Title
Quantitative analysis of the effects of the exotic Argentine ant on seed-dispersal mutualisms
Abbreviated Journal Title
Biol. Lett.
Keywords
Argentine ants; exotic invasive species; seed-dispersal mutualisms; meta-analysis; REPLACE NATIVE ANTS; LINEPITHEMA-HUMILE; CONSEQUENCES; PLANT; INVASION; MYRMECOCHORY; METAANALYSIS; PATTERNS; ECOLOGY; Biology; Ecology; Evolutionary Biology
Abstract
Although it is increasingly clear that exotic invasive species affect seed-dispersal mutualisms, a synthetic examination of the effect of exotic invasive species on seed-dispersal mutualisms is lacking. Here, we review the impacts of the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) on seed dispersal. We found that sites with L. humile had 92 per cent fewer native ant seed dispersers than did sites where L. humile was absent. In addition, L. humile did not replace native seed dispersers, as rates of seed removal and seedling establishment were all lower in the presence of L. humile than in its absence. We conclude that potential shifts in plant diversity and concomitant changes in ecosystem function may be a consequence of Argentine ant invasions, as well as invasions by other ant species. Because very few studies have examined the effects of non-ant invasive species on seed-dispersal mutualisms, the prevalence of disruption of seed-dispersal mutualisms by invasive species is unclear.
Journal Title
Biology Letters
Volume
5
Issue/Number
4
Publication Date
1-1-2009
Document Type
Article
Language
English
First Page
499
Last Page
502
WOS Identifier
ISSN
1744-9561
Recommended Citation
"Quantitative analysis of the effects of the exotic Argentine ant on seed-dispersal mutualisms" (2009). Faculty Bibliography 2000s. 2065.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/2065