Everybody Poops…

Patrick “Poopy Pat” Milligan

-or- “Cascade effects of an invasive ant species on decomposers of the Mpala Research Centre environs”

Pheidole megacephala

Caroline Stone 2014

Decomposers!

Experimental Design6 site pairs

312 dung samples

624 pitfall traps

Too much poo!

Results (so far…)Dung Samples: 16.5% lower species diversity in

invaded areas

Pitfall Traps: 22.4% lower species diversity in invaded areas

Mass Lost per Day33.97% lost in uninvaded areas19.43% lost in invaded areas

Was it worth it?