Ms. Sasitorn Hasin Department of Forest Biology Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University

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Assemblages in Dryevergreen Forest at Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve Ms.

1 Ecological Impact of the Yellow Crazy Ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes Smith, 57; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on Ground Dwelling Arthropod Assemblages in Dryevergreen Forest at Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve Ms. Sasitorn Hasin Department of Forest Biology Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University

2 Introduction An invasive species is a nonnative species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant health. by the Definitions Subcommittee of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee; ISAC(2006). Invasive ant species are introduced or alien ant species. They can cause a decline and change in diversity, community and population of native invertebrates, vertebrates and plants by their invasion and displacement By International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

3 5 species of the World s Worst Invasive Ant Species Argentine ant Bigheaded ant Little fire ant Red imported fire ant Yellow crazy ant

4 5 species of the World s Worst Invasive Ant Species Argentine ant Bigheaded ant Little fire ant Red imported fire ant Yellow crazy ant

Invasive ant species in Thailand Group : Invasive alien ant species;

They has been considered to decrease diversity and population of

Anoplolepis gracillipes (Yellow crazy ant) Solenopsis geminata (Fire

reported that they are invasive alien ant species in the other country.

5 Invasive ant species in Thailand Group : Invasive alien ant species; Harmful invasive ant species in Thailand. They has been considered to decrease diversity and population of native fauna in ecosystems. Anoplolepis gracillipes (Yellow crazy ant) Solenopsis geminata (Fire ant) Group 3: Alien ant species in Thailand, but they have been reported that they are invasive alien ant species in the other country. Pheidole megacephala (Big head ants) Tapinoma melanocephalum (Ghost ant) Source by; Office of Natural Resources Environmental Policy and Planning; ONPA (2009).

6 The yellow crazy ant and its impacts on ecosystems?

Bird on the island invasion at Pacific region A chick

Note the damage around the eyes and to the beak.

nest on the ground, leaving them vulnerable to the

The birds and chicks have visibly suffered from attacks

7 Bird on the island invasion at Pacific region A chick before and after being swarmed by yellow crazy ants. Note the damage around the eyes and to the beak. Chick after being swarmed by yellow crazy ants Seabirds nest on the ground, leaving them vulnerable to the swarms of yellowcrazy ants. The birds and chicks have visibly suffered from attacks by the ants. Healthy chick Source by U.S. Fish&Wildlife Service (

8 Impact on Ecosystems by Yellow Crazy Ants. Absence of Yellow crazy ant Photo source: Director of National Parks/Parks Australia Conceptual diagram source:

9 2. Present the yellow crazy ant supercolonies Source: Photo source: Dr. Christopher Boland

10 Ground dwelling arthropods are an important component of natural ecosystems.

11 Recently research suggest that many arthropod groups have affected by infestation of Yellow crazy ant.

ecological impacts as seen on forest ecosystem, i.e. the decrease of arthropod.

12 Yellow crazy ant was indicated to harmful invasive ant species in Thailand. However, the Yellow crazy ant has never been recorded to cause the ecological impacts as seen on forest ecosystem, i.e. the decrease of arthropod. Objectives To assess the impact of the yellow crazy ant on ground dwelling arthropods

13 Methodology Study area Sakaerat Environmental Research Station is situated in north eastern Thailand.

ID Three plots were uninvaded site which sites are continuous

14 Three plots are invaded site where the Yellow crazy ant supercolonies formed approximately 3 year. ID Three plots were uninvaded site which sites are continuous areas of invaded site and Yellow crazy ant individuals and supercolonies were not presented.

15 40 m 40 m

16 40 m 40 m A core area of Yellow crazy ant supercolonies is the centre of each plot.

17 Arthropods sampling ants will be collected by pitfall traps. 7.5 cm The liquid 0 cm 95 % ethylene alcohol Water Detergent 6 cm

18 40 m 40 m All individuals of arthropods were identified at least family by using systematic keys of Triplehorn and Johnson (2005). The number of family and individual of each family in each pitfall were counted.

19 Data analysis GLM univarate ANOVA to test the difference in number of individauls of arthropod groups, frequency and abundance among sites and between seasons, with site and season as fixed factors. Whenever significant results (P < 0.05) occurred in ANOVA, a posthoc test was done using Bonferroni pairwise comparisons. Normality and homogeneity of data were confirmed prior to the analyses using ShapiroWilk s and Levene s tests, respectively. Nondistributed variables were transformed through log0(x+) These statistical analyses were performed with SPSS ver for Windows.

20 Results Arthropod composition Total number of arthropods individauls / Arthropods group Dry season Number of arthropods individauls (N per plots) Wet season Dry season Wet season Ant (356) (56) 450 ± 7 22 ± ± ± Beetle ± 7 49 ±. 23 ± 4 74 ± 5 0 ±0 4±3 Cricket ± 4 3 ± 2 20 ± ± 2 Crockroach ± 0 6±2 25 ± 4 7 ± 2b Dermaptera 4 3 2± ± Termites ± 5±2 37 ± 22 3±2 Centipede ±2 ± ±5 ± Isopod ±3.7 ± ± 4±4 Millepede ±3 5±3 ± Opiliones ± 6 ± 7 Pseudoscorpion ±2 2±2 ±2 3±2 Spider ± 2 3 ± 4 27 ± 4 ± ± ± ± ± 2 Bug Total

21 Frequency (%) Arthropods group Dry season Abundance (%) Wet season Dry season Wet season Ant 00 ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.3 Beetle 95. ± 2..3 ± ± ± ± ± ± ±.0 2. ± ± ± ± 0.7 Cricket 39.6 ± ± ± ± 9..6 ± ± ± ± 0.4 Crockroach 27. ± ± ± ± 4.2. ±.3.5 ± ± ± 0.4 Dermaptera 6.3 ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 9..3 ± ±..5 ± ± ± ± ± ± 2.7a 6.3 ± ± ± ± ± 0. Isopod 4.6 ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.7 Millepede 6.7 ± ± ± 2..0 ± ± ± 0. Opiliones 3.3 ± ± ± ±.4 Pseudoscorpion 20. ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.5 Spider 37.5 ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± Bug Termites Centipede Total

22 Effect on ground dwelling arthropod Dependent Variable Arthropods Arthropods group season sites season * Site Arthropods group * season Arthropods group * Site Arthropods group * season * Site Number of individauls Frequency (%) (N per plots) d.f.n. d.f.d. F P d.f.n. d.f.d. F P Abundance (%) d.f.n. d.f.d F P

23 Number of arthropods individauls(n per plots) Arthropods group Dry season Wet season 450 ± 7a 22 ± 23b 576 ± 7a 332 ± b 7 ± 6.5a 49 ±.b 23 ± ± 5.0 ± 0A' 4 ± 3B' 3 ± 4 3 ± ± ± 2.6 Crockroach 20 ± 0a 6 ± 2b 25 ± 4a 7 ± 2b Dermaptera 2± ± 4 ± a 5 ± 2b 37 ± 22a 3 ± 2b Centipede 2±2 ± ± 5a ± b Isopod 5±3.7 ± ± 4±4 Millepede 6±3 5±3 ± Opiliones 3 ± 6 ± 7 Pseudoscorpion 5±2 2±2 ±2 3±2 Spider 6 ± 2 3 ± 4 27 ± 4a ± 2b 770 ± ± ± ± 2 Ant Beetle Bug Cricket Termites Total

24 Frequency (%) Arthropods group Abundance (%) Dry season Wet season Dry season Wet season Ant 00 ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.3 Beetle 95. ± 2..3 ± ± ± ± ± ± ±.0 2. ± 2.A' 6.3 ± 6.3 B' 0. ± ± 0.7 Cricket 39.6 ± ± ± ± 9..6 ± ± ± ± 0.4 Crockroach 27. ± ± ± 5.7a 27. ± 4.2b. ±.3.5 ± ± ± 0.4 Dermaptera 6.3 ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 9. a.3 ± 5.5b.9 ±..5 ± ± 2.5a 0.6 ± 0.3b.3 ± ± ± 2.7a 6.3 ± 3.6b 0.3 ± ± ± ± 0. Isopod 4.6 ± 9.a 2. ± 2.b 0.4 ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.7 Millepede 6.7 ± ± 0.4a 2. ± 2.b.0 ± ± ± 0. Opiliones 3.3 ± ± ± ±.4 Pseudoscorpion 20. ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± 0.5 Spider 37.5 ± ± ± 4.4 a 35.4 ±.3 b 2.6 ± ± ± ± Bug Termites Centipede Total

25 ** * 60 Frequency (%) Number of individauls Error bars represent standard error. *, ** and (P < 0.05 and P < 0.0, respectively) indicate significant differences between frequency in site and site within the arthropod group. Abundance (%)

26 000 a' a' a 600 b' b 400 Frequency (%) Number of individauls 60 b' Dry season Wet season Dry season Wet season Black bar is uninvaded site and yellow bar is invaded site. Error bars represent standard error. Difference lower case letters indicate a significant difference between the site and site within the season.

27 20 Frequency (%) 00 site site 0 60 *** *** ** 40 * 20 0 CH IS PS AR BL CO FO OR TE Arthropod group Error bars represent standard error. *, ** and *** (P < 0.05, P < 0.0 and P < 0.00, respectively) indicate significant differences between frequency in uninvaded site (site) and invaded site (site) within the arthropod group.

28 Effect on dominance arthropod Coleoptera Families; beetle (COF) COF season Site season * Site COF * season COF * Site COF * season * Site Orthoptera Families; Cricket (ORF) ORF season site season * site ORF * season ORF * site Formicidae; Ant season site season * site Termitidae; Termites season site season * site Spider season site season * site Number of individauls(n per plots) d.f.n. d.f.d. F P Dependent Variable Frequency (%) d.f.n. d.f.d. F P d.f.n. Abundance (%) d.f.d. F P

29 Number of individuals, frequency and abundance of Coleoptera Families in 6 pitfall traps at uninvaded site () and invaded site (). Values are averaged per site (Ave. ± SE) and n=3 for each site. Total number of Family Number of individauls (N per plots) individauls Wet season Bostrichidae ± 6 5 ± 6 23 ± 7 ± 37.5 ± ± ± ± 0..7 ± ±.7 2. ± ±.6 Carabidae ±3 4±3 5 ± 7 9± ± ± ± ± ± 0.4. ± ± ± 0. Curculionidae 5 4 2± 2±.3 ± ± ± ± 0.2 Elarteridae 6 0±0 2±2 2. ± ± 6.3 Nitituiidae 3 ± 2. ± ± ± ± 0.4 Scarabaeidae ±2 2± 2±2 3± 2.5 ± ± ±.3.3 ± ± ± ± ± 0.3 Staphylinidae ± 7a 23 ± 5b 40 ± 5a 3 ± 7b 70. ± ± ± ± ± 0.4a 6.7 ±.0b 4.7 ± 0.2a 6.5 ±.3b Tenebrionidae 0 6 2±2 3±2 0.4 ± ± ± 0a 4 ± 3b 44 ± 7a 9 ± 6b 20.4 ± ± ± ± ±.3a. ± 0.b 5.3 ± 0.9a.9 ±.5b ± 6 49 ± 23 ± 4 74 ± ± 2..3 ± ± ± ± ± ± ±.0 Total Wet season Abundance (%) Dry season unknow Dry season Frequency (%) Dry season Wet season Dry season Wet season 0.6 ± ± 0.4 Pairwise comparison result was shown that number of individauls and abundance of two beetle groups, i.e. rove beetle and undescribed beetle, have significant higher value in uninvaded site than invaded site.

30 DISCUSSION Ant was the high number of individauls, frequency and abundance than the other arthropods group. This predominance can be explained by the diverse of species and their nesting habitat on terrestrial ecosystems, number of individauls per colony/nest and range of foraging behaviors of ant

31 Grounddwelling arthropods assemblage at uninvaded and invaded sites were strikingly difference. These results were unanticipated given the precedent for invasive ants to disrupt arthropod communities. Beetle Ant Spider Termite Cricket Five dominant arthropod groups, may be failed to coexist with the Yellow crazy ant super colonies.

32 The impact on the composition of the arthropods assemblage may have resulted partly from much higher number of individauls of Yellow crazy ant. This finding might be suggests that Yellow crazy ant preyed on competed with arthropods differently than native ants.

33 Although Yellow crazy ant appeared to presentday disrupt the communities of ground dwelling arthropods, the effects of Yellow crazy ant invasions in dryevergreen forest probably extend beyond the displacement of the native ant fauna. Such effects might have been difficult to detect in this study for several reasons. First, pitfall traps largely fail to capture highly sedentary arthropods (e.g., larvae of insect) or those that rarely occur on the ground (e.g. Aphids). Second, although the composition of arthropod based surveys s have numerous advantages, however, the effects of Yellow crazy ant on rare taxa/or key species would evade detection with the methods used here. Third, the arthropod communities of dry evergreen forest experienced changes prior to invasion by Yellow crazy ant, and species sensitive to these disturbances may have already been lost. Lastly, immigration of arthropods from uninvaded to a continuous areas of invaded sites could maintain populations of arthropods in invaded areas even if theyellow crazy ant prevent such species from reproducing successfully

34 CONCLUSION I anticipate that this work can be used as a baseline study from which future changes as a result of land utilization and climate change or the addition of further invasive species might be monitored. Yellow crazy ant can be influenced by many factors such as the presence of competitors, food source and climates. Subsequent to this survey, the Yellow Crazy ant has further spread in Dry evergreen forest at SERS, predominantly through human mediated dispersal.

35 Funding sources The Higher Education Research Promotion and National Research University Project of Thailand Thesis Committee Thesis Advisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Wattanachai Tasen Thesis CoAdvisor: Dr. Watana Sakchoowong

36 Thank you very much for your attention Photo by Yoshiaki Hashimoto

40 Table Check lists of major invasive ant species of the world (modified from Holway et al., 2002) Ant species Anoplolepis gracilipes (Yellow crazy ant) Linepithema humile (Argentine ants) Pheidole megacephala (Bigheaded ant) Solenopsis invicta (Fire ant) Solenopsis geminata (Tropical fire ant) Wasmannia auropunctata (Little fire ant) Geographical Range Native Invasive species Africa, Tropical Asia? Africa, Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Ocean South America Africa, Asia, North America, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean Africa Australia, North and South America, Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Ocean South America Central, North and South America Central and South America Caribbean, North America Africa, Asia, Australia, Pacific and Indian Ocean Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Ocean, South and North America Note: Red color species are found in Thailand. Origin of the yellow crazy ant is still unclear whether from tropical Asia or not.

41 Spread Establishment Introduction Steps to Ant invasion Nonnative ant or alien ant species Survive but Do not Reproduce Introductions are mostly due to human activity. Survive and Reproduce Non Invasive Become part of the natural fauna and flora Spreads Rapidly Naturalized Species Invasive ant species

42 Methodology. Diversity and Distribution of invasive alien ant species in Thailand 2. Influence of environmental factors on distribution of the yellow crazy ant 2. Distribution of the yellow crazy ant along road construction 2.2 Distribution pattern of the yellow crazy ant from the road into two forest types 3. Interaction between the yellow crazy ant and the other arthropods 3. Effects of the yellow crazy ant supercolony on the nest abundance of other ant species 3.2 Impact of the yellow crazy ant on the other arthropods 4. To evaluate the impact of the yellow crazy ant on CO2 efflux in the dry evergreen forest

will survey ants species in 32 areas including 23 national parks, wildlife

43 Methodology. Diversity and Distribution of invasive alien ant species in Thailand Study areas I will survey ants species in 32 areas including 23 national parks, wildlife sanctuary, 3 plantations, agricultural land, Sakaerat Environmental Research Station Urban ecosystem (Bangkok). Positions of these areas will be recorded by GPS.

44 Each study area will be conducted; FA UA Forest Area or Public park Area in Bangkok (FA) Urban Area (UA)

45 outside region inside region core region

46 2. Distribution of the yellow crazy ant along road construction SV 20 m Main Road in SERS Main road number 304 Research will be conducted along 4km section of the main road constructed within the SERS 4 KM Ant sampling; survey point (SV) will be established at the edge of two sides of roadways, 20 m apart from each other, at least 400 survey points.

Agonistic Interactions Among Invasive Ant Species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Two Habitats on Oahu, Hawaii ABSTRACT

Agonistic Interactions Among Invasive Ant Species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Two Habitats on Oahu, Hawaii by 543 Ranit Kirschenbaum 1 & J. Kenneth Grace 1,2 ABSTRACT The Hawaiian Islands represent