Keywords :
Anoplolepis gracilipes,
Ant diversity,
Ant nest,
Arthropod community,
Native ants
บทคัดย่อ :
Anoplolepis gracilipes is a widespread invasive species in tropical regions, posing
a serious threat to native fauna. However, there is a lack of comprehensive field investigations
into the negative impact of this species on ground-dwelling arthropods (GDAs). Herein,
GDA orders, native ant species, and the abundance of native ant nests were compared
between invaded (IVA) and uninvaded (UVA) areas in a dry evergreen forest in the
Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, Thailand. Pitfall traps was used to collect GDAs, including
ants. Ant nests were surveyed using direct sampling and food baits. In total, 8,058 GDAs
belonging to 13 orders were collected from both areas. Within the IVA, the abundance
levels of centipedes, isopods, spiders, cockroaches, termites, beetles and ants were lower
than those in the UVA. In addition, the frequency levels of occurrence of centipedes,
isopods, cockroaches and termites were lower in the IVA than in the UVA. In total, 83
species of native ants were collected, and the more diverse ant population was in the UVA
(66 species) compared to the IVA (49 species). The abundance and frequency of occurrence
levels of seven ant species were significantly higher in the UVA than in the IVA. In total,
4,431 nests were found. Nest abundance of native ants in four nest categories and nest
occurrence in two nest categories were significantly higher in the UVA than in the IVA.
These results clearly indicated that invasion of A. gracilipes adversely affected the GDA
community, especially native ant species and their nest abundance and occurrence.
เอกสารอ้างอิง :
Hasin, S., Tasen, W., Ohashi, M., Boonriam, W., & Yamada, A. (2021). Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes [Smith, F., 1857]: Hymenoptera: Formicidae) threaten community of ground-dwelling arthropods in dry evergreen forests of Thailand. Agriculture and Natural Resources, 55(4), 634-643.
