Ecological Impact of the Yellow Crazy Ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes

Ecological Impact of the Yellow Crazy Ant (Anoplolepis
gracilipes Smith, 1857; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on
Ground Dwelling Arthropod Assemblages in Dryevergreen
Forest at Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve
Ms. Sasitorn Hasin
Department of Forest Biology
Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University
Introduction
An invasive species is a non-native species whose
introduction does or is likely to cause economic or
environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant
health .
-- by the Definitions Subcommittee of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee; ISAC(2006).
Invasive ant species are introduced or alien ant species.
They can cause a decline and change in diversity,
community and population of native invertebrates,
vertebrates and plants by their invasion and displacement
-- By International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
5 species of the World’s Worst Invasive Ant Species
 Argentine ant
 Big-headed ant
 Little fire ant
 Red imported fire ant
 Yellow crazy ant
5 species of the World’s Worst Invasive Ant Species
  
 Argentine ant
 Big-headed ant
 Little fire ant
 Red imported fire ant
 Yellow crazy ant
Invasive ant species in Thailand
Group 1 : Invasive alien ant species; Harmful invasive ant species in Thailand. They has
been considered to decrease diversity and population of native fauna in ecosystems.
Anoplolepis gracillipes (Yellow crazy ant)
Solenopsis geminata (Fire ant)
Group 3: Alien ant species in Thailand, but they have been reported that they are
invasive alien ant species in the other country.
Pheidole megacephala (Big head ants)
Tapinoma melanocephalum (Ghost ant)
Source by; Office of Natural Resources Environmental Policy and Planning; ONPA (2009).
The yellow crazy ant and its impacts on ecosystems?
Bird on the island invasion at
Pacific region
A chick before and after being swarmed by
yellow crazy ants. Note the damage around
the eyes and to the beak.
Chick after being swarmed
by yellow crazy ants
Seabirds nest on the ground, leaving
them vulnerable to the swarms of
yellow-crazy ants. The birds and
chicks have visibly suffered from
attacks by the ants.
Healthy chick
Source by U.S. Fish&Wildlife Service (http://usfwspacific.tumblr.com)
Impact on Ecosystems by Yellow Crazy Ants
1. Absence of Yellow crazy ant
Photo source: Director of National Parks/Parks Australia
Conceptual diagram source: http://lib.znate.ru
2. Present the yellow crazy ant supercolonies
Source: http://www.stephenbelcher.net
Photo source: Dr. Christopher Boland
Ground dwelling arthropods are an important component of natural ecosystems.
Recently research suggest that many arthropod groups have
affected by infestation of Yellow crazy ant.
Yellow crazy ant was indicated to harmful invasive ant
species in Thailand. However, the Yellow crazy ant has never
been recorded to cause the ecological impacts as seen on
forest ecosystem, i.e. the decrease of arthropod.
Objectives
To assess the impact of the yellow crazy ant on ground
dwelling arthropods
Methodology
Study area
Sakaerat Environmental
Research Station is situated in
north eastern Thailand.
 Three plots are invaded site where the Yellow crazy ant
supercolonies formed approximately 3 year.
ID
Three plots were un-invaded site which sites are continuous areas
of invaded site and Yellow crazy ant individuals and supercolonies
were not presented.
40 m
40 m
40 m
40 m
A core area of Yellow crazy ant supercolonies is the
centre of each plot.
Arthropods sampling
ants will be collected by pitfall traps.
7.5 cm
The liquid
10 cm
- 95 % ethylene alcohol
- Water
- Detergent
6 cm
40 m
40 m
All individuals of arthropods were identified at least family by using
systematic keys of Triplehorn and Johnson (2005). The number of family and
individual of each family in each pitfall were counted.
Data analysis
GLM univarate ANOVA to test the difference in number of
individauls of arthropod groups, frequency and abundance among
sites and between seasons, with site and season as fixed factors.
Whenever significant results (P < 0.05) occurred in ANOVA, a posthoc test was done using Bonferroni pairwise comparisons.
Normality and homogeneity of data were confirmed prior to the
analyses using Shapiro-Wilk’s and Levene’s tests, respectively.
Non-distributed variables were transformed through log10(x+1)
These statistical analyses were performed with SPSS ver. 20.0.0 for
Windows.
Results
Arthropod composition
Total number of arthropods individauls 1/
Arthropods group
Dry season
Number of arthropods individauls (N per plots)
Wet season
Dry season
Wet season
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
Ant
1350
684 (356)
1728
995 (568)
450 ± 78
228 ± 23
576 ± 71
332 ± 11
Beetle
351
146
369
221
117 ± 17
49 ± 8.1
123 ± 14
74 ± 5
-
1
-
10
-
1±0
-
4±3
Cricket
39
38
58
39
13 ± 4
13 ± 2
20 ± 4.2
13 ± 2
Crockroach
39
16
74
20
20 ± 10
6±2
25 ± 4
7 ± 2b
Dermaptera
-
4
-
3
-
2±1
-
1±1
Termites
41
13
111
8
14 ± 8
5±2
37 ± 22
3±2
Centipede
6
2
24
3
2±2
1±1
8±5
1±1
Isopod
15
2
31
12
5±3
1.7 ± 1
11 ± 8
4±4
Millepede
16
-
15
2
6±3
-
5±3
1±1
Opiliones
-
37
-
32
-
13 ± 6
-
11 ± 7
Pseudoscorpion
15
6
23
7
5±2
2±2
8±2
3±2
Spider
48
38
83
32
16 ± 2
13 ± 4
27 ± 4
11 ± 2
2310
1171
2943
1634
770 ± 76
391 ± 40.2
981 ± 60
545 ± 21
Bug
Total
Frequency (%)
Arthropods group
Dry season
UNI
Abundance (%)
Wet season
YCA
UNI
YCA
Dry season
UNI
Wet season
YCA
UNI
YCA
Ant
100 ± 0.0
100 ± 0.0
100 ± 0.0
97.9 ± 2.1
69.3 ± 3.9
69.2 ± 1.7
68.4 ± 5.2
72.0 ± 0.3
Beetle
95.8 ± 2.1
81.3 ± 9.5
89.6 ± 5.5
91.7 ± 5.5
15.8 ± 3.4
12.3 ± 1.2
12.6 ± 1.6
13.6 ± 1.0
-
2.1 ± 2.1
-
6.3 ± 6.3
-
0.1 ± 0.1
-
0.7 ± 0.7
Cricket
39.6 ± 9.1
43.8 ± 3.6
52.1 ± 9.1
39.6 ± 9.1
1.6 ± 0.3
1.4 ± 0.4
2.4 ± 0.3
1.6 ± 0.4
Crockroach
27.1 ± 13.6
22.9 ± 4.2
68.8 ± 15.7
27.1 ± 4.2
1.8 ± 1.3
1.5 ± 0.6
3.0 ± 0.5
1.4 ± 0.4
Dermaptera
-
6.3 ± 3.6
-
4.2 ± 4.2
-
0.4 ± 0.2
-
0.2 ± 0.2
16.7 ± 9.1
12.5 ± 6.3
33.3 ± 9.8
8.3 ± 5.5
1.9 ± 1.1
1.5 ± 0.9
4.4 ± 2.5
0.6 ± 0.3
8.3 ± 8.3
4.2 ± 4.2
35.4 ± 21.7a
6.3 ± 3.6
0.3 ± 0.3
0.2 ± 0.2
1.0 ± 0.5
0.2 ± 0.1
Isopod
14.6 ± 9.1
2.1 ± 2.1
10.4 ± 5.5
2.1 ± 2.1
0.9 ± 0.7
0.2 ± 0.2
1.2 ± 0.9
0.9 ± 0.7
Millepede
16.7 ± 4.1
-
22.9 ± 10.4
2.1 ± 2.1
1.0 ± 0.7
-
0.6 ± 0.3
0.1 ± 0.1
Opiliones
-
31.3 ± 15.7
-
27.1 ± 16.3
-
3.9 ± 2.1
-
2.2 ± 1.4
Pseudoscorpion
20.8 ± 5.5
10.4 ± 10.4
31.3 ± 9.5
10.4 ± 10.4
0.8 ± 0.2
0.7 ± 0.7
0.9 ± 0.3
0.5 ± 0.5
Spider
37.5 ± 3.6
39.6 ± 7.5
62.5 ± 14.4
35.4 ± 8.3
2.6 ± 0.4
3.7 ± 0.9
3.4 ± 0.7
2.3 ± 0.5
100
100
100
100
Bug
Termites
Centipede
Total
Effect on ground dwelling arthropod
Dependent Variable
Arthropods
Arthropods group
season
sites
season * Site
Arthropods group * season
Arthropods group * Site
Arthropods group * season *
Site
Number of individauls
Frequency (%)
(N per plots)
d.f.n. d.f.d. F
P
d.f.n. d.f.d. F
P
11
1
1
1
11
8
7
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
22.3 0.000
6.2 0.02
31. 7 0.000
1.3 0.27
0.7 0.75
1.9 0.09
0.4 0.92
11
1
1
1
11
8
7
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
18.2
4.2
21.6
2.5
0.6
2.2
0.9
Abundance (%)
d.f.n. d.f.d.
0.000 11
0.05 1
0.000 1
0.12 1
0.83 11
0.05 8
0.52 7
52
52
52
52
52
52
52
F
P
29.7 0.000
0.01 0.94
1.1 0.31
2.3 0.14
0.6 0.81
1.8 0.11
0.5 0.81
Number of arthropods individauls(N per plots)
Arthropods group
Dry season
Wet season
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
450 ± 78a
228 ± 23b
576 ± 71a
332 ± 11b
117 ± 16.5a
49 ± 8.1b
123 ± 14.4
74 ± 5.0
-
1 ± 0A'
-
4 ± 3B'
13 ± 4
13 ± 2.7
20 ± 4.2
13 ± 2.6
Crockroach
20 ± 10a
6 ± 2b
25 ± 4a
7 ± 2b
Dermaptera
-
2±1
-
1±1
14 ± 8a
5 ± 2b
37 ± 22a
3 ± 2b
Centipede
2±2
1±1
8 ± 5a
1 ± 1b
Isopod
5±3
1.7 ± 1
11 ± 8
4±4
Millepede
6±3
-
5±3
1±1
Opiliones
-
13 ± 6
-
11 ± 7
Pseudoscorpion
5±2
2±2
8±2
3±2
Spider
16 ± 2
13 ± 4
27 ± 4a
11 ± 2b
770 ± 76
391 ± 40.2
981 ± 60
545 ± 21
Ant
Beetle
Bug
Cricket
Termites
Total
Frequency (%)
Arthropods
group
Abundance (%)
Dry season
UNI
Wet season
YCA
UNI
YCA
Dry season
UNI
Wet season
YCA
UNI
YCA
Ant
100 ± 0.0
100 ± 0.0
100 ± 0.0
97.9 ± 2.1
69.3 ± 3.9
69.2 ± 1.7
68.4 ± 5.2
72.0 ± 0.3
Beetle
95.8 ± 2.1
81.3 ± 9.5
89.6 ± 5.5
91.7 ± 5.5
15.8 ± 3.4
12.3 ± 1.2
12.6 ± 1.6
13.6 ± 1.0
-
2.1 ± 2.1A'
-
6.3 ± 6.3 B'
-
0.1 ± 0.1
-
0.7 ± 0.7
Cricket
39.6 ± 9.1
43.8 ± 3.6
52.1 ± 9.1
39.6 ± 9.1
1.6 ± 0.3
1.4 ± 0.4
2.4 ± 0.3
1.6 ± 0.4
Crockroach
27.1 ± 13.6
22.9 ± 4.2
68.8 ± 15.7a
27.1 ± 4.2b
1.8 ± 1.3
1.5 ± 0.6
3.0 ± 0.5
1.4 ± 0.4
Dermaptera
-
6.3 ± 3.6
-
4.2 ± 4.2
-
0.4 ± 0.2
-
0.2 ± 0.2
16.7 ± 9.1
12.5 ± 6.3
33.3 ± 9.8 a
8.3 ± 5.5b
1.9 ± 1.1
1.5 ± 0.9
4.4 ± 2.5a
0.6 ± 0.3b
8.3 ± 8.3
4.2 ± 4.2
35.4 ± 21.7a
6.3 ± 3.6b
0.3 ± 0.3
0.2 ± 0.2
1.0 ± 0.5
0.2 ± 0.1
Isopod
14.6 ± 9.1a
2.1 ± 2.1b
10.4 ± 5.5
2.1 ± 2.1
0.9 ± 0.7
0.2 ± 0.2
1.2 ± 0.9
0.9 ± 0.7
Millepede
16.7 ± 4.1
-
22.9 ± 10.4a
2.1 ± 2.1b
1.0 ± 0.7
-
0.6 ± 0.3
0.1 ± 0.1
Opiliones
-
31.3 ± 15.7
-
27.1 ± 16.3
-
3.9 ± 2.1
-
2.2 ± 1.4
Pseudoscorpion
20.8 ± 5.5
10.4 ± 10.4
31.3 ± 9.5
10.4 ± 10.4
0.8 ± 0.2
0.7 ± 0.7
0.9 ± 0.3
0.5 ± 0.5
Spider
37.5 ± 3.6
39.6 ± 7.5
62.5 ± 14.4 a
35.4 ± 8.3 b
2.6 ± 0.4
3.7 ± 0.9
3.4 ± 0.7
2.3 ± 0.5
100
100
100
100
Bug
Termites
Centipede
Total
**
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
*
60
Frequency (%)
Number of individauls
70
50
40
30
20
10
0
UNI
UNI
YCA
YCA
Error bars represent standard error.
*, ** and (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01,
respectively) indicate significant
differences between frequency in
UNI-site and YCA-site within the
arthropod group.
Abundance (%)
100
80
60
40
20
0
UNI
YCA
1000
a'
a'
70
UNI
YCA
800
a
600
b'
b
400
Frequency (%)
Number of individauls
60
b'
50
40
30
20
200
10
0
0
Dry season
Wet season
Dry season
Wet season
Black bar is un-invaded site and yellow bar is invaded site. Error bars represent
standard error. Difference lower case letters indicate a significant difference
between the UNI-site and YCA-site within the season.
120
Frequency (%)
100
UNI-site
YCA-site
80
60
***
***
**
40
*
20
0
CH
IS
PS
AR
BL
CO
FO
OR
TE
Arthropod group
Error bars represent standard error. *, ** and *** (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001,
respectively) indicate significant differences between frequency in uninvaded site
(UNI-site) and invaded site (YCA-site) within the arthropod group.
Effect on dominance arthropod
Coleoptera Families; beetle (COF)
COF
season
Site
season * Site
COF * season
COF * Site
COF * season * Site
Orthoptera Families; Cricket (ORF)
ORF
season
site
season * site
ORF * season
ORF * site
Formicidae; Ant
season
site
season * site
Termitidae; Termites
season
site
season * site
Spider
season
site
season * site
Number of individauls(N per plots)
d.f.n.
d.f.d.
F
P
8
1
1
1
6
4
4
34
34
34
34
34
34
34
7.86
1.64
9.93
0.03
0.53
3.31
0.29
2
1
1
1
2
1
13
13
13
13
13
13
14.51
0.30
12.67
0.24
0.07
1.74
1
1
1
8
8
8
1
1
1
1
1
1
0.000
0.21
0.003
0.86
0.78
0.02
0.88
Dependent Variable
Frequency (%)
d.f.n.
d.f.d.
F
8
1
1
1
6
4
4
34
34
34
34
34
34
34
4.38
0.69
8.93
0.34
0.53
1.90
0.25
0.000
0.59
0.003
0.63
0.93
0.21
2
1
1
1
2
1
13
13
13
13
13
13
27.52
0.08
4.80
1.12
0.05
0.02
4.49
18.51
0.04
0.67
0.003
0.84
1
1
1
8
8
8
5
5
5
0.02
8.44
0.50
0.89
0.03
0.51
1
1
1
8
8
8
0.89
8.41
2.10
0.38
0.02
0.19
1
1
1
P
0.000
0.41
0.005
0.57
0.78
0.13
0.91
d.f.n.
Abundance (%)
d.f.d.
F
P
7.73 0.000
0.01 0.92
0.17 0.68
0.02 0.88
0.47 0.83
3.30 0.02
0.37 0.83
8
1
1
1
6
4
4
34
34
34
34
34
34
34
0.003
0.78
0.05
0.31
0.95
0.89
2
1
1
1
2
1
13
13
13
13
13
13
19.20
0.76
0.73
0.69
0.09
1.22
0.000
0.40
0.41
0.42
0.92
0.29
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.35
1.35
2.35
1
1
1
8
8
8
0.06
0.20
0.20
0.81
0.67
0.67
5
5
5
0.19
3.80
1.40
0.68
0.11
0.30
1
1
1
5
5
5
0.21
1.81
0.79
0.67
0.28
0.42
8
8
8
0.57
1.67
1.85
0.48
0.23
0.21
1
1
1
8
8
8
0.20
0.02
2.63
0.67
0.91
0.14
Number of individuals, frequency and abundance of Coleoptera Families in 16 pitfall traps
at un-invaded site (UNI) and invaded site (YCA). Values are averaged per site (Ave. ± SE)
and n=3 for each site.
Total number of
Family
Number of individauls (N per plots)
individauls
Wet season
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
UNI
YCA
Bostrichidae
35
45
68
53
12 ± 6
15 ± 6
23 ± 7
18 ± 8
37.5 ± 14.4
37.5 ± 9.5
64.6 ± 16.3
43.8 ± 10.8
1.7 ± 0.7
4.6 ± 1.7
2.8 ± 0.9
3.7 ± 1.6
Carabidae
14
11
44
27
5±3
4±3
15 ± 7
9±3
22.9 ± 14.5
12.5 ± 9.5
32.3 ± 24.0
25 ± 7.2
0.7 ± 0.4
1.1 ± 0.9
1.9 ± 0.8
2.0 ± 0.8
Curculionidae
5
-
-
4
2±1
-
-
2±1
8.3 ± 5.5
-
-
6.3 ± 3.6
0.3 ± 0.3
-
-
0.3 ± 0.2
Elarteridae
-
1
-
6
-
0±0
2±2
-
2.1 ± 2.1
-
6.3 ± 6.3
-
Nitituiidae
3
-
-
-
1±1
-
-
-
2.1 ± 2.1
-
-
-
0.2 ± 0.2
0.1 ± 0.1
-
-
0.4 ± 0.4
-
Scarabaeidae
9
4
5
7
3±2
2±1
2±2
3±1
12.5 ± 6.3
6.3 ± 6.3
8.3 ± 8.3
8.3 ± 5.5
0.6 ± 0.4
0.4 ± 0.4
0.2 ± 0.2
0.5 ± 0.3
Staphylinidae
167
68
120
91
56 ± 17a
23 ± 5b
40 ± 5a
31 ± 7b
70.8 ± 5.5
54.2 ± 15.0
66.7 ± 9.1
64.6 ± 13.7
9.8 ± 0.4a 6.7 ± 1.0b 4.7 ± 0.2a
6.5 ± 1.3b
Tenebrionidae
0
6
-
8
-
2±2
-
3±2
-
10.4 ± 10.4
-
12.5 ± 9.5
118
11
132
25
40 ± 10a
4 ± 3b
44 ± 7a
9 ± 6b
20.4 ± 11.6
12.5 ± 9.5
28.7 ± 9.5
20.8 ± 14.6
6.2 ± 1.3a 1.1 ± 0.8b 5.3 ± 0.9a
1.9 ± 1.5b
351
146
369
221
117 ± 16
49 ± 8
123 ± 14
74 ± 5
95.8 ± 2.1
81.3 ± 9.5
89.6 ± 5.5
91.7 ± 5.5
15.8 ± 3.4 12.3 ± 1.2 12.6 ± 1.6
13.6 ± 1.0
Total
Wet season
Abundance (%)
Dry season
unknow
Dry season
Frequency (%)
Dry season
Wet season
Dry season
-
Wet season
0.6 ± 0.6
-
0.6 ± 0.4
Pairwise comparison result was shown that number of individauls and abundance of two
beetle groups, i.e. rove beetle and undescribed beetle, have significant higher value in uninvaded site than invaded site.
DISCUSSION
Ant was the high number of individauls, frequency and
abundance than the other arthropods group. This predominance can
be explained by the diverse of species and their nesting habitat on
terrestrial ecosystems, number of individauls per colony/nest and
range of foraging behaviors of ant
Ground-dwelling arthropods assemblage at un-invaded and
invaded sites were strikingly difference. These results were
unanticipated given the precedent for invasive ants to disrupt
arthropod communities.
Beetle
Ant
Spider
Termite
Cricket
Five dominant arthropod groups, may be failed to coexist with
the Yellow crazy ant super colonies.
The impact on the composition of the arthropods
assemblage may have resulted partly from much higher
number of individauls of Yellow crazy ant. This finding might
be suggests that Yellow crazy ant preyed on competed with
arthropods differently than native ants.
Although Yellow crazy ant appeared to present-day disrupt the communities
of ground dwelling arthropods, the effects of Yellow crazy ant invasions in
dryevergreen forest probably extend beyond the displacement of the native ant
fauna. Such effects might have been difficult to detect in this study for several
reasons.
First, pitfall traps largely fail to capture highly sedentary arthropods (e.g., larvae of
insect) or those that rarely occur on the ground (e.g. Aphids).
Second, although the composition of arthropod based surveys s have numerous
advantages, however, the effects of Yellow crazy ant on rare taxa/or key species
would evade detection with the methods used here.
Third, the arthropod communities of dry evergreen forest experienced changes
prior to invasion by Yellow crazy ant, and species sensitive to these disturbances
may have already been lost.
Lastly, immigration of arthropods from un-invaded to a continuous areas of
invaded sites could maintain populations of arthropods in invaded areas even if
theYellow crazy ant prevent such species from reproducing successfully
CONCLUSION
I anticipate that this work can be used as a base-line
study from which future changes as a result of land
utilization and climate change or the addition of further
invasive species might be monitored.
Yellow crazy ant can be influenced by many factors such
as the presence of competitors, food source and climates.
Subsequent to this survey, the Yellow Crazy ant has
further spread in Dry evergreen forest at SERS,
predominantly through human mediated dispersal.
Funding sources
The Higher Education Research
Promotion and National Research
University Project of Thailand
Thesis Committee
Thesis Advisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Wattanachai Tasen
Thesis Co-Advisor: Dr. Watana Sakchoowong
Thank you very much for your attention
Photo by Yoshiaki Hashimoto
Table 1 Check lists of major invasive ant species of the world
(modified from Holway et al., 2002)
Ant species
Anoplolepis gracilipes
(Yellow crazy ant)
Linepithema humile
(Argentine ants)
Pheidole megacephala
(Big-headed ant)
Solenopsis invicta
(Fire ant)
Solenopsis geminata
(Tropical fire ant)
Wasmannia auropunctata
(Little fire ant)
Geographical Range
Native
Invasive species
Africa , Tropical
Asia?
Africa, Asia, Australia, Caribbean,
Indian and Pacific Ocean
South America
Africa, Asia, North America, Atlantic
and Pacific Ocean
Africa
Australia, North and South America,
Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Ocean
South America
Central, North and
South America
Central and South
America
Caribbean, North America
Africa, Asia, Australia, Pacific and
Indian Ocean
Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Ocean,
South and North America
Note: Red color species are found in Thailand. Origin of the yellow crazy ant is still
unclear whether from tropical Asia or not.
Spread
Establishment
Introduction
Steps to Ant invasion
Non-native ant or alien ant species
Survive but
Do not Reproduce
Introductions are
mostly due to
human activity.
Survive and Reproduce
Non Invasive
Become part of the
natural fauna and flora
Spreads Rapidly
Naturalized Species
Invasive ant
species
Methodology
1. Diversity and Distribution of invasive alien ant species in Thailand
2. Influence of environmental factors on distribution of the yellow
crazy ant
2.1 Distribution of the yellow crazy ant along road construction
2.2 Distribution pattern of the yellow crazy ant from the road
into two forest types
3. Interaction between the yellow crazy ant and the other
arthropods
3.1 Effects of the yellow crazy ant super-colony on the nest
abundance of other ant species
3.2 Impact of the yellow crazy ant on the other arthropods
4. To evaluate the impact of the yellow crazy ant on CO2 efflux in
the dry evergreen forest
Methodology
1. Diversity and Distribution of
invasive alien ant species in Thailand
 Study areas
 I will survey ants species in
- 32 areas including
- 23 national parks,
- 1 wildlife sanctuary,
- 3 plantations,
- 1agricultural land,
- Sakaerat Environmental
Research Station
- Urban ecosystem (Bangkok).
 Positions of these areas will be
recorded by GPS.
Each study area will be conducted;
FA
UA
Forest Area or Public park Area in
Bangkok (FA)
Urban Area (UA)
outside region
inside region
core region
2.1 Distribution of the yellow crazy ant along road construction
SV
20 m
Main Road
in SERS
Main road number 304
Research will be conducted along 4-km section of the
main road constructed within the SERS
4 KM
Ant sampling; survey point (SV) will be established at the edge
of two sides of roadways, 20 m apart from each other, at least
400 survey points.

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