Wasmannia auropunctata (昆虫)

生态 分布 管理 影响 参考数据 联系

一般影响 环境的压力 (例如人类活动引起的压力，例如单一栽培) 可能引起一些蚂蚁族群的爆炸，在蚂蚁的原生地特别显著。例如，在南美洲的它的原产地中，小火蚁是受干扰森林与农业区的一个害虫，它能在那里达成很高的密度。高密度的W. auropunctata已经证明分别与哥伦比亚的甘蔗单一栽培与与巴西的可可粉农业有关。在哥伦比亚，在森林片段中丰度高的小火蚁已被证明会造成蚂蚁多样性降低。小火蚁有效地利用资源，包括花蜜，庇护所内的植被和甘露残留（同翅目昆虫），它可能会竞争、取代原生蚂蚁(Armbrecht 与 Ulloa-Chacon 2003). 改善土地管理和减少初级生产将舒缓侵入蚂蚁的相关问题，也会减少蚂蚁族群爆炸产生的环境压力。 在农业地区，由于工人和土地密切接触，小火蚁可能会带给人类严重的困扰。这是因为它更有可能在农业地区达到高密度，并且叮咬在田野工作的人。同翅目昆虫数量增加，会吸食植物养分，使植物容易感染疾病，造成重大的产量损失。在喀麦隆，相反的，小火蚁的传布是被鼓励的，因为它会吃害虫，从而可以对某些草食可可害虫发挥控制作用。 W. auropunctata可能带给无脊椎动物与脊椎动物负面的冲击。他们可能捕食本土昆虫，引起小脊椎动物的数量减少。在人类的居住环境中，它可能刺伤甚至刺盲家庭宠物 (猫与狗)(Romanski 2001). 一般认为，它已经造成新喀里多尼亚和加拉帕戈斯群岛的爬行动物族群减少，它吃那里刚孵化的幼龟和攻击成龟的眼睛与泄殖腔。 小火蚁可能是加拉巴哥岛群岛的引入种中，最具侵略性的物种，在受这种火蚁侵扰的地区内，蝎子、蜘蛛和本地其它种的蚂蚁数量皆有明显减少的现象。同样有人指出，它会减少所罗门群岛当地节肢动物的生物多样性(Romanski 2001)。 W. auropunctata很少埋藏蚁媒传播性种子而且有时只吃种子的油而不帮忙传播种子。 在它的原产地中，小火蚁减少食草的节肢动物的生物多样性，增加果实与种子产量，增进植物的生长而且减少病原体攻击。 W. auropunctata也可能排除与植物互利共生的节肢动物，例如植物医生或者种子传播者(Ness and Bronstein 2004)。 请参阅侵入的蚂蚁为一个侵入蚂蚁的一般冲击的摘要影响 , 例如他们的在互利共生关系身上影响, 竞争的压力他们趁机利用与结果他们可能有在脆弱的生态系统上。          地点特有的影响： Queensland (Australia)   滋扰人类: Several residents in the infested area were stung by ants whilst swimming in their swimming pools. Dogs and cats have been stung by the ants. People working in their gardens have also been stung by the ants. Brazil   竞争: High populations of W. auropunctata have been related to marked reductions of other ant species in agricultural lands such as cocoa farms in Brazil (Delabie 1988, Majer et al 1994, in Armbrecht and Ulloa-Chacón 2003). Cauca River Valley (Colombia)   竞争: W. auropunctata is widely distributed throughout South America and is able to displace the local myrmecofauna. The positive relation between W. auropunctata abundance and ant-plant associations in understory vegetation reinforces the belief that W. auropunctata is highly able to exploit and monopolise resources such as extrafloral nectar, refuges within vegetation, and honeydew residues from Homopteran insects, and prevent other ant species from utilising these resources successfully (Armbrecht and Ulloa-Chacón 2003). 经济 /民生: Colonises disturbed and agricultural areas, sometimes becoming an economic problem (Fowler et al. 1990, in Armbrecht and Ulloa-Chacón 2003). Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)   与其它入侵物种相互作用: "Wasmannia auropunctata is often associated with another serious pest: the cottonycushion scale- Icerya purchasi, and has been observed transportingimmature stages and tending colonies" (Wetterer & Porter, 2003). 降低本地生物多样性: The little fire ant is probably the most aggressive species that has been introduced into the Galapagos Archipelago. Marked reductions in scorpions, spiders, and native ant populations in areas infested with the little fire ant have been observed. Many other arthropods are probably also affected, but this has not been measured (Roque-Albelo and Causton 1999). French Polynesia   滋扰人类: Images and text by Eric Loeve available at Fenua Animalia document the enormous impact of this invasive ant on people's lives. This is a sign of things to come as the Wasmannia auropunctata infestations become more and more established and as the scale and numbers build. 降低本地生物多样性: A progressive blindness syndrome known as as “Florida spots”, “Florida keratitis/keratopathy” or “tropical keratopathy” (Roze et al, 2004; Moore, 2005) has been documented in mammals and other animals that live in the proximity of colonies of the little fire ant. No scienific study had been conducted to prove that the little fire ants were responsible for this. Scientists from Fenua animalia conducting mapping of a little fire ant colony in the Mahina commune’s highs (Tahiti), discovered that ant colony areas were also sheltering endemic hearths of "Florida keratopathy". 24 cases of keratopathy and 12 control cases were studied within the mega-colony settled. Results of an analysis showed that the affected animals were those living in contact with the ants. Apart from this predisposing factor, the scientists did not find any other characteristic facilitating this outbreak (age, sex, viral status regarding Feline leukosis). The study highlights the symptoms of acute attack such as blepharospasm and whimpering; and the topography of injuries shows that the median area of the eye is the most affected. Though the pathopysiologic model is not already understood, the authors of the study, believe as many authors previously cited that the most probable etiologic agent of this pathology is the littel fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata (Dr. Leonard Theron Assistant - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Liege- Production Animals Clinical Department pers.comm., September 2009). Gabon   其它: "Wetterer et al. (1999) found anecdotal evidence of an impact onvertebrates in Gabon. House cats (Felis catus) at Lopé often have W.auropunctata in their fur, and several cats developed corneal cloudingand blindness. William Karesh, field veterinarian for Wildlife Conserva-tion Society, found the cats' symptoms consistent with trauma, not communicable disease. More disturbingly, elephants (Loxodonta africana) with cloudy corneas arecommon in Lopé and Petit Loango, as well as Wonga Wongué Reserveon the central coast of Gabon (100 km south of Libreville). The possibleconnection between W. auropunctata and eye maladies deserves furtherstudy." 降低本地生物多样性: W. auropunctata has a negative impact on the native ant community in Gabon. Nine sites In Lope National Park were surveyed. A highly significant correlation between ant diversity and length of infestation by W. auropunctata was found. Many more native ant species were present in areas not infested with W. auropunctata (39.0 ± 4.6) compared with areas infested by W. auropunctata for approximately 5–10 yr (7.0 ± 6.2 and 1.7 ± 1.2, respectively). In infested areas, W. auropunctata made up the bulk of specimens collected in every plot (Walker, 2006). New Caledonia (Nouvelle Calédonie)   滋扰人类: Causes painful stings. 降低本地生物多样性: W. auropunctata have a negative impact on endemic ants, native arachnids, beetles, and reptiles (Wetterer & Porter, 2003 and references therein). Wewak (Papua New Guinea)   滋扰人类: The ants over-run gardens and homes in residents' houses and sting people, especially children. Control of insect pests within houses is expensive and many families may be forced to live with the ant. Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands)   其它: Locals on Guadalcanal have reported that their dogs (Canis domesticus) were all gradually blinded by the ants' venom andrarely lived more than five years (Wetterer 1997 in Wetterer & Porter, 2003). 滋扰人类: Causes painful stings. Hawaii (United States (USA))   滋扰人类: Cause painful stings. 经济 /民生: Many important economic crops in Hawaii are harvested by hand. W. auropunctata is small, cryptic, and has a painful sting. In some cases, agricultural workers refuse to harvest from infested trees or orchards, which is a critical issue for farms that rely on hand harvesting. W. auropunctata is also of quarantine concern, because the presence of ants on exported fruits and vegetables from Hawaii can cause rejection and return shipment to Hawaii (Costa et al., 2005; Follett & Taniguchi 2007 in Souza et al., 2006) Vanuatu   滋扰人类: It stings people and animals including chickens and can cause allergic reactions in people 经济 /民生: It deters people from tending their crops, reducing productivity and imposing economic hardship on them. Vanua Lava Is. (Vanuatu)   降低本地生物多样性: A striking lack of butterflies has been noted on the island of Vanua Lava. This is compared to Mota Lava, which is free of W. Auropunctata and has abundant butterflies (J. Tennant, pers. comm. in Wetterer & Porter, 2003).