scholarly journals Wood ant assemblages of Formica rufa group on lake islands and in mainland woodland in Central Finland

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jouni Sorvari
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Occurrence Probability ◽  
Island Size ◽  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group ◽  
Species Area ◽  
Island Community ◽  
Species Area Relationship ◽  
Formica Lugubris

Associations of island size and isolation on the occurrence and species richness of five wood ant species of the Formica rufa group (F. rufa, F. aquilonia, F. lugubris, F. polyctena and F. pratensis) was tested in the Lake Konnevesi archipelago in Central Finland. In addition, the species composition was compared to that of mainland forests of the same region. Island isolation had no associations with the wood ant occurrence in this archipelago, but for most species, increasing island size was positively associated with the occurrence probability. According to the findings among the five species, Formica lugubris is the best adapted for insular living. There was a positive species–area relationship as the species richness of wood ants increased with an increasing island size. The island community of wood ants was dominated by colonies of the monogynous (single queen) species whereas the mainland community was dominated by those of polygynous (multiple queen) species.

Population studies on hill building wood-ants of the Formica rufa-group

Oecologia ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 418-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Klimetzek
Keyword(s):  
Population Studies ◽  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group

Hot-Spot Facts and Artifacts-Questioning Israel's Great Biodiversity

2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uri Roll ◽  
Lewi Stone ◽  
Shai Meiri
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Prediction Intervals ◽  
Predicting Factors ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Species Area ◽  
Expected Values ◽  
Species Area Relationship

Israel's biological diversity has been praised as being particularly rich in relation to its size; however this assumption was never tested when taking into account the empirical form of the species-area relationship. Here we compared the species richness of different countries to see if the Israeli diversity is exceptionally rich when area is accurately accounted for. We compared richness of amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles, flowering plants, conifers and cycads, and ferns in all the world's countries. We further tested the effects of mean latitude, altitude span, and insularity on species richness both for all world countries and just for Mediterranean countries. For all taxa and in all tests, Israel lies within the prediction intervals of the models. Out of 42 tests, Israel's residuals lie in the upper decile of positive residuals once: for reptiles, when compared to all world countries, taking all predicting factors into account. Using only countries larger than 1000 km2, Israel was placed as top residual when compared to other Mediterranean countries for mammals and reptiles. We therefore conclude that Israel's species richness does not significantly exceed the expected values for a country its size. This is true when comparing it to either world or just Mediterranean countries. Adding more predicting factors does not change this fact.

Seasonal Changes in Sugar and Amino Acid Preference in Red Wood Ants of The Formica rufa Group

Sociobiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 144
Author(s):  
Natalia E.L. Madsen ◽  
Joachim Offenberg
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Sugar Solution ◽  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group ◽  
Mutualistic Relationship

Red wood ants of the Formica rufa group are important ecosystem engineers throughout the Northern Hemisphere with potential to be commercially produced and used as predatory agents in biological control programs. However, in order to do that, their mutualistic relationship with aphids needs to be disrupted. This may be achieved by developing artificial sugar-based solutions with a composition that makes them more attractive than aphid honeydew. The present field study investigated Formica rufa’s preference for several sugar and amino acid sources, as well as potential seasonal changes in these preferences. Red wood ants consistently preferred sucrose to monosaccharides and were most attracted to solutions containing an amino acid source, albeit seasonal differences were observed with regard to which amino acid sources were most preferred. Recruitment to offered sugar solutions was highest during July, when colony requirements were high, and during October, when alternative food sources were scarce. Since ant preference for sugar solution constituents seems to be species-specific and show seasonal dynamics, artificial food aimed at disrupting ant-aphid mutualisms should be tailored to individual species and seasons.

Trail system in red wood ants (Formica rufa Group) under recreation press

2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. I. Soboleva
Keyword(s):  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group ◽  
Trail System

Organisation de la richesse et de la composition floristiques d'îles de la Méditerranée occidentale (sud-est de la France)

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédéric Médail ◽  
Éric Vidal
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Mediterranean Islands ◽  
Plant Dispersal ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Continental Islands ◽  
Species Area ◽  
Species Area Relationship

The effects of physiographic variables (area, isolation, elevation, and substrate) and habitat diversity on plant species richness and composition have been investigated on some Mediterranean islands (southeastern France). The number of species - area relationship is significant but there are more diverse vegetation patterns on smallest islands (area smaller than 3.5 ha and, ultimately, 0.2 ha). Although the species composition is positively correlated to the distance from the continent, the effect of isolation is not so obvious because of the small distance of these continental islands from the continent. Some islands nearest to shore show very different plant species composition, suggesting a nonselective plant dispersal through some narrow stretches of sea. Habitat diversity represents one of the major explanatory factors of the species richness; nevertheless, it is not possible to settle between the two hypotheses effect of habitat diversity versus effect of area per se because of the correlation between the two factors. Key words: Mediterranean islands, insular biogeography, number of species - area relationship, isolation, habitat diversity, islets.

scholarly journals A highly diverse microcosm in a hostile world: a review on the associates of red wood ants (Formica rufa group)

2014 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Parmentier ◽  
W. Dekoninck ◽  
T. Wenseleers
Keyword(s):  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Red Wood Ants ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group

Long-term impact of agriculture on the survival of wood ants of the Formica rufa group (Formicidae)

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abraham A. Mabelis ◽  
Julita Korczyńska
Keyword(s):  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group ◽  
Long Term Impact

scholarly journals Formica rufa ants have a limited effect on the abundance of the parasitic fly Ernestia rudis in Scots pine plantations

Sociobiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. e7286
Author(s):  
Adam Véle ◽  
Jovan Dobrosavljević
Keyword(s):  
Soil Samples ◽  
The Other ◽  
Pine Plantations ◽  
Limited Effect ◽  
Forest Protection ◽  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Formica Rufa Group ◽  
Animal Communities ◽  
Beneficial Organisms

Red wood ants (the Formica rufa group) are important predators which affect animal communities in their territory. Therefore, they are useful in forest protection. On the other hand, they also prey on beneficial organisms. We have asked whether Formica rufa L. affects the abundance of the parasitic flies Ernestia rudis (Fallén). Ten anthills situated in about 40-year- old pine plantations were used for the study. The presence of E. rudis cocoons was assessed in eight soil samples excavated in the surrounding of each nest at a distance of 2–17 m. Our results show a considerably lower abundance of E. rudis only to 4.5 m from the nests. The occurrence of Formica rufa ants therefore had no significant effect on the beneficial E. rudis population in plantation forests, where ants populations are low.

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