Habitat Selection, Invasive Species

&Student Research Project

Habitat

Habitat Selection

Why is understanding habitat selection important?

Research Project

• Research question: Are different ant species selecting for different habitat types around campus?

• We’re particularly interested in one species

What do you think is limiting its expansion westward? Northward?

Characteristics of Invasive species

• High reproductive potential• Highly competitive for resources (aggressive)• Habitat generalists• Lack biotic control (predators)

• Based on general theory, would we expect fire ants to be restricted in habitat type?

• Would you expect them to prefer a habitat type?

Methods

• Sample ants using a standard method– Why do we use standard methods in science?

• Each student will choose a location to sample• Samples placed in individual ziploc bags– Record on bags your name, class period, and GPS

coordinates

• Ants will be dried and transferred to new bags, then identified and counted in class– Why will I dry and transfer them?

Results

• Samples will be grouped into pre-defined habitat types

• Presence/absence among habitat types will be used to infer habitat selection

• number of captures among habitat types will be used to infer habitat preferences (if any)

Product

• Each person will write a ~2 page scientific paper, following standard scientific writing formatting– I’ll give you a template

Hypotheses

• State your hypotheses on handout– 1. I hypothesize that RIFA will/will not be present

in all habitat types– 2. I hypothesize that RIFA will/will not prefer a

habitat type