caa a22 4500 463168275 CHVBK 20180406164805.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170326e20070601xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10530-006-9052-2 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10530-006-9052-2 Behaviourally and genetically distinct populations of an invasive ant provide insight into invasion history and impacts on a tropical ant community [Elektronische Daten] [K. Abbott, S. Greaves, P. Ritchie, P. Lester] Populations of invasive species often exhibit a high degree of spatial and temporal variability in abundance and hence their effects on resident communities. Here, we examine behavioural, genetic and environmental factors that influence variation in populations of the yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes, on the remote Nukunonu Atoll of Tokelau, Pacific Ocean. Behavioural assays revealed high levels of aggression between two groups of yellow crazy ants from different islands, and genetic analysis confirmed the presence of two distinct populations with unique mitochondrial (mt)DNA haplotypes, designated A and D. The two populations likely resulted from two separate invasion events. The populations exhibited significant differences in abundance of A. gracilipes, with a mean sevenfold difference in relative abundance between the two main haplotypes. The higher density haplotype D population coexisted with 50% fewer other ant species and altered ant community composition. Vegetation composition was also significantly different on islands harbouring the two populations. The results suggest genetic differences could play a role in the spatial and temporal variation in the effect of the yellow crazy ant on a small oceanic atoll. We could not differentiate between genetic effects and effects of vegetation. However, our results indicate that spatial variability in behaviour and impacts within populations of invasive species could be in part due to genetic differences, and play a substantial role in influencing the outcome of biological invasions. Springer Science+Business Media, Inc., 2006 Invasive ants nationallicence Anoplolepis gracilipes nationallicence Haplotype nationallicence Intraspecific aggression nationallicence Tokelau nationallicence Differential impacts nationallicence Invasion history nationallicence Abbott K. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand aut Greaves S. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand aut Ritchie P. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand aut Lester P. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand aut Biological Invasions Kluwer Academic Publishers 9/4(2007-06-01), 453-463 1387-3547 9:4<453 2007 9 10530 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-006-9052-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-006-9052-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Abbott K. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Greaves S. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Ritchie P. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Lester P. School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Biological Invasions Kluwer Academic Publishers 9/4(2007-06-01), 453-463 1387-3547 9:4<453 2007 9 10530 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer