The introduction history of invasive garden ants in Europe: Integrating genetic, chemical and behavioural approaches
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The invasive garden ant, <it>Lasius neglectus</it>, is the most recently detected pest ant and the first known invasive ant able to become established and thrive in the temperate regions of Eurasia. In this study, we aim...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2008-02-01
|
| Series: | BMC Biology |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/6/11 |
| _version_ | 1818665757312024576 |
|---|---|
| author | Boomsma Jacobus J Kronauer Daniel JC Drijfhout Falko P Ugelvig Line V Pedersen Jes S Cremer Sylvia |
| author_facet | Boomsma Jacobus J Kronauer Daniel JC Drijfhout Falko P Ugelvig Line V Pedersen Jes S Cremer Sylvia |
| author_sort | Boomsma Jacobus J |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The invasive garden ant, <it>Lasius neglectus</it>, is the most recently detected pest ant and the first known invasive ant able to become established and thrive in the temperate regions of Eurasia. In this study, we aim to reconstruct the invasion history of this ant in Europe analysing 14 populations with three complementary approaches: genetic microsatellite analysis, chemical analysis of cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and behavioural observations of aggression behaviour. We evaluate the relative informative power of the three methodological approaches and estimate both the number of independent introduction events from a yet unknown native range somewhere in the Black Sea area, and the invasive potential of the existing introduced populations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three clusters of genetically similar populations were detected, and all but one population had a similar chemical profile. Aggression between populations could be predicted from their genetic and chemical distance, and two major clusters of non-aggressive groups of populations were found. However, populations of <it>L. neglectus </it>did not separate into clear supercolonial associations, as is typical for other invasive ants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The three methodological approaches gave consistent and complementary results. All joint evidence supports the inference that the 14 introduced populations of <it>L. neglectus </it>in Europe likely arose from only very few independent introductions from the native range, and that new infestations were typically started through introductions from other invasive populations. This indicates that existing introduced populations have a very high invasive potential when the ants are inadvertently spread by human transport.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:53:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b2955bedd4994a4fa99073df8688643f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1741-7007 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:53:42Z |
| publishDate | 2008-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-b2955bedd4994a4fa99073df8688643f2022-12-21T22:01:06ZengBMCBMC Biology1741-70072008-02-01611110.1186/1741-7007-6-11The introduction history of invasive garden ants in Europe: Integrating genetic, chemical and behavioural approachesBoomsma Jacobus JKronauer Daniel JCDrijfhout Falko PUgelvig Line VPedersen Jes SCremer Sylvia<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The invasive garden ant, <it>Lasius neglectus</it>, is the most recently detected pest ant and the first known invasive ant able to become established and thrive in the temperate regions of Eurasia. In this study, we aim to reconstruct the invasion history of this ant in Europe analysing 14 populations with three complementary approaches: genetic microsatellite analysis, chemical analysis of cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and behavioural observations of aggression behaviour. We evaluate the relative informative power of the three methodological approaches and estimate both the number of independent introduction events from a yet unknown native range somewhere in the Black Sea area, and the invasive potential of the existing introduced populations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three clusters of genetically similar populations were detected, and all but one population had a similar chemical profile. Aggression between populations could be predicted from their genetic and chemical distance, and two major clusters of non-aggressive groups of populations were found. However, populations of <it>L. neglectus </it>did not separate into clear supercolonial associations, as is typical for other invasive ants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The three methodological approaches gave consistent and complementary results. All joint evidence supports the inference that the 14 introduced populations of <it>L. neglectus </it>in Europe likely arose from only very few independent introductions from the native range, and that new infestations were typically started through introductions from other invasive populations. This indicates that existing introduced populations have a very high invasive potential when the ants are inadvertently spread by human transport.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/6/11 |
| spellingShingle | Boomsma Jacobus J Kronauer Daniel JC Drijfhout Falko P Ugelvig Line V Pedersen Jes S Cremer Sylvia The introduction history of invasive garden ants in Europe: Integrating genetic, chemical and behavioural approaches BMC Biology |
| title | The introduction history of invasive garden ants in Europe: Integrating genetic, chemical and behavioural approaches |
| title_full | The introduction history of invasive garden ants in Europe: Integrating genetic, chemical and behavioural approaches |
| title_fullStr | The introduction history of invasive garden ants in Europe: Integrating genetic, chemical and behavioural approaches |
| title_full_unstemmed | The introduction history of invasive garden ants in Europe: Integrating genetic, chemical and behavioural approaches |
| title_short | The introduction history of invasive garden ants in Europe: Integrating genetic, chemical and behavioural approaches |
| title_sort | introduction history of invasive garden ants in europe integrating genetic chemical and behavioural approaches |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/6/11 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT boomsmajacobusj theintroductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT kronauerdanieljc theintroductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT drijfhoutfalkop theintroductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT ugelviglinev theintroductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT pedersenjess theintroductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT cremersylvia theintroductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT boomsmajacobusj introductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT kronauerdanieljc introductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT drijfhoutfalkop introductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT ugelviglinev introductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT pedersenjess introductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches AT cremersylvia introductionhistoryofinvasivegardenantsineuropeintegratinggeneticchemicalandbehaviouralapproaches |