Influence of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formiciddae) on the diversity of ant communities in a newly infested longan orchard and grass areas nearby
Abstract:The impacts of red imported fire ant invasion on the diversity of ant communities in longan orchards and grasslands were studied with pitfall and bait traps from July 2007 through February 2008, in Zengcheng, Guangzhou. Different number of the fire ant colonies were moved into the two types of the habitats and kept for observation. Fire ants did not establish their colonies in the high\|shade longan orchards and un\|mowed grass areas. However, they did establish in areas with mowed grass. The impacts of fire ants on the diversity of the ant community were dependent on the densities of colonies moved into the grasslands. When one fire ant colony was set in 300 m2 of mowed grass, the abundance of ants and predominant indices of the ant community decreased, while the diversity and evenness indices increased after 6-7 months. However, the abundance of ants and the diversity and evenness indices decreased, and predominant indices increased after the fire ant colonies colonized the area for 8-9 months. When up to 10 colonies were introduced per 300 m2, and were allowed to establish for 5 months, the abundance, diversity indices and evenness indices decreased, and the predominant indices increased.