This U.S.-Argentina award will support Drs. David A. Holway, University of California, San Diego and Andrew Suarez, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, who will work in collaboration with Dr. Patricia J. Folgarait at Universidad Nacional de Quilmes in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The researchers are working on factors promoting coexistence between sympatric, native populations of Argentina ants and fire ants across an extensive region of native-range sympatry. This work represents a novel contribution in that it examines the nature and importance of competitive interactions between widespread and important invaders in areas where these taxa evolved and coexist together. Most research on invasive species focuses on introduced populations, rather than starting to study them at the beginning in their native regions. This project will therefore provide the basic understanding on why these species become successful invaders.
The U.S. Pis have expertise on the causes and consequences of Argentine ant invasions. Dr. Folgarait brings her expertise in fire ants and their phorids to this project as well as a comprehensive understanding of the ant communities of Argentina. Students from both sides will be involved in this international collaboration.
