Invertebrates are often described by experts as the “little things that run the world,” and ants are certainly one of the top contenders for this role. Ants help ecosystems to function normally and the total weight of all ants on Earth is roughly equivalent to 1.4 billion people, or 33 Empire State Buildings.
Invertebrates are often described by experts as the “little things that run the world,” and ants are certainly one of the top contenders for this role. Ants help ecosystems to function normally and the total weight of all ants on Earth is roughly equivalent to 1.4 billion people, or 33 Empire State Buildings.
Unfortunately, some ants have become invasive species—organisms transported to a new ecosystem that cause damage. These introductions typically happen accidentally by people but can have dire consequences, as my team’s new research shows.
Invasive species are thought to be the second largest threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction. They are a leading cause of animal extinctions, potentially leading to species extinction and ecosystem failure.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature includes five different ant species on its list of 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species. But while invasive ants have dramatically transformed some of the areas they have been able to invade, other areas appear to be far less affected, or even totally unaffected.
My team’s study draws from research conducted around the world to provide a measure of how bad or good invasive ants are for biodiversity loss. The results show us that invasive ants are every bit as bad as we had assumed.
