Abstract
BackgroundTicks and tick-borne pathogens are a global problem for the health of humans and their livestock. Wood ants are important ecosystem engineers in forests worldwide. Although both taxa are well studied, little is known about their interactions under natural conditions. The purpose of the present field study was to test whether European red wood ants (Formica polyctena) influence the abundance of Ixodes tick populations in temperate forests.MethodsData collection took place in 130 sampling plots located at 26 ant nest sites paired with 26 control sites in northwestern Switzerland. At each sampling plot, tick abundance, ant abundance, ant nest volume and habitat variables (describing litter, vegetation and microclimate) were measured. We used linear mixed-effect models to analyze the abundance of questing ticks as a function of ant abundance and habitat variables.ResultsAnt nest volume, rather than the presence of ants, had a significant negative effect on tick abundance. The number of ticks decreased from 11.2 to 3.5 per 100 m2 if the volume of the adjacent ant nest increased from 0.1 m3 to 0.5 m3. Additionally, high vegetation cover and litter depth had negative and positive relationships with tick abundance, respectively.ConclusionsWe showed that the number of questing ticks was negatively correlated with the size of red wood ant nests. Further studies are needed to identify the mechanisms that drive the relationship. Possible mechanisms include the repellent effect of ant formic acid, and the predatory behavior of wood ants. The present field study suggests that red wood ants provide a new ecosystem service by reducing the local abundance of Ixodes ticks.
Highlights
Ticks and tick-borne pathogens are a global problem for the health of humans and their livestock
We showed that the number of questing ticks was negatively correlated with the size of red wood ant nests
Possible mechanisms include the repellent effect of ant formic acid, and the predatory behavior of wood ants
Summary
Ticks and tick-borne pathogens are a global problem for the health of humans and their livestock. Wood ants are important ecosystem engineers in forests worldwide Both taxa are well studied, little is known about their interactions under natural conditions. Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods that vector many different pathogens to a wide range of vertebrate hosts. They are among the most important ectoparasites in veterinary medicine [1] and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) have become prominent public health issues. Red wood ants can reach high densities and their impact extends over several trophic levels and ecosystem processes Their ecological roles include: altering the soil composition and nutrient flow via mound building, dispersing seeds, engaging in mutualistic relationships with aphids, preying on invertebrates, and competing with other predators including insectivorous birds and other ant species. The role of ants in reducing tick populations is not clear; field studies are needed because results from laboratory studies are hard to extrapolate to natural conditions [22]
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