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THE INVASION of the ARGENTINE ANT Linepithema Humile in MEDITERRANEAN ECOSYSTEMS: IMPACTS and EFFICACY of WINTER AGGREGATIONS EXTIRPATION AS a CONTROL METHOD

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THE INVASION of the ARGENTINE ANT Linepithema Humile in MEDITERRANEAN ECOSYSTEMS: IMPACTS and EFFICACY of WINTER AGGREGATIONS EXTIRPATION AS a CONTROL METHOD THE INVASION OF THE ARGENTINE ANT Linepithema humile IN MEDITERRANEAN ECOSYSTEMS: IMPACTS AND EFFICACY OF WINTER AGGREGATIONS EXTIRPATION AS A CONTROL METHOD Martha Lucía ENRÍQUEZ LENIS Dipòsit legal: GI. 234-2013 http://hdl.handle.net/10803/101512 ADVERTIMENT. L'accés als continguts d'aquesta tesi doctoral i la seva utilització ha de respectar els drets de la persona autora. Pot ser utilitzada per a consulta o estudi personal, així com en activitats o materials d'investigació i docència en els termes establerts a l'art. 32 del Text Refós de la Llei de Propietat Intel·lectual (RDL 1/1996). Per altres utilitzacions es requereix l'autorització prèvia i expressa de la persona autora. En qualsevol cas, en la utilització dels seus continguts caldrà indicar de forma clara el nom i cognoms de la persona autora i el títol de la tesi doctoral. No s'autoritza la seva reproducció o altres formes d'explotació efectuades amb finalitats de lucre ni la seva comunicació pública des d'un lloc aliè al servei TDX. Tampoc s'autoritza la presentació del seu contingut en una finestra o marc aliè a TDX (framing). Aquesta reserva de drets afecta tant als continguts de la tesi com als seus resums i índexs. ADVERTENCIA. El acceso a los contenidos de esta tesis doctoral y su utilización debe respetar los derechos de la persona autora. Puede ser utilizada para consulta o estudio personal, así como en actividades o materiales de investigación y docencia en los términos establecidos en el art. 32 del Texto Refundido de la Ley de Propiedad Intelectual (RDL 1/1996). Para otros usos se requiere la autorización previa y expresa de la persona autora. En cualquier caso, en la utilización de sus contenidos se deberá indicar de forma clara el nombre y apellidos de la persona autora y el título de la tesis doctoral. No se autoriza su reproducción u otras formas de explotación efectuadas con fines lucrativos ni su comunicación pública desde un sitio ajeno al servicio TDR. Tampoco se autoriza la presentación de su contenido en una ventana o marco ajeno a TDR (framing). Esta reserva de derechos afecta tanto al contenido de la tesis como a sus resúmenes e índices. WARNING. Access to the contents of this doctoral thesis and its use must respect the rights of the author. It can be used for reference or private study, as well as research and learning activities or materials in the terms established by the 32nd article of the Spanish Consolidated Copyright Act (RDL 1/1996). Express and previous authorization of the author is required for any other uses. In any case, when using its content, full name of the author and title of the thesis must be clearly indicated. Reproduction or other forms of for profit use or public communication from outside TDX service is not allowed. Presentation of its content in a window or frame external to TDX (framing) is not authorized either. These rights affect both the content of the thesis and its abstracts and indexes. PhD Thesis THE INVASION OF THE ARGENTINE ANT Linepithema humile IN MEDITERRANEAN ECOSYSTEMS: IMPACTS AND EFFICACY OF WINTER AGGREGATIONS EXTIRPATION AS A CONTROL METHOD MARTHA LUCÍA ENRÍQUEZ LENIS 2012 PROGRAMA DE DOCTORAT EN CIÈNCIES EXPERIMENTALS I SOSTENIBILITAT Dirigida per: DR. CRISANTO GÓMEZ LÓPEZ I DRA . SÍLVIA ABRIL I MELÉNDEZ MEMÒRIA PRESENTADA PER OPTAR AL TÍTOL DE DOCTORA PER LA UNIVERSITAT DE GIRONA El Dr. Crisanto Gómez López i la Dra. Sílvia Abril i Meléndez del Departament de Ciències Ambientals de la Universitat de Girona, CERTIFIQUEN: Que aquest treball, titulat “The invasion of the Argentine ant Linepithema humile in Mediterranean ecosystems: impacts and efficacy of winter aggregations extirpation as a control method”, que presenta Martha Lucía Enríquez Lenis per a l’obtenció del títol de doctora, ha estat realitzat sota la seva direcció. CRISANTO GÓMEZ LÓPEZ SÍLVIA ABRIL I MELÉNDEZ Professor Catedrátic Investigadora Asociada Departament de Cienciès Ambientals Departament de Ciències Ambientals Universitat de Girona Universitat de Girona La doctoranda, MARTHA LUCÍA ENRÍQUEZ LENIS Girona, setembre de 2012 AGRAÏMENTS En primer lloc, agraeixo a la Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR) de la Generalitat de Catalunya, i als projectes CGL2007-64080-C02-02/BOS i CGL2010-16451/BOS del Ministeri d’Educació i Ciència pel suport financer. Vull agrair especialment a en Crisanto i a la Sílvia per haver-me acollit en el seu grup de recerca i haver-me donat l’oportunitat de fer el doctorat en un tema tan interessant. Gràcies per haver-me brindat tot el suport necessari pel desenvolupament d’aquesta tesi. Sense vosaltres no hagués estat possible aquesta experiència! Els meus més sincers agraïments a la Mireia, per la incalculable ajuda amb el treball de camp i laboratori, i per la bona companyia i el seu bon humor durant tots aquests anys. Gràcies també a en Xavier Espadaler per la seva valuosa ajuda amb la classificació de formigues, i a l’Alexander Wild per la foto de la coberta. A més, gràcies a totes les persones de l’àrea de Biologia Animal i del Departament de Ciències Ambientals que en algun moment em van donar un cop de mà, especialment a en Roger per l’ajuda amb els mostreigs i la separació d’artròpodes, a les laborants, la Gemma i la Sílvia per ajudar-me amb el material de camp i laboratori, i a l’Ana Meneses per la seva ajuda tan eficient amb els tràmits administratius. Gràcies a tota la gent del passadís pels bons moments! A Gabriela por la grata compañía en el laboratorio, y a Juanita por ofrecerme su amistad, su casa y por hacer de Girona un lugar a donde siempre quiero volver. Un grand merci à Fabrice, pour son support constant et son amour durant ces années. Merci pour l'aide sur le terrain, les bonnes idées et surtout, pour la révision du manuscrit final de ma thèse ! Finalmente, gracias a mis dos familias (la colombiana y la francesa), que me han acompañado siempre desde la distancia y ofrecido todo su amor y apoyo incondicional. v TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ xi List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... xiii Abstract .............................................................................................................................. xvii Resum ................................................................................................................................. xix Resumen ............................................................................................................................. xxi Chapter 1. General Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 Biological invasions .................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Ants as invaders ........................................................................................................... 3 1.3 The Argentine ant biology ........................................................................................... 4 1.4 The invasive potential of the Argentine ant................................................................. 5 1.5 Nest location preferences of the Argentine ant ........................................................... 8 1.6 Seasonal dynamics: colony winter aggregation......................................................... 10 1.7 Effects of Argentine ants invasion on native ants and arthropod communities ........ 12 1.8 Prevention and control of Argentine ant invasions ................................................... 13 1.9 Objectives of the study .............................................................................................. 16 1.10 Structure of the thesis .............................................................................................. 17 Chapter 2. Materials and Methods ....................................................................................... 19 2.1 Study area .................................................................................................................. 19 2.1.1 Argentine ant invasion fronts investigated ........................................................ 19 2.1.2 Habitat of interest: Mediterranean open oak forest ........................................... 22 2.1.3 Climate in the study area ................................................................................... 23 2.2 Sampling plots establishment .................................................................................... 25 2.3 Ants and other arthropods sampling in plots ............................................................. 27 vii 2.4 Nest aggregation mapping ......................................................................................... 30 2.5 Extirpation of winter nest aggregations ..................................................................... 30 2.6 Transects establishment ............................................................................................. 31 2.7 Bait sampling in transects .......................................................................................... 32 Chapter 3. Population dynamics of Linepithema humile after the extirpation of winter nest aggregations and effects on native ants .............................................................. 33 Abstract ...........................................................................................................................
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