蚂蚁光顾云南紫胶虫对其天敌紫胶黑虫种群的影响

为了弄清蚂蚁光顾云南紫胶虫Kerria yunnanensis Ouet Hong对其天敌紫胶黑虫Holcocera pulverea Meyr种群的影响,于云南紫胶虫成虫期,对有无蚂蚁光顾的胶被抽样,调查胶被上紫胶黑虫的为害率及种群数量变化。结果显示,紫胶黑虫对有无蚂蚁光顾的胶被的为害率均很高,并逐月增加;其中有蚂蚁光顾的胶被紫胶黑虫的为害率略小于无蚂蚁光顾的胶被。蚂蚁光顾能明显减少紫胶黑虫的种群数量(︱t︱=2.764,df=356,P<0.01),其原因可能是蚂蚁光顾能干扰紫胶黑虫的产卵行为、破坏卵、取食卵和幼虫并且这种保护主要发生在云南紫胶虫幼虫期;云南紫胶虫进入成虫期后,由于紫胶黑虫生活于胶被内,并且产卵于胶被的凹陷处或雄虫胶壳内或雌虫肛突孔处,蚂蚁很少与紫胶黑虫相遇,故蚂蚁光顾对紫胶黑虫每月增长量没有显著影响(︱t︱=0.970,df=161,P>0.05)。紫胶黑虫和蚂蚁相遇的行为反应存在显著差异(χ2=4.781,df=1,P<0.05),蚂蚁对紫胶黑虫有捕食作用。蚂蚁与云南紫胶虫之间存在互利关系。蚂蚁取食云南紫胶虫的蜜露,能降低紫胶黑虫的为害率,并减少紫胶黑虫的种群数量,从而保护云南紫胶虫。     

红火蚁在中国的分布区预测

利用CLIMEX和GARP生态位模型2种方法对红火蚁在中国大陆的潜在分布区进行了分析预测。结果表明该虫在中国东南部的广大地区均可能适生或造成危害,其自然扩散的北界可能达到山东、天津、河北南部和山西南部。     

不同诱饵对搬运舞草种子蚂蚁诱集作用比较

在云南西双版纳和思茅地区有12种蚂蚁帮助舞草(Codariocalyx motorius)种子扩散。科学有效地监测蚂蚁种群的数量变化,对分析蚂蚁种群动态与舞草种群扩散的相互关系有重要的意义。作者采用陷阱诱捕法,用糖、鱼、肉、舞草种子做诱饵,并与不含诱饵的水(对照)及含3%甲醛的水溶液进行诱集蚂蚁的效果比较。结果显示搬运舞草种子的蚂蚁对不同诱饵的趋性及反应强度有明显差异。用糖、鱼、肉做诱饵与其它3种诱集方法相比,所诱集到的样地搬运和不搬运舞草种子的蚂蚁种类和数量要多。邻巨首蚁Pheidologeton affinisJerdon对糖和鱼有极强趋性,并影响诱集其他搬运舞草种子的。除邻巨首蚁外,通用的含3%甲醛溶液的诱集方法不影响诱集其他搬运舞草种子的蚂蚁,同时还能防止蚂蚁腐烂。搬运舞草种子的主要蚂蚁——伊大头蚁Pheidole yeensisForel对糖、鱼和肉均有趋性,对舞草种子也有一定的趋性。搬运舞草种子的蚂蚁在雨天的随机觅食活动很少,只有在食物的引诱下才出巢采食。试验结果表明,选择糖、鱼做诱饵不能完全反映搬运舞草种子的蚂蚁数量,而通用的含3%甲醛的水溶液是一种较好的监测方法,但诱集试验应避开雨天进行。     

Do invasive ants respond more strongly to carbohydrate availability than co‐occurring non‐invasive ants? A test along an active Anoplolepis gracilipes invasion front

Invasions by non‐native insects can have important ecological impacts, particularly on island ecosystems. However, the factors that promote the success of invaders relative to co‐occurring non‐invasive species remain unresolved. For invasive ants, access to carbohydrate resources via interactions with both extrafloral nectary‐bearing plants and honeydew‐excreting insects may accelerate the invasion process. A first step towards testing this hypothesis is to determine whether invasive ants respond to variation in the availability of carbohydrate resources, and whether this response differs from that of co‐occurring, non‐invasive ants. We investigated the effect of carbohydrate subsidies on the short‐term foraging and hemipteran‐tending behaviours of the invasive ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (Formicidae) and co‐occurring ant species on an extrafloral nectary‐bearing plant by experimentally manipulating carbohydrate levels and tracking ant recruitment. We conducted experiments in 2 years at two sites: one site was invaded by A. gracilipes prior to 2007 and the other became invaded during the course of our study, allowing pre‐ (2007) and post‐invasion (2009) comparisons. Short‐term increases in carbohydrate availability increased the density of A. gracilipes workers on plants by as much as 400% and reduced tending of honeydew‐excreting insects by this species by up to 89%, with similar responses across years. In contrast, ants at the uninvaded site in 2007 showed a weak and non‐significant forager recruitment response. Across all sites, A. gracilipes workers were the only ants that responded to carbohydrate manipulations in 2009. Furthermore, ant–carbohydrate dynamics at a site newly invaded by A. gracilipes quickly diverged from dynamics at uninvaded sites and converged on those of the site with an established invasion. These findings suggest that carbohydrate resources may be particularly important for A. gracilipes invasions, and underscore the importance of species interactions, particularly putative mutualisms, in facilitating exotic species invasions.     

蚂蚁筑巢对不同恢复阶段热带森林土壤易氧化有机碳时空动态的影响

为探明热带森林恢复过程中蚂蚁筑巢对土壤易氧化有机碳(readily oxidizable carbon, ROC)时空动态的影响及机制, 本研究以西双版纳白背桐(Mallotus paniculatus)群落、野芭蕉(Musa acuminata)群落和崖豆藤(Mellettia leptobotrya)群落3种恢复阶段热带森林为研究对象, 设置“蚂蚁筑巢地”与“非巢地”2种处理进行野外控制实验, 对比分析蚁巢和非蚁巢土壤ROC含量的时空变化特征, 并揭示这些变化与土壤微生物生物量碳及理化性质之间的相互关系。结果表明: (1)蚂蚁筑巢显著影响热带森林土壤ROC含量(P < 0.05), 蚁巢土壤ROC含量较非蚁巢提高了14.2%。不同恢复阶段蚁巢与非蚁巢土壤ROC含量大小顺序为: 野芭蕉群落 > 崖豆藤群落 > 白背桐群落。(2)不同恢复阶段热带森林蚁巢与非蚁巢土壤ROC含量均呈单峰型的时间变化趋势(P < 0.05), 最大值出现在6月, 且各月份蚁巢土壤ROC含量均高于非蚁巢。(3)不同恢复阶段热带森林蚁巢和非蚁巢土壤ROC含量均随土层深度增加呈显著递减的垂直变化趋势(P < 0.05), 且蚁巢土壤ROC含量均大于非蚁巢(P < 0.05)。(4)蚂蚁筑巢引起的土壤理化性质变化对土壤ROC含量产生了一定的影响。土壤ROC含量与土壤pH和容重呈显著负相关(P < 0.05), 与土壤有机碳、微生物生物量碳、全氮、铵态氮及硝态氮呈显著正相关(P < 0.05)。土壤微生物生物量碳与总有机碳是蚁巢土壤ROC时空变化的主要贡献者, 而铵态氮、全氮和总有机碳是非蚁巢ROC时空变化的主控因子。因此, 蚂蚁筑巢改变热带森林土壤微生物量(如微生物生物量碳)及土壤理化性质(如总有机碳、铵态氮与全氮等), 进而显著影响土壤ROC的时空动态。     

沙丘微地形生境蚁丘分布特征及其对恢复过程的响应

为了阐明沙丘微地形生境蚁丘特征及分布规律对沙丘固定过程的响应规律,以科尔沁沙地为研究区,选择不同固沙阶段沙丘的4个方位（西北、东南、西南、东北）布设调查样地,测定了不同样地的蚁丘密度、直径和高度,分析了不同样地蚁丘特征及空间分布规律。结果表明：（1）流动沙丘背风向（即东南方位）蚁丘密度显著高于其他方位,但从流动沙丘到半流动沙丘,背风向（即东南方位）蚁丘密度显著低于其他方位;从半固定沙丘开始,半固定和固定沙丘微地形对蚁丘密度分布的影响较小。（2）在流动沙丘、半流动沙丘、半固定沙丘,不同微地形生境中蚁丘直径和高度均呈现出相似的分布规律,即东南方位均小于其他方位。在固定沙丘,蚁丘高度表现为东南方位亦较低,但蚁丘直径表现为西南和东北方位显著小于西北方位。（3）在流动沙丘,西北、西南和东南方位上蚁丘空间分布均表现为均匀分布型,而在半流动、半固定和固定沙丘,4个方位上蚁丘空间分布均表现为聚集分布型。（4）相关性分析表明,不同固沙阶段不同微生境下蚁丘密度、高度、直径与植物密度、多样性间的相关性不同。随着固沙阶段演替,不同微生境下蚁丘特征与植物密度、多样性的相关性增强。研究表明,在科尔沁沙地,随着流动沙丘固定和生境逐渐恢复,沙丘不同空间方位上蚁丘密度分布差异缩小,而蚁丘直径和高度仍存在沙丘微地形间显著差异性,并且蚁丘空间方位上均呈现聚集分布状态。     

Fluid physico-chemical properties influence capture and diet in Nepenthes pitcher plants

Background and Aims Nepenthes pitcher plants have evolved modified leaves with slippery surfaces and enzymatic fluids that trap and digest prey, faeces and/or plant detritus. Although the fluid’s contribution to insect capture is recognized, the physico-chemical properties involved remain underexplored and may vary among species, influencing their diet type. This study investigates the contributions of acidity and viscoelasticity in the fluid’s capture efficiency of two ant and two fly species in four Nepenthes species with different nutrition strategies.Methods Four Nepenthes species were studied, namely N. rafflesiana, N. gracilis, N. hemsleyana and N. ampullaria. Fluid was collected from pitchers of varying ages from plants growing in the field and immediately transferred to glass vials, and individual ants (tribe Campotini, Fomicinae) and flies (Calliphora vomitoria and Drosophila melanogaster) were dropped in and observed for 5 min. Water-filled vials were used as controls. Survival and lifetime data were analysed using models applied to right-censored observations. Additional laboratory experiments were carried out in which C. vomitoria flies were immersed in pH-controlled aqueous solutions and observed for 5 min.Key Results Pitcher fluid differed among Nepenthes species as regards insect retention capacity and time-to-kill, with differences observed between prey types. Only the fluids of the reputedly insectivorous species were very acidic and/or viscoelastic and retained significantly more insects than the water controls. Viscoelastic fluids were fatal to flies and were able to trap the broadest diversity of insects. Younger viscoelastic fluids showed a better retention ability than older fluids, although with less rapid killing ability, suggesting that a chemical action follows a mechanical one. Insect retention increased exponentially with fluid viscoelasticity, and this happened more abruptly and at a lower threshold for flies compared with ants. Flies were more often retained if they fell into the traps on their backs, thus wetting their wings. Insect retention and death rate increased with fluid acidity, with a lower threshold for ants than for flies, and the time-to-kill decreased with increasing acidity. The laboratory experiments showed that fewer flies escaped from acidic solutions compared with water.Conclusions In addition to viscoelasticity, the pitcher’s fluid acidity and wetting ability influence the fate of insects and hence the diet of Nepenthes. The plants might select the prey that they retain by manipulating the secretion of H⁺ ions and polysaccharides in their pitcher fluid. This in turn might participate in possible adaptive radiation of this genus with regard to nutrient sequestration strategy. These plants might even structurally influence insect fall-orientation and capture-probability, inspiring biomimetic designs for pest control.     

Age‐dependent and task‐related volume changes in the mushroom bodies of visually guided desert ants,Cataglyphis bicolor

Desert ants of the genus Cataglyphis are skillful long‐distance navigators employing a variety of visual navigational tools such as skylight compasses and landmark guidance mechanisms. However, the time during which this navigational toolkit comes into play is extremely short, as the average lifetime of a Cataglyphis forager lasts for only about 6 days. Here we show, by using immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, and three‐dimensional reconstruction software, that even during this short period of adult life, Cataglyphis exhibits a remarkable increase in the size of its mushroom bodies, especially of the visual input region, the collar, if compared to age‐matched dark‐reared animals. This task‐related increase rides on a much smaller age‐dependent increase of the size of the mushroom bodies. Due to the variation in body size exhibited by Cataglyphis workers we use allometric analyses throughout and show that small animals exhibit considerably larger task‐related increases in the sizes of their mushroom bodies than larger animals do. It is as if there were an upper limit of mushroom body size required for accomplishing the ant's navigational tasks. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol, 2006