European Fire Ant Presence Decreases Native Arboreal Insect Abundance in Acadia National Park, Maine, USA

Robin Verble-Pearson; Seth Pearson

doi:10.3375/043.036.0207

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Robin Verble-Pearson,^1,*,** Seth Pearson^2,***

¹1Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX 79409
²2Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Lubbock, TX 79409

^* Corresponding author: robin.verble@ttu.edu; (806) 742-2842
^** Robin M. Verble-Pearson currently holds the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Natural Resources Management at Texas Tech University. She earned a PhD from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, an MS in Entomology from the University of Arkansas, and a BS in Biophysics from the University of Southern Indiana. Her research focuses on ant ecology, fire effects on insect communities, and insect heat tolerance.
^***Seth W. Pearson currently holds the position of State Wildland Fire Coordinator for the Wildlife Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife. He has previously worked for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy-Arkansas Field Office. He earned a BS in Biology with an emphasis in Ecology, Evolution, and Population Biology from Purdue University.

Abstract

This study examines the impacts of European fire ants on arboreal insect abundance and diversity in Acadia National Park, Maine. Abundance and diversity were quantified via arboreal pitfall traps that were checked every three days for 21 days from May to June 2009. In areas infested with European fire ants, arboreal insect abundance declined, but arboreal insect species richness remained unchanged. This study illustrates the importance of examining the ecological links between canopies and leaf litter and demonstrates the breadth of impacts that biological invasions can have in an ecosystem.

Citation Download Citation

Robin Verble-Pearson and Seth Pearson "European Fire Ant Presence Decreases Native Arboreal Insect Abundance in Acadia National Park, Maine, USA," Natural Areas Journal 36(2), 162-165, (1 April 2016). https://doi.org/10.3375/043.036.0207

Published: 1 April 2016

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