A COLONY-GROWTH MODEL FOR THE IMPORTED FIRE ANT - POTENTIAL GEOGRAPHIC RANGE OF AN INVADING SPECIES Academic Article

abstract

• We present a colony-growth model for the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), compare predicted colony dynamics to field data, and use the model to examine the potential range of S. invicta in the United States. The model incorporates temperature-driven development rates of S. invicta life-stages to simulate the number of workers in a colony. Even though driving factors such as precipitation and competition were not included in the model, it tracks seasonal dynamics reasonably well, though the number of workers in the early stages of colony development is overestimated. The overwintering ability of the simulated S. invicta colony supports the -17.8C January isotherm as the northern limit for range expansion. Simulations suggest that the ratio of minor to major workers is an important determinant of overwintering ability and S. invicta colony dynamics. The model suggests that other factors, such as alate production, food allocation within the colony, and competition with other ant colonies should be considered in future models. 1995.

authors

• Grant, William

published proceedings

• ECOLOGICAL MODELLING

author list (cited authors)

• KILLION, M. J., & GRANT, W. E.

citation count

• 27

complete list of authors

• KILLION, MJ||GRANT, WE

publication date

• January 1995

publisher

• Elsevier  Publisher

published in

• ECOLOGICAL MODELLING  Journal

keywords

• Biological Invasions
• Colonization
• Solenopsis

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/0304-3800(94)00029-H

start page

• 73

end page

• 84

volume

• 77

issue

• 1

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1016%2F0304-3800%2894%2900029-h