You are here
Harvard Forest REU Symposium Abstract 2018
- Title: The Effect of Alliaria petiolata on Ant Communities: A Pilot Study
- Author: Max H Ferlauto (Juniata College)
- Abstract:
Ants make up an abundance of invertebrate biomass and have been proposed as ecosystem engineers and bioindicators. Few studies have examined the effects of exotic plants on native ant communities. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a native of Europe and has become an invasive herbaceous weed in new England forests. This pilot study examines relationships between ant communities and garlic mustard, including their abundance, richness, and ability to prey on or disperse garlic mustard seeds. I used pitfall traps and hand searches to collect ants from 15 garlic mustard invaded and noninvaded 1m2 plots in Harvard Forest. I also assessed bait removal (out of 5 Trillium undulatum seeds, garlic mustard seeds, tuna chucks and cookie crumbs) from caged bait trays. Ant nest abundance was significantly greater in plots without garlic mustard (1.87 ±0.08) than plots with garlic mustard (0.8±0.04) (p=0.005). Additionally, species richness was significantly greater in plots without garlic mustard (3.07±0.09) than plots with garlic mustard (1.67±0.07) (p=0.003). Average percent tuna bait removal was significantly greater in plots without garlic mustard (0.89±0.02) than plots with garlic mustard (0.21±0.01) (p=<0.001). Average percent cookie bait removal was also significantly greater in plots without garlic mustard (0.92±0.02) than plots with garlic mustard (0.29±0.03) (p=(p=<0.001)). However, there was little occurrence of trillium or garlic mustard seed removal in both garlic and non-garlic mustard plots. A continuation of this project should analyze the interplay of ants and garlic mustard on a larger scale with the inclusion of other soil organisms such as earthworms.
- Research Category: Invasive Plants, Pests & Pathogens; Biodiversity Studies
