类型对动物群落影响的理想指示生物。2018年5月,在四川省南充市城区中选择"公园与绿地""旱地"和"乔木林地"3种土地利用类型作为不同的生境类型,并通过陷阱法对蚂蚁群落组成进行调查。共采集到1 847只个体;其中,津岛铺道蚁Tetramorium tsushimae在"公园与绿地"中的个体数占比最高(73.80%),并明显高于"旱地"群落中占比最高的中华小家蚁Monomorium chinense(25.48%)和"乔木林地"群落中占比最高的宽结大头蚁Pheidole nodus(28.79%)。3种生境间,群落的蚂蚁个体数和物种丰富度间差异无统计学意义,但"公园与绿地"的Simpson多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数均显著低于"旱地"和"乔木林地"的;"公园与绿地"(q=0.444)和"旱地"(q=0.500)与"乔木林地"间的群落组成均存在中度不相似,而"公园与绿地"与"旱地"间为中度相似(q=0.647)。因此,不同的城市土地...     

西双版纳四种植被亚型原始林和次生林蚂蚁群落比较研究

采用样地调查法对西双版纳地区４种植被亚型原始林和次生林的蚂蚁群落作了比较研究。山地雨林和石灰岩山季雨林的次生林是原始林经过连续过度砍伐形成的树冠结构不完整的次生林;而落叶季雨林和季风常绿阔叶林的次生林是大约２０年前原始林因刀耕火种被全部砍伐,后来恢复成树冠结构完整的次生林。山地雨林和石灰岩山 雨林次生林蚂蚁特有种数目显著低于     

云南橡胶林和天然次生林枯落物层蚂蚁物种多样性、群落结构差异及指示种

橡胶树Hevea brasiliensis是云南省重要的经济林木, 但对其生态服务功能尚存在争议。本研究以天然次生林为对照, 使用Winkler法对橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁进行初步研究, 探讨橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁的生态状况。于2012年10月和2013年4月采用Winkler袋法调查了云南省绿春县大黑山乡橡胶林和牛孔乡天然次生林枯落物层蚂蚁群落的物种多样性、 群落结构差异及指示种。结果表明： 橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁多度（转换后）、 物种丰富度S和ACE值显著低于无干扰的天然次生林（P<0.05）; 蚂蚁多度（转换后）显著低于有干扰的天然次生林（P<0.05）, 而物种丰富度S和ACE值差异不显著。橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁群落结构与两种天然次生林都不相似（F=3.93, df=12, P<0.01）。橡胶林中流浪种大头蚁属Pheidole的蚂蚁种类与天然次生林相比, 物种丰富度增加了100%。天然次生林枯落物层中蚂蚁指示种有3种, 分别为刘氏隆头蚁Strumigenys lewisi、 黄足厚结猛蚁Pachycondyla luteipes和女娲角腹蚁Recurvidris nuwa, 而橡胶林枯落物层中指示种仅为菱结大头蚁Pheidole nodus。枯落物层蚂蚁物种多样性与枯落物厚度呈显著正相关, 而枯落物盖度仅与蚂蚁多度（转换后）有相关性。结果说明, 橡胶林经过长期的经营管理, 生态环境趋于稳定, 对枯落物层蚂蚁群落具有一定的保护作用, 但与天然次生林相比, 蚂蚁多度（转换后）及群落结构仍显示出明显的不同。     

复合荔枝园节肢动物群落动态的研究

对单一荔枝和复合荔枝园节肢动物群落进行了调查、分析,结果表明：复合园的捕食性、寄生性昆虫以及蜘蛛类群的数量和丰富度明显高于单一园,而植食性类群的数量和主要害虫发生数量明显少于单一园。复合园各种类型的多样性指数季节变化,其总趋势比单一园大,波动程度比单一园低。复合园的均匀度全年维持在０．８以上,而单一园的则波动很大。     

The short-term regulation of foraging in harvester ants

In the seed-eating ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus, the return ofsuccessful foragers stimulates inactive foragers to leave thenest. The rate at which successful foragers return to the nestdepends on food availability; the more food available, the morequickly foragers will find it and bring it back. Field experimentsexamined how quickly a colony can adjust to a decline in therate of forager return, and thus to a decline in food availability,by slowing down foraging activity. In response to a brief, 3-to 5-min reduction in the forager return rate, foraging activityusually decreased within 2–3 min and then recovered within5 min. This indicates that whether an inactive forager leavesthe nest on its next trip depends on its very recent experienceof the rate of forager return. On some days, colonies respondedmore to a change in forager return rate. The rapid colony responseto fluctuations in forager return rate, enabling colonies toact as risk-averse foragers, may arise from the limited intervalover which an ant can track its encounters with returning foragers.     

Effects of pasture and forest microclimatic conditions on the foraging activity of leaf-cutting ants

The fragmentation and transformation of land cover modify the microclimate of ecosystems. These changes have the potential to modify the foraging activity of animals, but few studies have examined this topic. In this study, we investigated whether and how the foraging activity of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes is modified by microclimatic variations due to land cover change from forest to pasture. We characterized the microclimate of each habitat and identified alterations in foraging behavior in response to relative humidity (RH), air temperature, and surface temperature along ant foraging trails by synchronously assessing foraging activity (number of ants per 5 min including incoming laden and unladen and outgoing ants) and microclimatic variables (air temperature, RH, and maximum and minimum surface temperature along the foraging trail). There were climatic differences between habitats during the day but not throughout the night, and A. cephalotes was found to have a high tolerance for foraging under severe microclimatic changes. This species can forage at surface temperatures between 17 and 45°C, air temperatures between 20 and 36°C, and an RH between 40% and 100%. We found a positive effect of temperature on the foraging activity of A. cephalotes in the pasture, where the species displayed thermophilic behavior and the ability to forage across a wide range of temperatures and RH. These results provide a mechanism to partially explain why A. cephalotes becomes highly prolific as anthropogenic disturbances increase and why it has turned into a key player of human-modified neotropical landscapes.     

有机荔枝园、常规荔枝园和天然荔枝园蜘蛛类群的比较

2004～2005年,对珠海市斗门区有机、常规和天然荔枝园的蜘蛛群落进行了系统的调查和分析,结果表明,不同类型荔枝园蜘蛛群落丰富度S值天然＞有机＞常规荔枝园;多样性指数H'值有机＞天然＞常规荔枝园;均匀度E值有机＞天然＞常规荔枝园.说明进行有机管理的荔枝园对蜘蛛群落的多样性影响较小,有利于保护和发挥天敌的自然控制力.有机、常规荔枝园的优势类群均为园蛛科、皿蛛科和球蛛科,而天然荔枝园除这三者外,跳蛛科也明显增加.除天气因素外,更重要的还与人为农事活动干扰程度直接相关.有机荔枝园不使用化学农药,蜘蛛种类多,个体数也较多.而常规荔枝园由于频繁地使用了化学合成物质,蜘蛛种类和数量较少.说明施用大量的化学农药,对蜘蛛的影响较大.     

Temporal variation in foraging group structure of a size-structured stream fish community

Temporal variation in foraging group structure of a fish assemblage was examined in a flood-prone stream in southern Hokkaido, Japan. Foraging behaviour was observed underwater for four species which inhabit the water column: ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis, white-spotted charr, Salvelinus leucomaenis, masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou, and Japanese dace, Tribolodon hakonensis, with each species being categorized into five size classes (species-size group; SSG). Based on foraging behaviour, each SSG of the fish assemblage was classified into one of four foraging groups: algae grazers, drift foragers, benthos-drift foragers, and omnivores, defined as SSG exhibiting similar foraging behaviour. All size classes of ayu, and of charr and salmon were categorized as algae grazers and drift foragers, respectively, throughout the study period. In contrast, size classes of dace were categorized as drift foragers, benthos-drift foragers, or omnivores with the same size classes often assigned to different foraging groups from month to month. Digestive tract contents of the fishes in the four foraging groups reflected their observed foraging behaviour, and foraging groups were therefore regarded as representing trophic groups. Abundance and membership of each foraging group varied in accordance with changes in abundance of SSG due to their growth, immigration, emigration, and/or mortality. Moreover, due to numerical dominance within the assemblage, plasticity in foraging behaviour of small- and medium-sized dace also played a key role in determining variability in the foraging group structure. Relative frequencies of two types of foraging behaviour, algae nipping and benthos foraging, of the small-sized dace were significantly correlated with the level of each resource, whereas no significant relationship was detected between foraging frequencies of the medium-sized dace and either resource. Fluctuations in foraging group structure within this assemblage occurred through niche shifts of some component members and by changes in SSG composition.     

新薛河溪流生境底栖动物群落结构季节动态

明确底栖动物在时空尺度上的自然变化规律对有效评估和保护水生态系统十分重要。基于2012年季节调查数据,对新薛河典型生境底栖动物群落季节动态进行了研究。共鉴定底栖动物108种,隶属5门10纲74属。短脉纹石蛾、长钝直突摇蚊、拟长跗摇蚊、Neozarelia sp.为研究区域优势分类单元,相对丰度分别为25.1%、9.8%、9.0%、8.6%;各季节间优势分类单元组成差异较大,3个季度共同优势物种仅短脉纹石蛾1种。密度、物种丰度、香农指数表现为4月和12月显著高于10月;均匀度指数10月份最高。非度量多维标度排序表明,不同季节底栖动物群落结构差异显著;对照河段(D河段)群落结构季节间差异相对较小。指示物种法分离出了新薛河及各河段代表性物种41种,但B河段未分离出指示物种;双向聚类分析进一步明确了指示物种的指示属性(特有或者相对丰度最高)。     

Dietary similarity and foraging range of two seed-harvester ants during resource fluctuations

Summary Diets of desert seed-harvester ants Veromessor pergandei and Pogonomyrmex rugosus were studied for 3 years at two habitats where they are common and sympatric. Diets of the two species were similar, consisting mainly (87% of 23,913 seeds) of three annual plant species (Schismus arabicus, Plantago insularis, and Pectocarya recurvata). Diets converged following a drought in Winter/Spring 1984 which reduced seed production during this time. Foraging range of P. rugosus almost doubled following the drought while foraging range of V. pergandei remained constant. Neither ant species move their nests once established rendering them effectively sessile granivores. This limits the dietary options of a given colony and may explain interspecific dietary convergence.     

Search strategies of ants in landmark-rich habitats

Search is an important tool in an ant’s navigational toolbox to relocate food sources and find the inconspicuous nest entrance. In habitats where landmark information is sparse, homing ants travel their entire home vector before searching systematically with ever increasing loops. Search strategies have not been previously investigated in ants that inhabit landmark-rich habitats where they typically establish stereotypical routes. Here we examine the search strategy in one such ant, Melophorus bagoti, by confining their foraging in one-dimensional channels to determine if their search pattern changes with experience, location of distant cues and altered distance on the homebound journey. Irrespective of conditions, we found ants exhibit a progressive search that drifted towards the fictive nest and beyond. Segments moving away from the start of the homeward journey were longer than segments heading back towards the start. The right tail distribution of segment lengths was well fitted by a power function, but slopes less than −3 on a log-log plot indicate that the process cannot be characterized as Lévy searches that have optimal slopes near –2. A double exponential function fits the distribution of segment lengths better, supporting another theoretically optimal search pattern, the composite Brownian walk.     

Effects of ants on the foraging of birds in spruce trees

I experimentally excluded ants from randomly selected spruce trees Picea abies near colonies of the wood ant Formica aquilonia. Foraging activity of birds in these trees was then compared to the foraging activity of birds in neighboring spruce trees, where ants were allowed to continue foraging. Birds which foraged in the foliage showed the effects of competition with ants: they visited the trees without ants more frequently, and for longer periods. In addition, the insects and spiders that they utilized as food were more abundant in the foliage of trees without ants. Cone-foraging birds, however, which fed on seeds in cones at the tops of the trees, did not show a preference for trees without ants. The differences of tree usage between foliage-gleaning and coneforaging birds can be explained by alteration of the birds' food supply by wood ants: ants did not feed on seeds in cones, and so did not compete with cone-foraging birds. However, foraging wood ants did feed on arthropods living in the foliage, thus reducing the amount of food available to birds there.     

Task-specific expression of the foraging gene in harvester ants

In social insects, groups of workers perform various tasks such as brood care and foraging. Transitions in workers from one task to another are important in the organization and ecological success of colonies. Regulation of genetic pathways can lead to plasticity in social insect task behaviour. The colony organization of advanced eusocial insects evolved independently in ants, bees, and wasps and it is not known whether the genetic mechanisms that influence behavioural plasticity are conserved across species. Here we show that a gene associated with foraging behaviour is conserved across social insect species, but the expression patterns of this gene are not. We cloned the red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) ortholog (Pbfor) to foraging, one of few genes implicated in social organization, and found that foraging behaviour in harvester ants is associated with the expression of this gene; young (callow) worker brains have significantly higher levels of Pbfor mRNA than foragers. Levels of Pbfor mRNA in other worker task groups vary among harvester ant colonies. However, foragers always have the lowest expression levels compared to other task groups. The association between foraging behaviour and the foraging gene is conserved across social insects but ants and bees have an inverse relationship between foraging expression and behaviour.