Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
The Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr, indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age
Thesis (M. Sc.) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1990.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2012
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613943473635328 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | De Kock, Anneke Elizabeth |
| author2 | Giliomee, J. H. |
| author_browse | De Kock, Anneke Elizabeth Giliomee, J. H. |
| author_facet | Giliomee, J. H. De Kock, Anneke Elizabeth |
| author_sort | De Kock, Anneke Elizabeth |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (M. Sc.) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1990. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/67368 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:10.803Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publishDateRange | 2012 |
| publishDateSort | 2012 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/67368 The Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr, indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age De Kock, Anneke Elizabeth Giliomee, J. H. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology & Entomology. Argentine ant -- South Africa -- Cape of Good Hope, Southwestern Ants -- Ecology Fynbos ecology Dissertations -- Entomology Thesis (M. Sc.) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1990. The expansion of the range of the introduced Argentine ant, Iridomyrex humilis Mayr, into fynbos areas is a matter of concern, because this ant might disrupt the process of myrmecochory, seed dispersal by local ants. THese ants are attracted to the seeds by elaisomes, fatty appendages, and carry them to their nests. About 20% of the species in the fynbos are dispersed in this way. The historic background and present extent of Argentine ant invasion in the fynbos of the south-western Cape, was investigated. Man and his vehicle were shown to play a major part in the geographical expansion of this ant's range. Using small pitfall traps, ants and other epigaeic invertabrates were collected to four sites in the Swartboskloof catchment area near Stellenbosch. The effects of fire, vegetation age and structure, and Argentine ants on the indigenous ant fauna as well as on the other epigaeic invertebrates were studied. Similarity dendograms, diversity profiles, as well as tumbular comparisons of between-site occurence and abundance of ants and other epigaeic invertebrates were used in analyses of the data. The Argentine ant was shown to displace some of the indigenous ant species and to reduce the numbers of the others. Furthermore, Argentine ant presence had a greater influence on the indigenous ant fauna composition and abundance, than either fire or vegetation age. The effect of fire on the ant fauna was considerably greater when it occured in mature fynbos than when it occured in firebreak (maximum six year old) vegetation. No ant mosaic with mutually exclusive foraging areas for the different species was found to exist, but in uninvaded fynbos (without Argentine ant) there were indications that areas of minimal overlap in foraging area are maintained. The lack of tightly structured ant communities in the fynbos may be the weak link that allows the aggressive Argentine ant not only to invade the fynbos, but to become the dominant species wherever it establishes itself. Concerning the rest of the epigaeic invertebrate fauna collected in the traps, the cool to mild experimental burn did not have any real effect on them. The numbers of the few groups specifically known to be dependant on the litter layer for food and shelter did however decline dramatically. This may be ascribed to the removal of the litter layer by the fire. Masters 2012-08-27T12:09:49Z 2012-08-27T12:09:49Z 1990 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/67368 en Stellenbosch University 168 pages : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Argentine ant -- South Africa -- Cape of Good Hope, Southwestern Ants -- Ecology Fynbos ecology Dissertations -- Entomology De Kock, Anneke Elizabeth The Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr, indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age |
| title | The Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr, indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age |
| title_full | The Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr, indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age |
| title_fullStr | The Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr, indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr, indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age |
| title_short | The Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr, indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age |
| title_sort | argentine ant iridomyrmex humilis mayr indigenous ants and other epigaeic invertebrates of the fynbos in relation to fire and vegetation age |
| topic | Argentine ant -- South Africa -- Cape of Good Hope, Southwestern Ants -- Ecology Fynbos ecology Dissertations -- Entomology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/67368 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dekockannekeelizabeth theargentineantiridomyrmexhumilismayrindigenousantsandotherepigaeicinvertebratesofthefynbosinrelationtofireandvegetationage AT dekockannekeelizabeth argentineantiridomyrmexhumilismayrindigenousantsandotherepigaeicinvertebratesofthefynbosinrelationtofireandvegetationage |