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Using the red‐imported fire ant to study invasive species removal and reinvasion. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Castellanos AA, Medeiros MCI, Hamer GL, Morrow ME, Eubanks MD, Teel PD, Hamer SA, Light JE. Decreased small mammal and on-host tick abundance in association with invasive red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta). Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2016.0463. [PMID: 27651533 PMCID: PMC5046925 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species may impact pathogen transmission by altering the distributions and interactions among native vertebrate reservoir hosts and arthropod vectors. Here, we examined the direct and indirect effects of the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) on the native tick, small mammal and pathogen community in southeast Texas. Using a replicated large-scale field manipulation study, we show that small mammals were more abundant on treatment plots where S. invicta populations were experimentally reduced. Our analysis of ticks on small mammal hosts demonstrated a threefold increase in the ticks caught per unit effort on treatment relative to control plots, and elevated tick loads (a 27-fold increase) on one common rodent species. We detected only one known human pathogen (Rickettsia parkeri), present in 1.4% of larvae and 6.7% of nymph on-host Amblyomma maculatum samples but with no significant difference between treatment and control plots. Given that host and vector population dynamics are key drivers of pathogen transmission, the reduced small mammal and tick abundance associated with S. invicta may alter pathogen transmission dynamics over broader spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian A Castellanos
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Matthew C I Medeiros
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mãnoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Gabriel L Hamer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Michael E Morrow
- Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, Eagle Lake, TX, USA
| | - Micky D Eubanks
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Pete D Teel
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Jessica E Light
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Langkilde T, Thawley CJ, Robbins TR. Behavioral Adaptations to Invasive Species. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2016.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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