The influence of ants on the survival of mountain birches during an Oporinia autumnata (Lep., Geometridae) outbreak |
| |
| Authors: | Kari J Laine Pekka Niemelä |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, University of Turku, SF-20500 Turku 50;(2) Department of Biomedicine/Zoology, University of Turku, SF-20500 Turku 50, Finland |
| |
| Abstract: | Summary The present study reports the influence of ants on the survival of mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa) during an Oporinia autumnata (Lep., Geometridae) outbreak. Undamaged  green islands with a radius of 15–20 m were observed around Formica aquilonia mounds in a defoliated area in Finnish Lapland. The herbivore densities and grazing pressure were shown to be low within this radius. The foraging strategy of ants and their influence on birch growth are discussed. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
