Reducing Native Ant Abundance Decreases Predation Rates in Midwestern Grasslands

Wills, B. D.; Kim, T. N.; Fox, A. F.; Gratton, C.; Landis, D. A.

doi:10.1093/ee/nvz127

Title: Reducing Native Ant Abundance Decreases Predation Rates in Midwestern Grasslands

Journal Article · 11 November 2019 · Environmental Entomology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvz127 · OSTI ID:1579533

^[1]; Kim, T. N. ^[2]; Fox, A. F. ^[3]; Gratton, C. ^[2]; Landis, D. A. ^[3]

Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center; Auburn University Department of Biological Sciences
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center

Diverse and robust predator communities are important for effective prey suppression in natural and managed communities. Ants are ubiquitous components of terrestrial systems but their contributions to natural prey suppression is relatively understudied in temperate regions. Growing evidence suggests that ants can play a significant role in the removal of insect prey within grasslands, but their impact is difficult to separate from that of nonant predators. To test how ants may contribute to prey suppression in grasslands, we used poison baits (with physical exclosures) to selectively reduce the ant population in common garden settings, then tracked ant and nonant ground predator abundance and diversity, and removal of sentinel egg prey for 7 wk. We found that poison baits reduced ant abundance without a significant negative impact on abundance of nonant ground predators, and that a reduction in ant abundance decreased the proportion of sentinel prey eggs removed. Even a modest decrease (~20%) in abundance of several ant species, including the numerically dominant Lasius neoniger Emery (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), significantly reduced sentinel prey removal rates. Our results suggest that ants disproportionately contribute to ground-based predation of arthropod prey in grasslands. Changes in the amount of grasslands on the landscape and its management may have important implications for ant prevalence and natural prey suppression services in agricultural landscapes.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER) (SC-23)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0018409; FC02-07ER64494

OSTI ID:: 1579533

Journal Information:: Environmental Entomology, Journal Name: Environmental Entomology Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 48; ISSN 0046-225X

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (73)

Can Generalist Predators be Effective Biocontrol Agents? Symondson, W. O. C.; Sunderland, K. D.; Greenstone, M. H. Annual Review of Entomology, Vol. 47, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.47.091201.145240	journal	January 2002
Foraging Strategies of Ants Traniello, J. F. A. Annual Review of Entomology, Vol. 34, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.34.010189.001203	journal	January 1989
Suppression of savanna ants alters invertebrate composition and influences key ecosystem processes Parr, C. L.; Eggleton, P.; Davies, A. B. Ecology, Vol. 97, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1890/15-1713.1	journal	June 2016
Ant Predation on Eggs and Larvae of the Black Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Japanese Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Turfgrass López, Rolando; Potter, Daniel A. Environmental Entomology, Vol. 29, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X-29.1.116	journal	February 2000
Invertebrates, ecosystem services and climate change: Invertebrates, ecosystems and climate change Prather, Chelse M.; Pelini, Shannon L.; Laws, Angela Biological Reviews, Vol. 88, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12002	journal	December 2012
Confronting a biome crisis: global disparities of habitat loss and protection: Confronting a biome crisis Hoekstra, Jonathan M.; Boucher, Timothy M.; Ricketts, Taylor H. Ecology Letters, Vol. 8, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00686.x	journal	December 2004
The role of ants in north temperate grasslands: a review Wills, B. D.; Landis, D. A. Oecologia, Vol. 186, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-017-4007-0	journal	November 2017
Trophic cascades in agricultural landscapes: indirect effects of landscape composition on crop yield Liere, Heidi; Kim, Tania N.; Werling, Benjamin P. Figshare https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3296762	collection	January 2016
Perennial grasslands enhance biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services in bioenergy landscapes Werling, B. P.; Dickson, T. L.; Isaacs, R. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 111, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1309492111	journal	January 2014
Population dynamics of annuals in perennial grassland controlled by ants and environmental stochasticity Dostál, Petr Journal of Vegetation Science, Vol. 18, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2007.tb02519.x	journal	February 2007
Local vs. landscape controls on diversity: a test using surface-dwelling soil macroinvertebrates of differing mobility: Local versus landscape controls on diversity Dauber, Jens; Purtauf, Tobias; Allspach, Andreas Global Ecology and Biogeography, Vol. 14, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-822X.2005.00150.x	journal	March 2005
Microbial activity and functional diversity in the mounds of three different ant species Dauber, Jens; Wolters, Volkmar Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 32, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(99)00135-2	journal	January 2000
Ant species assembly in constructed grasslands is structured at patch and landscape levels Campbell, Kaitlin U.; Crist, Thomas O. Insect Conservation and Diversity, Vol. 10, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12215	journal	January 2017
Biocontrol potential varies with changes in biofuel-crop plant communities and landscape perenniality: BIOCONTROL AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION SYSTEMS Werling, Ben P.; Meehan, Timothy D.; Robertson, Bruce A. GCB Bioenergy, Vol. 3, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1757-1707.2011.01092.x	journal	February 2011
Sustainable pest regulation in agricultural landscapes: a review on landscape composition, biodiversity and natural pest control Bianchi, F. J. J. A.; Booij, C. J. H.; Tscharntke, T. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 273, Issue 1595 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3530	journal	April 2006
Long-term aboveground and belowground consequences of red wood ant exclusion in boreal forest Wardle, David A.; Hyodo, Fujio; Bardgett, Richard D. Ecology, Vol. 92, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1890/10-1223.1	journal	March 2011
Intraguild interactions between spiders and ants and top-down control in a grassland food web Sanders, Dirk; Platner, Christian Oecologia, Vol. 150, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0538-5	journal	November 2006
Daily and seasonal activity in woodland ants Fellers, Joan H. Oecologia, Vol. 78, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00377199	journal	January 1989
Ant body size Predicts Dispersal Distance of Ant-Adapted Seeds: Implications of Small-Ant Invasions Ness, J. H.; Bronstein, J. L.; Andersen, A. N. Figshare https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3298085	collection	January 2016
A meta-analysis of crop pest and natural enemy response to landscape complexity: Pest and natural enemy response to landscape complexity Chaplin-Kramer, Rebecca; O’Rourke, Megan E.; Blitzer, Eleanor J. Ecology Letters, Vol. 14, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01642.x	journal	June 2011
Insect effects on ecosystem services—Introduction Schowalter, T. D.; Noriega, J. A.; Tscharntke, T. Basic and Applied Ecology, Vol. 26 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2017.09.011	journal	February 2018
A year in an ant's life: Opportunism and seasonal variation in the foraging ecology of Aphaenogaster senilis Caut, Stephane; Barroso, Ángel; Cerdá, Xim Écoscience, Vol. 20, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.2980/20-1-3559	journal	March 2013
Oral Toxicity of Abamectin, Boric Acid, Fipronil, and Hydramethylnon to Laboratory Colonies of Argentine Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Hooper-Bui, Linda M.; Rust, Michael K. Journal of Economic Entomology, Vol. 93, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-93.3.858	journal	June 2000
Population consequences of changes in an ant-seed mutualism in Sanguinaria canadensis Pudlo, Ronald J.; Beattie, Andrew J.; Culver, David C. Oecologia, Vol. 46, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00346962	journal	July 1980
Sustainable pest regulation in agricultural landscapes: a review on landscape composition, biodiversity and natural pest control Bianchi, F. J. J. A.; Booij, C. J. H.; Tscharntke, T. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 273, Issue 1595 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3530	journal	April 2006
Population dynamics of annuals in perennial grassland controlled by ants and environmental stochasticity Dostál, Petr Journal of Vegetation Science, Vol. 18, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2007.tb02519.x	journal	February 2007
Ecological consequences of interactions between ants and honeydew-producing insects Styrsky, John D.; Eubanks, Micky D. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 274, Issue 1607 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3701	journal	October 2006
Daily and seasonal activity in woodland ants Fellers, Joan H. Oecologia, Vol. 78, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377199	journal	January 1989
Colonization and Recovery of Invertebrate Ecosystem Engineers during Prairie Restoration: Ecosystem Engineers in Prairie Restoration Wodika, Ben R.; Klopf, Ryan P.; Baer, Sara G. Restoration Ecology, Vol. 22, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12084	journal	June 2014
Intra-and intercolony patterns of nest dispersion in the ant Lasius neoniger: correlations with territoriality and foraging ecology Traniello, James F. A.; Levings, Sally C. Oecologia, Vol. 69, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00377064	journal	June 1986
Mortality of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Eggs in Cotton as a Function of Oviposition Sites, Predator Species, and Desiccation Nuessly, Gregg S.; Sterling, Winfield L. Environmental Entomology, Vol. 23, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/23.5.1189	journal	October 1994
Biomass and biofuel crop effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the North Central US Landis, Douglas A.; Gratton, Claudio; Jackson, Randall D. Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 114 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.02.003	journal	July 2018
Comparison of pollinators and natural enemies: a meta-analysis of landscape and local effects on abundance and richness in crops: Comparison of pollinators and natural enemies Shackelford, Gorm; Steward, Peter R.; Benton, Tim G. Biological Reviews, Vol. 88, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12040	journal	April 2013
Trophic cascades in agricultural landscapes: indirect effects of landscape composition on crop yield Liere, Heidi; Kim, Tania N.; Werling, Benjamin P. Ecological Applications, Vol. 25, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1890/14-0570.1	journal	April 2015
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as Natural Control Agents of Pests in Irrigated Maize in Nicaragua Perfecto, Ivette Journal of Economic Entomology, Vol. 84, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/84.1.65	journal	February 1991
Trophic cascades in agricultural landscapes: indirect effects of landscape composition on crop yield Liere, Heidi; Kim, Tania N.; Werling, Benjamin P. Ecological Applications, Vol. 25, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1890/14-0570.1	journal	April 2015
Territorial ants depress plant growth through cascading non-trophic effects in an alpine meadow Zhao, Chuan; Wu, Xinwei; Griffin, John N. Oikos, Vol. 123, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00815.x	journal	November 2013
Neoichnological Study of the Traces and Burrowing Behaviors of the Western Harvester ant Pogonomyrmex Occidentalis (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Paleopedogenic and Paleoecological Implications Halfen, A. F.; Hasiotis, S. T. PALAIOS, Vol. 25, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.2110/palo.2010.p10-005r	journal	November 2010
Does landscape composition affect pest abundance and their control by natural enemies? A review Veres, Andrea; Petit, Sandrine; Conord, Cyrille Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Vol. 166 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2011.05.027	journal	February 2013
Trait-mediated effects between predators: ant chemical cues induce spider dispersal: Ant cues induce spider dispersal Mestre, L.; Bucher, R.; Entling, M. H. Journal of Zoology, Vol. 293, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12127	journal	March 2014
The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta , modifies predation at the soil surface and in cotton foliage : Fire ants modify predation in cotton Wickings, K.; Ruberson, J. R. Annals of Applied Biology, Vol. 169, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.12303	journal	July 2016
Agricultural landscape simplification reduces natural pest control: A quantitative synthesis Rusch, Adrien; Chaplin-Kramer, Rebecca; Gardiner, Mary M. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Vol. 221 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.01.039	journal	April 2016
Intra-and intercolony patterns of nest dispersion in the ant Lasius neoniger: correlations with territoriality and foraging ecology Traniello, James F. A.; Levings, Sally C. Oecologia, Vol. 69, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00377064	journal	June 1986
Intraguild interactions among generalist predator functional groups drive impact on herbivore and decomposer prey Sanders, Dirk; Schaefer, Matthias; Platner, Christian Oikos, Vol. 120, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18924.x	journal	January 2011
Harvesting biofuel grasslands has mixed effects on natural enemy communities and no effects on biocontrol services Kim, Tania N.; Fox, Aaron F.; Wills, Bill D. Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol. 54, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12901	journal	April 2017
Cellulosic biofuel contributions to a sustainable energy future: Choices and outcomes Robertson, G. Philip; Hamilton, Stephen K.; Barham, Bradford L. Science, Vol. 356, Issue 6345 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aal2324	journal	June 2017
Landscape perspectives on agricultural intensification and biodiversity â€“ ecosystem service management Tscharntke, Teja; Klein, Alexandra M.; Kruess, Andreas Ecology Letters, Vol. 8, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00782.x	journal	August 2005
How Ant Nests Increase Soil Biota Richness and Abundance: A Field Experiment Boulton, April M.; Amberman, Keith D. Biodiversity and Conservation, Vol. 15, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-2177-7	journal	January 2006
Ant body size Predicts Dispersal Distance of Ant-Adapted Seeds: Implications of Small-Ant Invasions Ness, J. H.; Bronstein, J. L.; Andersen, A. N. Ecology, Vol. 85, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1890/03-0364	journal	May 2004
Local vs. landscape controls on diversity: a test using surface-dwelling soil macroinvertebrates of differing mobility: Local versus landscape controls on diversity Dauber, Jens; Purtauf, Tobias; Allspach, Andreas Global Ecology and Biogeography, Vol. 14, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-822x.2005.00150.x	journal	March 2005
Intraguild interactions among generalist predator functional groups drive impact on herbivore and decomposer prey Sanders, Dirk; Schaefer, Matthias; Platner, Christian Oikos, Vol. 120, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18924.x	journal	January 2011
Suppression of savanna ants alters invertebrate composition and influences key ecosystem processes Parr, C. L.; Eggleton, P.; Davies, A. B. Ecology, Vol. 97, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1890/15-1713.1	journal	June 2016
A year in an ant's life: Opportunism and seasonal variation in the foraging ecology of Aphaenogaster senilis Caut, Stephane; Barroso, Ángel; Cerdá, Xim Écoscience, Vol. 20, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.2980/20-1-3559	journal	March 2013
Ecological consequences of interactions between ants and honeydew-producing insects Styrsky, John D.; Eubanks, Micky D. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 274, Issue 1607 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3701	journal	October 2006
Ants and Ant Scent Reduce Bumblebee Pollination of Artificial Flowers Cembrowski, Adam R.; Tan, Marcus G.; Thomson, James D. The American Naturalist, Vol. 183, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1086/674101	journal	January 2014
Long-term aboveground and belowground consequences of red wood ant exclusion in boreal forest Wardle, David A.; Hyodo, Fujio; Bardgett, Richard D. Ecology, Vol. 92, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1890/10-1223.1	journal	March 2011
Population consequences of changes in an ant-seed mutualism in Sanguinaria canadensis Pudlo, Ronald J.; Beattie, Andrew J.; Culver, David C. Oecologia, Vol. 46, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346962	journal	July 1980
The role of ants in north temperate grasslands: a review Wills, B. D.; Landis, D. A. Oecologia, Vol. 186, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-017-4007-0	journal	November 2017
Appendix C. A table showing mean and maximum seed dispersal distances, and mean body lengths of seed collecting ants in different communities. Ness, J. H.; Bronstein, J. L.; Andersen, A. N. Wiley https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3523301	dataset	January 2016
Big Brother is Watching: Studying Insect Predation in the Age of Digital Surveillance Grieshop, Matthew J.; Werling, Ben; Buehrer, Krista American Entomologist, Vol. 58, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1093/ae/58.3.172	journal	January 2012
Landscape perspectives on agricultural intensification and biodiversity â€“ ecosystem service management Tscharntke, Teja; Klein, Alexandra M.; Kruess, Andreas Ecology Letters, Vol. 8, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00782.x	journal	August 2005
Flower plantings increase wild bee abundance and the pollination services provided to a pollination-dependent crop Blaauw, Brett R.; Isaacs, Rufus Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol. 51, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12257	journal	April 2014
Predatory Potential of Selected Ant Species on Eggs of Western Corn Rootworm 12 Ballard, James B.; Mayo, Z. B. Environmental Entomology, Vol. 8, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/8.3.575	journal	June 1979
Predatory Potential of Selected Ant Species on Eggs of Western Corn Rootworm 12 Ballard, James B.; Mayo, Z. B. Environmental Entomology, Vol. 8, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/8.3.575	journal	June 1979
Intraguild interactions between spiders and ants and top-down control in a grassland food web Sanders, Dirk; Platner, Christian Oecologia, Vol. 150, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0538-5	journal	November 2006
Corn Rootworm 1 : Population Reduction Associated with the Ant, Lasius neoniger2 Kirk, Vernon M. Environmental Entomology, Vol. 10, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/10.6.966	journal	December 1981
Foraging Strategies of Ants Traniello, J. F. A. Annual Review of Entomology, Vol. 34, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.34.010189.001203	journal	January 1989
The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta , modifies predation at the soil surface and in cotton foliage : Fire ants modify predation in cotton Wickings, K.; Ruberson, J. R. Annals of Applied Biology, Vol. 169, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.12303	journal	July 2016
Fipronil: An Ultra-Low-Dose Bait Toxicant for Control of Red Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Collins, H. L.; Callcott, A. M. A. The Florida Entomologist, Vol. 81, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.2307/3495930	journal	September 1998
Tallgrass prairie ants: their species composition, ecological roles, and response to management Nemec, Kristine T. Journal of Insect Conservation, Vol. 18, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-014-9656-2	journal	June 2014
Oral Toxicity of Abamectin, Boric Acid, Fipronil, and Hydramethylnon to Laboratory Colonies of Argentine Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Hooper-Bui, Linda M.; Rust, Michael K. Journal of Economic Entomology, Vol. 93, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-93.3.858	journal	June 2000
Influence of habitat and landscape perenniality on insect natural enemies in three candidate biofuel crops Werling, Ben P.; Meehan, Timothy D.; Gratton, Claudio Biological Control, Vol. 59, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2011.06.014	journal	November 2011
Predation on eggs of the Apple Snail Pomacea Canaliculata (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae) by the fire ant Solenopsis Geminata Yusa, Y. Journal Molluscan Studies, Vol. 67, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1093/mollus/67.3.275	journal	August 2001

Similar Records

Notes on spider (Theridiidae, Salticidae) predation of the harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex salinus Olsen (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae), and a possible parasitoid fly (Chloropidae)

Journal Article · 1992 · Great Basin Naturalist; (United States) · OSTI ID:6944211

Clark, W H; Blom, P E

Recolonization patterns of ants in a rehabilitated lignite mine in central Italy: Potential for the use of Mediterranean ants as indicators of restoration processes

Journal Article · 2006 · Restoration Ecology · OSTI ID:20727598

Ottonetti, L; Tucci, L; Santini, G

Testing effects of invasive fire ants and disturbance on ant communities of the longleaf pine ecosystem

Journal Article · 2021 · Ecological Entomology · OSTI ID:1884968

Roeder, Karl A.; Useche, Viviana Penuela; Levey, Douglas J.; +1 more

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Prey suppression
predation services
natural enemies
diversity
Lasius neoniger

Title: Reducing Native Ant Abundance Decreases Predation Rates in Midwestern Grasslands

Citation Formats

References (73)

Similar Records

Related Subjects