Abstract

The multiple uses of eucalypt wood have driven massive plantations around the world. These plantations have been progressively invaded by Australian insects, some of which have become pests, threatening the plantation productivity, and modifying ecological networks of trophic interactions. In this study we addressed whether ants could recognize and exploit the food sources offered by the introduced psyllids (Sternorrhyncha) associated with eucalypts. We hypothesised that ant-psyllids interaction will be more likely with exotic ant species than with the native ones, because of their higher abundance in anthropogenic habitats. For this reason, we also expected differences in ant biodiversity between plantations located near and far from human settlements. We studied the presence of ants on eucalypt trees, the ant diversity found on the ground in eight eucalypt plantations, and analysed in the laboratory the interactions between psyllids and three ant species, two native and one invasive. In the field, we found native ant species over psyllid clusters in eucalypts, as well as a higher use of eucalypt resources and colonization by specialist species in plantations distant from human settlements. However, we did not find differences in ant diversity between plantations near and distant from human settlements. Despite their absence in the field, during the laboratory experiment, exotic ant workers were more attracted to psyllids than the native ants. Our results point to invasive species as potential users of this resource. We discuss potential factors involved in the ant-psyllid interactions and suggest that introduced eucalypt plantations are low-quality habitats for ants.

中文翻译：

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适应新资源：西班牙西北部桉树种植园中引入的木虱与本地和外来蚂蚁之间的相互作用

摘要

桉木的多种用途推动了世界各地大规模的种植园。这些种植园逐渐受到澳大利亚昆虫的入侵，其中一些已成为害虫，威胁着种植园的生产力，并改变了营养相互作用的生态网络。在这项研究中，我们探讨了蚂蚁是否能够识别和利用与桉树相关的引入木虱（胸甲）提供的食物来源。我们假设，蚂蚁与木虱的相互作用更有可能与外来蚂蚁物种发生相互作用，而不是与本地蚂蚁物种发生相互作用，因为它们在人类栖息地中的丰度更高。因此，我们还预计远离人类住区的种植园之间的蚂蚁生物多样性存在差异。我们研究了桉树上蚂蚁的存在情况、八个桉树种植园地面上发现的蚂蚁多样性，并在实验室中分析了木虱与三种蚂蚁（两种本地蚂蚁和一种入侵蚂蚁）之间的相互作用。在实地，我们发现桉树中的木虱群中存在本地蚂蚁物种，并且在远离人类住区的种植园中对桉树资源的利用和特殊物种的殖民化程度更高。然而，我们没有发现靠近和远离人类住区的种植园之间的蚂蚁多样性存在差异。尽管外来工蚁不在野外，但在实验室实验期间，外来工蚁比本地蚂蚁更受木虱的吸引。我们的结果表明入侵物种是该资源的潜在使用者。我们讨论了蚂蚁与木虱相互作用的潜在因素，并认为引入的桉树种植园是蚂蚁的低质量栖息地。