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Density dependence and colony growth in the ant species Formica neorufibarbis
Article first published online: 26 MAR 2002
DOI: 10.1046/j.0021-8790.2001.00562.x
1365-2656/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=e1c445961d632cd41e33852af907c4900097559b "Journal of Animal Ecology")
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How to Cite
Billick, I. (2001), Density dependence and colony growth in the ant species Formica neorufibarbis. Journal of Animal Ecology, 70: 895–905. doi: 10.1046/j.0021-8790.2001.00562.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 26 MAR 2002
- Article first published online: 26 MAR 2002
- Received 21 April 2000; revision received 8 April 2001
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- ants;
- colony;
- colony growth;
- density dependence;
- density independence;
- feeding experiment;
- Formica neorufibarbis;
- social Hymenoptera
Summary
- 1Production of cocoons and numbers of workers in 25–40 colonies of the ant species Formica neorufibarbis were tracked from 1993 to 1998 in order to test for density dependence in either production or survivorship of workers.
- 2The percentage of workers lost by colonies over winter increased with increasing worker numbers.
- 3There was no evidence that worker production was density-dependent.
- 4Food supplementation did not affect worker-cocoon production.
- 5Colonies forced to live under small nest rocks produced fewer cocoons, but this effect was never seen under natural conditions.
- 6In the field, colonies preferentially utilized large rocks for nests and worker number was positively correlated with nest-rock area.