In an unexpected real-life experiment showcasing the intricate ecological web connecting all living beings, a recent study highlights how a small ant from Mauritius is impacting the powerful lions in Kenya's savannahs.
This invasive ant, called big-headed ants (Pheidole megacephala), ventured far from its home on the island of Mauritius, likely arriving in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya around two decades ago. Professor Jacob Goheen, an animal ecologist from the University of Wyoming, explains that these ants appeared in human spaces before establishing themselves.
Introduced in bushels of produce from the Indian Ocean, according to Professor Goheen, these big-headed ants construct extensive underground cities like many other ant species. Upon invasion, they targeted and eliminated native acacia ants, consuming their pupae and eggs.
The native acacia ants maintain a symbiotic relationship with whistling thorn acacia trees (Vachellia drepanolobium), acting as guardians against herbivores in exchange for food and shelter. Professor Todd Palmer, a conservation biologist from the University of Florida, reveals that the invading ants surprisingly play a crucial role in stabilizing tree cover, allowing acacia trees to thrive despite the presence of large plant-eating mammals.
These tiny defenders, as Palmer describes them, contribute to maintaining the delicate balance in the landscape. The acacia ants, armed with formic acid in their bites, protect their landlord-trees from hungry giraffes and elephants, forming a mutually beneficial ecological relationship termed mutualism by biologists.
In conclusion, this accidental ecological experiment sheds light on the unforeseen consequences of invasive species, emphasizing the interconnectedness of life on our planet. The impact of a small ant from an island on the other side of the ocean can resonate across ecosystems, affecting even the mightiest creatures like lions on the African savannahs.
approximately what percentage of the planet's original forest is gone?
what does malthus's natural law state?
which of the following equations defines population size?
invasive species meaning
in terms of the projected impacts of climate change, failing yields in many developed regions would likely start to occur at around what temperature change increase relative to pre-industrial?
story of stuff
which of the following statements most accurately describes the example of species interactions for ants, plants and aphids that you learned about in unit 5 part 3
artificial ecosystem